Beatrice Bunson's Guide to Romeo and Juliet: a novel - Softcover

Cohen, Paula Marantz

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1589881052 ISBN 13: 9781589881051

Publisher: Paul Dry Books, 2016

Synopsis

"Juliet Capulet would find a worthy BFF in Beatrice Bunson."—Cordelia Frances Biddle, author of the Martha Beale mystery series

"Cohen has made an essential classic cool."—Beth Kephart, author of Going Over

High school begins, and to Beatrice Bunson nothing is the same, not even her best friend, Nan. The "new" Nan doesn't hang out with Bea; she's running for Student Council and going to parties and avoiding Bea at lunchtime. The boys who were gross in middle school have become surprisingly polite, while the "cool" kids are still a mystery. Bea's older sister, meanwhile, acts like she's living in a soap opera.

On the bright side, there's English class with Mr. Martin, where Beatrice discovers that Shakespeare has something to say about almost everything—and that nothing in life is as dramatic as Romeo and Juliet.

But when Nan gets in over her head in her new social life, it's up to Beatrice to restore her reputation—and she may need to make a few new friends to pull it off. One of them, the slightly brainy guy that Beatrice meets at her grandmother's retirement home, is definitely kind of cute, and probably dateable. (Fortunately, nothing is the same in high school.)

As Beatrice and her classmates tackle Romeo and Juliet, they unveil the subtleties of the play as well as broader lessons of love, family, honor, and misunderstandings. Guided by Mr. Martin, these ninth-graders help us to understand Shakespeare, as Shakespeare helps them begin to understand themselves.

"Warning to teachers of high school Shakespeare classes: be prepared to revise your lesson plan."—Gillian Murray Kendall, Smith College

"Ideal for those who are charmed by the romance of Shakespeare. And who isn't?"—Kirkus Reviews

"Teens shouldn't be without a copy of this sparkling novel."—Foreword Reviews

"An entertaining work for those who enjoy quick reads with realistic characters. For fans of Meg Cabot's books"—School Library Journal

"A deftly crafted novel...highly recommended addition to both high school and community library YA Fiction collections."—Midwest Book Review

Paula Marantz Cohen's novels include Suzanne Davis Gets a Life (Paul Dry Books 2014), Jane Austen in Scarsdale or Love, Death and the SATs, and What Alice Knew. She teaches English at Drexel University.

About this title

About the Author

Paula Marantz Cohen: Paula Marantz Cohen is a distinguished professor of English at Drexel University and the author of the novels Suzanne Davis Gets a Life, Jane Austen in Scarsdale or Love, Death and the SATs and What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper.

Reviews

Gr 7 Up—Beatrice and Nan have been best friends almost all of their lives. Now a freshman, Nan has transformed herself from a frumpy, nerdy eighth grader to a trim, cool high schooler. This, of course, changes not only Nan's personality but also her relationship with Beatrice, who is still considered one of the "smart kids." Struggling to figure out how to maintain the closeness Beatrice once shared with Nan while identifying how she fits in is the heart of this somewhat engaging novel. Beatrice is relieved and excited when she finds out that the older, dowdy, female freshman English teacher has been replaced by the young Mr. Martin. He introduces the students to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. As the class dives deeper into the play, Beatrice finds herself comparing her real life with a Shakespearian one. She realizes that, just as there is more to Romeo and Juliet than meets the eye, there is more to Beatrice than most of her classmates (even Beatrice herself) could first admit. Cohen integrates snippets of the play into the plot structure in a way that helps readers understand the stanzas' hidden meanings. Those unable to decipher the prose will be relieved by how the characters explain the play's nuances in interior monologues and dialogue. The biggest drawback is the novel's predictability. VERDICT An entertaining work for those who enjoy quick reads with realistic characters. For fans of Meg Cabot's books.—Amy Caldera, Dripping Springs Middle School, Dripping Springs, TX

Edition details

• Publisher: Paul Dry Books
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1589881052
• ISBN 13: 9781589881051
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 223