• Age: 7 to 10
• Grade: 2 to 5

Perhaps the best-known of Shakespeare's tragedies, Hamlet has all the ingredients for a gripping story: revenge and power, familial love and betrayal, dramatic sword fights, dark spooky scenes. Once again Lois Burdett has woven her own brand of magic by transforming Shakespeare's complex verse into rhyming couplets. She has created a version of Hamlet especially for children, even as young as seven, and one that readers of all ages will enjoy.

At the appropriately named Hamlet Elementary School in Stratford, Ontario, where Burdett has taught for over 20 years, her students have created wonderful drawings of Hamlet to illustrate Burdett's fluid rhymes. The students' interpretations are vivid evidence of Burdett's clever ability to bring Shakespeare's complex characters and intricate plots to life for young people.

Lois Burdett's success in introducing Shakespeare to children is reflected in her growing international reputation. Her books and workshops for teachers have captured the attention and imagination of parents, educators, and lovers of Shakespeare around the world, including the American National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. Among other commendations, Lois Burdett has received Encyclopedia Britannica's National Award for Early Childhood Education, Canada's Meritorious Service Medal, the Canadian Teachers' Federation's Hilroy Fellowship, and two writers' awards. Burdett's many speaking engagements have included the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. Her books, magazine articles, presentations and media interviews are testimony to her strong influence in the education community, where she has also been instrumental in helping teachers to incorporate Shakespeare into early grade curricula.

Lois Burdett's profile page

Kenneth Branagh's profile page

Burdett has received numerous awards and commendations for her work in making Shakespeare more accessible to children; Hamlet for Kids demonstrates why Burdett's work is deserving of these honors.

Canadian Children's Literature

A simplified but responsible version of the tragedy. Meant to be read aloud and staged by children.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ideal for introducing the play (and Shakespeare) in the classroom or before the theatre.

Globe and Mail

The style is lively and interesting, and some of the phrasing is humorous.

School Library Journal