Hamlet Series: World Literature for Children Title: Hamlet Original Author: William Shakespeare Retold by: Barbara Kindermann Artist: Willi Glasauer Extent: 36 pp, 4/c throughout Format: 220 x 300 mm Pub. price: EUR 15,50 Pub. date: Autumn 2010 German ISBN: 978-3-934029-23-1 Ages: 7 and up

Material available: German review example

THE STORY:

Barbara Kindermann enchants young readers with her wonderful narration of one of Shakespeare’s classics: After the sudden death of Hamlet’s father, the king of Denmark, „Something is rotten in the state of Denmark“. Hamlet is mourning for his father, but his mother Gertrud soon marries Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, although her husband is dead for only two months. One night, the ghost of the dead king appears to Hamlet, telling him that Claudius has murdered him in order to become himself the new king of Denmark. The ghost requests Hamlet to satisfy his desire für revenge. Hamlet is deeply shocked. Will he avenge his father?

THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR:

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is worldwide known as England’s greatest ever playwright. In 1587 he moved to London where, after a short acting career, he became co-owner of the famous theatre „The Globe“, where still today his plays are being performed successfully. His Midsummer Night´s Dream carries the reader off to a mysterious world, in which phantasy and reality fuse in a miraculous state.

THE ARTIST:

Willi Glasauer, born in 1938, works as a free artist for television programmes, various magazines and both for French and German publishing houses. His main focus lays on book illustrations. During summertime Willi Glasauer lives in the Pyrenees, while in winter he works in Berlin. His illustrations help to make this volume a treasure for Shakespeare enthusiasts old and new.