Read more
Informationen zum Autor Max Bisantz; Illustrated by David Malan Klappentext "In 1597, Shakespeare debuted his newest play, a tragedy about a young Italian couple whose families were sworn enemies. Romeo and Juliet quickly became one of the most famous couples in literary history, and this play became one of Shakespeare's most performed shows. But did you know that much of Romeo and Juliet's story was adapted from tales by other writers? Learn all about how William Shakespeare's dynamic and romantic teenage duo sprouted from the Italian story of The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet in 1562 and grew into adaptations like West Side Story and even Gnomeo & Juliet in this nonfiction book for young readers"-- Leseprobe What Is the Story of Romeo and Juliet? When the biggest stars from Walt Disney Studios arrived in Hollywood for the premiere of a new animated movie, celebrities including Zendaya, James McAvoy, and Sir Elton John walked on a fuzzy blue carpet toward the doors of the El Capitan Theatre. Inside, the audience sat in green chairs and marveled at the shiny gold ceiling. Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Gnomeo & Juliet in 3D was starting. The audience watched a small animated garden gnome appear on-screen. “The story you are about to see has been told before,” the gnome said. “A lot.” Everyone in the theater giggled. They knew the exact story the gnome was talking about. The movie continued, and two gnomes named Gnomeo and Juliet lit up the screen. They met. They fell in love. They picked flowers. There was only one problem: Juliet’s family lived on one side of the garden fence, and Gnomeo’s family lived on the other. Those two families did not get along. Laughter filled the theater as gnomes and flamingos danced across the screen. The crowd gasped when gnomes fought one another with lawn mowers. Luckily, the movie had a happy ending: Gnomeo and Juliet’s love proved too strong for their family’s disapproval. When the movie ended, the crowd rose to their feet. “Bravo!” they cheered, as the movie’s creators bowed. It’s difficult to believe that Gnomeo & Juliet is based on a tragic love story that is over five hundred years old! The first gnome to appear in the movie even hinted about that. That story is called Romeo and Juliet. There have been many love stories written over time in all parts of the world. None are as famous as the story of Romeo and Juliet. Chapter 1: Young Love William Shakespeare was born in April of 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Like other babies in this time and place, little William was probably given a taste of honey and butter right after he was born, followed by a healthy serving of jellied hare’s brains for strength. (A hare is a mammal that resembles a large rabbit.) On April 26, the infant Shakespeare was then carried down to the nearby church to be baptized into the Christian faith. In Shakespeare’s time, nearly 20 percent of babies didn’t live past their first month. Shakespeare’s father, John, and his mother, Mary, had already lost two daughters before William was born. They did everything they could to make sure young William would grow up healthy and strong. William did survive, and he grew into a strong young boy. He lived with his parents, brothers, and sisters in a wooden house on a busy street in town. John ran a glove-making shop from the front of their home. Making gloves was an important business in sixteenth-century England. As a boy, William liked to escape the noise of town and explore the countryside with his brothers and sisters. Right outside of Stratford, lush meadows and pastures, sheep farms, and trails were the perfect places for William and his siblings to explore. They spent hours roaming the forest and learning about all the plants, weeds, and flowers t...
