Hamlet (No Fear Shakespeare Graphic

Read Shakespeare in graphic-novel form--with NO FEAR! 

No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novels is a series based on the translated texts of the plays found in No Fear Shakespeare. The original No Fear series made Shakespeare’s plays much easier to read, but these dynamic visual adaptations are impossible to put down. Each of the titles is illustrated in its own unique style, but all are distinctively offbeat, slightly funky, and appealing to teen readers. Each book will feature:

• Illustrated cast of characters
• A helpful plot summary
• Illustrations that show the reader exactly what’s happening in each scene—making the plot and characters even clearer than in the original No Fear Shakespeare books

With text taken from the No Fear Shakespeare series, which modernized Shakespeare’s original language, this entry in the No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novels line makes the Bard even more accessible. The language has been further simplified, but not dumbed down, and the story stays true to the arc of the play, with the monologues and interiors nearly intact. Babra’s artwork, though far from flashy, is no mere window dressing, its clear, black-and-white scenes often shifting into a stark, expressionistic mode that heightens the drama. Along with a nicely digestible version of the play, this will give readers a feel for Shakespeare’s language and wordplay (many of the famous lines and naughty double entendres have been preserved). With all that going for it, this admirable effort is likely to succeed in the classroom, as well as appeal to those already drawn to Shakespeare. As far as graphic novel readers are concerned, however, sticking so close to the original may present a harder pill to swallow. Grades 9-12. --Ian Chipman