Reviews

Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk by John Shelley, Jane Sutcliffe

alboyer6's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoy word origins and language history and was looking forward to this book and I wasn't completely disappointed. It is a simple book that is one part story of the Globe and another part an explanation on Shakespeare impact on the English language. The only thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars is that she didn't quote the word in context. She explained the context but nothing else. I had been hoping for a list of quotes in the back but there was a time line and great bibliography but no direct quotes. I think it would have been a great way to introduce what is seen today as the complex language of Shakespeare to a young audience. A minor quibble but just my thoughts.

beyondevak's review against another edition

5.0

Learning about the origin of words and phrases that have become commonplace in the English language was an enlightening experience. Shakespeare's influence was certainly greater than I imagined. I adored this book, and truthfully, I would have loved to read more.

NetGalley ARC for review in exchange for an honest critique

k13raz's review against another edition

3.0

3.5

amibunk's review against another edition

4.0

As a Shakespeare lover, this was a delight to read. The illustrations were lovely and quite extensive at times and the information inside the book was delivered in an interesting manner. Not only does the audience learn about phrases that Shakespeare either coined or borrowed and made overwhelmingly popular, but we also learn about Shakespeare's life and the theatre during Elizabethan times.
Overall the book works extremely well in the picture book format. The illustrations give humorous added details to the informative text, while the words give added intellectual heft to the fun drawings. This would be a fun introduction to Shakespeare that even elementary school students could enjoy.

motherteresareads's review against another edition

5.0

This has been really fun to read aloud with my 9 and 6 year olds. In addition to pointing out the ways Shakespeare helped form our modern English, it also gives a lot of in depth information, through the words and the wonderful illustrations by John Shelley, of what life looked like in Shakespeare's time and culture.

sandraagee's review against another edition

3.0

This is actually a fairly interesting and informative read for children about play-going and the Globe Theater during Shakespeare's time. The way that it incorporates words and phrases popularized by Shakespeare makes it even more interesting. My only complaint - and unfortunately it's kind of a big one - is that there are no actual quotes from Shakespeare's plays to give these words context. The play, act, and scene are all cited and a basic description of the plot and how the words are used is given, but I'd really like to also see the actual phrasing so that we can really appreciate the language and the way it is used.

carstensena's review against another edition

4.0

What a clever book. I especially liked the way it took the reader through the the experience of attending the Globe theater even as it explained the expressions that originated in Shakespeare's plays.

jillyd's review against another edition

4.0

A wonderful way to introduce children to Shakespeare and teach them how many of the words and phrases we use today can be attributed back to The Bard. The illustrations were well done also. I'd recommend this one to readers of all ages.

iluvbooks13's review against another edition

5.0

The format of this book is terrific! It is written as the story of William Shakespeare and how his plays became so popular, but every page uses two or three words that Shakespeare made more popular. These words are defined in a separate text box, along with descriptions of how the word has changed in meaning over time and what play it was used in. A wonderful introduction to Shakespeare!

muddypuddle's review against another edition

5.0

This is more than a book that tells about how many of our everyday word choices and combinations were originally penned by W. S. There are wonderful explanations included for each and the opportunity to read them in context, which is more-than-excellent. It also tells of the times, of the theater, of how it all "worked." You learn lots! And the illustrations are a blast - there's so much to take in as you look and look at the details. Great timeline and bibliography included as well.