First Folio

by William Shakespeare
First Folio cover
Good Books rating 4.75
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  • ID: 2408
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-13
  • Reviews: 2
Reviews
telegraph.co.uk · Unknown · 2024-04-04
excellent 4.50

The First Folio is a beautifully presented collection that makes Shakespeare's plays accessible to children, with engaging illustrations and clear language. It's a fantastic introduction to the Bard's works, though some may find the simplified text loses some of the original depth.

The First Folio is a wonderful edition that brings Shakespeare's plays to a younger audience. The book is filled with vibrant illustrations and modernized language, making it easier for children to understand and enjoy. The inclusion of all the plays in one volume is a great feature, and the design is both attractive and functional. However, some purists might argue that the simplified text and modernized language detract from the original richness of Shakespeare's words. Overall, it's a valuable addition to any child's bookshelf and a great way to introduce them to the world of Shakespeare.

Quick quotes

    This is a beautifully presented collection that makes Shakespeare's plays accessible to children.

    The book is filled with vibrant illustrations and modernized language, making it easier for children to understand and enjoy.

    The inclusion of all the plays in one volume is a great feature, and the design is both attractive and functional.

theguardian.com · Unknown · 2023-09-02
brilliant 5.00

This children's edition of Shakespeare's First Folio preserves much of the original poetry while drastically abridging the plays. The illustrations by Emily Sutton complement the complex language, making it accessible for young readers. The reviewer praises the edition for maintaining the essence of Shakespeare's works in a digestible format.

This children's edition of Shakespeare's First Folio is a remarkable achievement, preserving a significant amount of the original poetry despite drastic abridgments. The plays are cut down to be performable by schoolchildren in under 20 minutes, using almost entirely Shakespeare's original language. The illustrations by Emily Sutton are a highlight, offering over 150 detailed watercolour drawings that contrast cleverly with the complexity of the language. While some topics and references have been removed for propriety, the edition successfully retains the most memorable passages and coherent narratives of each play. It's a delightful and accessible introduction to Shakespeare for young readers.

Quick quotes

    This new doorstopper is the first illustrated children’s edition of the First Folio, which included 36 of Shakespeare’s plays, and was first published in 1623, seven years after the author’s death.

    The texts were abridged by Shakespeare scholar Anjna Chouhan, working with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and we’re told that the aim of the project was to ensure that each play could be performed by small groups of schoolchildren, in less than 20 minutes, “using almost entirely Shakespeare’s original language”.

    The book is illustrated by Emily Sutton, who has supplied more than 150 ingeniously detailed watercolour drawings, including 36 title-pages, and 300 odd character portraits ranging from Macbeth to Crab, the “sourest-natured” dog in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

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