Martin, Reed, & Austin Tichenor. Pop-up Shakespeare.

Martin, Reed, & Austin Tichenor.  Pop-up Shakespeare.    Candlewick Press  2017  unp  $19.99 ISBN 978-0-7636-9874-4    all ages  Drama 

E-BN

    

This pop-up compendium of the complete works of William Shakespeare is sure to entice a new generation.  William Shakespeare wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and innumerable other works.  His words live on in the English language and are part of our daily lexicon.  How can all of this be condensed into one pop-up book?  The Reduced Shakespeare Company has managed it in spades (not Shakespeare.) Dividing the plays and sonnets into sections, the authors, armed with the amazing artwork of Jennie Maizels, offer a huge amount of information about the man and his works. While there are accurate summaries of the works, the wry tone is delightful and the text is spiced with dramatic anecdotes.  The historical background and political climate of the time are accurate and offer some insight into the development of the plays. Altogether, this is a perfect start to Shakespeare’s works if only for a personal collection. The pop-up format may not survive library use even though it is quite sturdily made.

Summary: A new generation will be enticed into these fabulous writings. This is a perfect start to Shakespeare’s works if only for a personal collection. The pop-up format may not survive library use even though it is quite sturdily made.    

Shakespeare, William                               --Susan Ogintz

Guillain, Charlotte. Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays. Charlotte. Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays.

Guillain, Charlotte.  Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays.  Capstone/Heinemann  2016      48p   $24.49  ISBN 978-1-4846-2771-6  Series: Writing and Staging Plays.  elem  Nonfiction  VG-BNS   

Upper-elementary school students who are interested in plays and theater will like this new title.  Plays based on real-life issues get people thinking about the issues that concern ordinary people.  The author provides suggestions for creating characters based on real people, as well as structuring a play.  The book covers writing, directing, and staging the perfect show, and students will have all the tools necessary to get them started on creating a realistic play.   

The author includes colorful photographs, sections entitled “Writing Tips” and “Try It,” a glossary of terms, a web site for further information, a list of suggested plays, and an index. 

For schools that participate in Accelerated Reader, an existing test is available for students to take (AR Quiz # 179300).     

Summary: “Provides tips for turning a real life stories into a full production, including the writing and staging process.”      Upper-elementary school students who are interested in plays and theater will like this new title. Students are introduced to definitions of plays and scripts, along with suggestions on writing and structuring plays based on real life.   

Playwriting, Plays, Drama                             --Charleen Forba-MacCain

Guillain, Charlotte. Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays.

Guillain, Charlotte.  Writing and Staging Real-Life Plays.  Capstone/Heinemann  2016      48p   $24.49  ISBN 978-1-4846-2771-6  Series: Writing and Staging Plays  elem/ms  Nonfiction  VG-BN  

All elements of writing and staging a play about real-life events are covered: how to write authentically, do set and costume design, and perform well. There is a lot of practical advice for novice writers and those interested in a theatrical career. It is best suited for students in grades 4-8 because of the illustrations: if the illustrations included people of all age groups from elementary through high school, it would appeal to all age groups. However, most of the color photographs include only younger people, and thus may not easily fit into high-school collections. Practical ideas and tips are included for writing a play, from the story-map stage through the creation of authentic dialogue.  Other topics pertain to becoming a director, audition criteria, set and costume design, and other practical tips to make opening night a success.  This book can be used to teach common-core standards related to understanding the structure of play dialogue and stage directions, as well as writing authentically for specific time periods. A glossary, an index and a list of reading for further information complete the book.   

Summary: All elements of writing and staging a play about real-life events are covered: how to write authentically, do set and costume design, and perform well. There is a lot of practical advice for novice writers and those interested in a theatrical career.

Drama, Playwriting                                                --Lois McNicol

Guillain, Charlotte. Writing and Staging Funny Plays.

Guillain, Charlotte.  Writing and Staging Funny Plays.  Capstone/Heinemann  2016  48p     $24.49  ISBN 978-1-4846-2769-3  Series: Writing and Staging Plays  elem  Nonfiction  VG-BNS

Upper-elementary school students who are interested in plays and theater will like this new title, in which students are introduced to plays and scripts, including comedies.  Students see samples of story maps, character identification, ways of structuring plays, costume creations, props, scenes and poster boards featuring Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  The author offers suggestions for telling a story, taking the lead in a play through direction, casting, and acting in a comedy.  When rehearsals are complete, the author provides information on how to advertise or promote your play. 

The author includes colorful photographs, a section of “Theater Job” facts, “Try It” examples, a glossary of terms, a web site address for finding information, a list of suggested plays, a drama game to play, and an index. 

For schools that participate in Accelerated Reader, an existing test is available (AR Quiz # 179298).

Summary: “Provides tips for turning a humorous script into a full production, including the writing and staging process.”      Upper-elementary school students who are interested in plays and theater will like this new title, in which students are introduced to plays and scripts, including comedies. 

Plays, Drama, Comedy playwriting                --Charleen Forba-MacCain

Guillain, Charlotte. Writing and Staging Funny Plays.

Guillain, Charlotte.  Writing and Staging Funny Plays.  Capstone/Heinemann  2016  48p  $24.49  ISBN 978-1-4846-2769-3  Series: Writing and Staging Plays  elem/ms  Nonfiction  VG-BN    

In this how-to book, all the elements of writing and staging a funny play are covered: writing and staging humor, designing sets and costumes, and performing. There is also practical advice for novice writers and those interested in a theatrical career. If the illustrations included people of all age groups from elementary through high school, this book would appeal to all age groups. However, most of the color photographs include only very young people and thus may not easily fit into high-school collections, and is more suited to grades 4-8. The author gives practical ideas and tips for writing a play, starting with the story map through the creation of humorous dialogue and actions.  She also covers directing a play, audition criteria, and set and costume design, as well as practical tips to make opening night a success.  This book can be used to teach common-core standards related to understanding the structure of play dialogue and stage directions, as well as the creation of humorous scenes. Glossary, index and a list of resources for further reading complete the book.  

Summary: In this how-to book, all the elements of writing and staging a funny play are covered: writing and staging humor, designing sets and costumes, and performing. There is also practical advice for novice writers and those interested in a theatrical career.

Playwriting, Drama-How To                                         --Lois McNicol