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Michael Morpurgo's Tales from Shakespeare

By Michael Morpurgo (author)

"A stunning celebration of ten of Shakespeare's best loved plays as stories by master storyteller Morpurgo."

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LoveReading4Kids Says

Inspired by a rite-of-passage book and his own first discovery of the Bard in Tales of Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb when he was six or seven, Morpurgo delivers his own version of a selection of Shakespeare's plays in story format.

And oh what a joy it is. Giving the gift of Shakespeare to the young, ensuring they don't turn away from it before they come to engage with it, enjoy it, love it, this is a real treat. Offering every child the early experience of the tales of Shakespeare, this book deserves to be on every bookshelf throughout the land.

With an introduction by Benedict Cumberbatch we are reminded of the amount of retellings of Shakespeare - films, books, plays galore, but none quite like this. Telling the stories in a fresh and modern way, in the language of today, we are reminded of what an incredible storyteller Morpurgo is. Bringing the iconic originals up to date for a brand new audience of young readers, blending some of Shakespeare's original words with his own memories of the classic stories, this book is a triumph.

Of writing this collection, Morpurgo shares:

“Tell a cracking story, tell it well, and children will love to listen. So, I thought, tell the tales of Shakespeare your way, with pace and with passion. Mean the stories as you tell them, so that children can see the truth in them, the fun and the excitement, identify with the characters, empathise with them.

Then, and only then, introduce them to the text and begin to discover the beauty of the language, the poetry, the genius of our great bard. Every child should have the opportunity to come to love the plays of Shakespeare. It's a birthright and a joy. These tales might help that happen. Believe so, hope so.”

And amen to that.

This collection is also available to listen to in audio format, narrated and performed by some of the fantastic actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Deborah Maclaren

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Suitable For:	7+ readers 11+ readers 9+ readers
Other Genres:	Classic Literature

About

Michael Morpurgo's Tales from Shakespeare Synopsis

Ten stunning Shakespeare retellings from the master storyteller.

Featuring re-tellings of ten of Shakespeare's plays, and beautifully written with Michael Morpurgo's warm, accessible and inimitable style, this wonderful collection offers a new generation of readers the chance to discover the magic of Shakespeare - the perfect introduction to the Bard and an unmissable book for children.

Stunningly illustrated throughout with contributions from ten different artists, each with a special connection to the author, and published in a beautiful hardback edition, Tales from Shakespeare is a glorious tribute to both Shakespeare and Michael Morpurgo, making this the perfect gift.

A contemporary Lamb's Tales for a new generation.

Featuring: Macbeth, illustrated by Dapo Adeola The Taming of the Shrew, illustrated by Joelle Avelino Romeo and Juliet, illustrated by Peter Bailey The Tempest, illustrated by Barroux Twelfth Night, illustrated by Ian Beck Henry V, illustrated by Christian Birmingham A Midsummer Night's Dream, illustrated by Alona Millgram Hamlet, illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole King Lear, illustrated by Michael Foreman The Winter's Tale, illustrated by Sam Usher

About This Edition

ISBN:	9780008352226
Publication date:	28th September 2023
Author:	Michael Morpurgo
Publisher:	HarperCollins an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Format:	Hardback
Pagination:	317 pages
Suitable For:	7+ readers 11+ readers 9+ readers
Other Genres:	Classic Literature

Author

About Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo began writing stories in the early '70's, in response to the children in his class at the primary school where he taught in Kent. His books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide in almost 40 languages to date. A former Children’s Laureate and current President of BookTrust, Michael was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity. He has won many prestigious awards including the Smarties Prize, the Writers Guide Award, the Whitbread Award, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Eleanor Farjeon Lifetime Achievement Award.

His novels have been adapted in a number of plays and films including War Horse directed by Stephen Spielberg (2011), Private Peaceful, Waiting for Anya and Kensuke's Kingdom (2023) which has been nominated for 'Best Feature Film' at the 2024 British Animation Awards

The National Theatre’s adaption of War Horse has been seen by over 10 million people in over 100 cities around the world, broke the West End record for weekly ticket sales and won 5 Tony Awards and 2 Olivier Awards The National Theatre's global phenomenon of War Horse is returning to UK theatres in September 2024.

A son and grandson of actors, Michael has acting in his blood and enjoys collaborating and performing live adaptations of his books at festivals, concerts and theatres.

Michael's books have been translated into many languages including Chinese, Bulgarian and Hungarian, Hebrew and Japanese. He travels all over the UK and abroad talking to people of all ages at literary festivals, telling his stories and encouraging them to tell theirs.

With his wife Clare, he set up the charity Farms for City Children, which offers children and teachers from inner-city primary schools the chance to live and work in the countryside for a week on one of the charity’s three farms in Devon, Gloucestershire and Wales. Over 100,000 children have visited the three farms run by the charity since it began in 1976. Teachers frequently comment that a child can learn more in a week on the farm than a year in the classroom.

For more information about the work of Farms for City Children, please visit www.farmsforcitychildren.org

Michael Morpurgo lives in Devon with his wife Clare.

Anthony Horowitz on Michael Morpurgo:

'Michael Morpurgo is the most solid, classical of children's authors. He sits outside the series-driven blockbusters so beloved of publishers nowadays: he hasn't created a Harry Potter or an Alex Rider – and I admire him for resisting that. We are opposite sides of the same coin and, although his work has never influenced mine, I admire the eloquent, considered voice of his best books. He has an unerring moral compass – his schoolteacher past has never quite left him – and books such as War Horse and The Butterfly Lion have a strong social concience and an honesty that makes them universal.' (The Guardian)

In November 2016 Michael Morpurgo won the J M Barrie Award for his contribution to children’s literature. This award is given every year by Action for Children’s Arts to a “children’s arts practitioner” whose lifetime’s work has delighted children and will stand the test of time.

David Wood, chair of Action for Children’s Arts, said Morpurgo is “one of our greatest storytellers”.
“Michael Morpurgo has thrilled and delighted huge numbers of young readers since becoming a children’s author in the early 1970s," Wood said. "Action for Children’s Arts is delighted to recognise Michael’s outstanding contribution by presenting him with the J M Barrie Award 2016. His work will undoubtedly, like Peter Pan, stand the test of time, making him a truly worthy recipient of this award."

Morpurgo added: “Storymakers and storytellers like Barrie, and like all the previous winners of this award, have given us the hope and faith children need, we need, to keep flying, have sustained us through dark and troubled times, have banished doubt. To touch the lives of children, to witness their listening and reading silence, is reward enough in itself. This is simply the icing on the cake.”

Take a peek at Michael's 10 Rules for Writing.

You can also read about his life in War Child to War Horse, a collaborative biography with Maggie Fergusson.

More About Michael Morpurgo