That Shakespeare Kid - Softcover

LoMonico, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1489598227 ISBN 13: 9781489598226

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013

Synopsis

Middle school students Emma and Peter are assigned Act I of Romeo and Juliet to read for homework. Peter wants to get a better copy than his tattered paperback. So he climbs up onto a chair in his mother’s study to retrieve her heavy Riverside Shakespeare. Just as he tugs on it, the chair moves and the book hits him on the head. When Peter regains consciousness, he can speak only in lines from Shakespeare. So instead of saying a simple "hello," he might say something like, "How dost thou?" or instead of a simple "goodbye" he might say, "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

Emma Malcolm narrates this appealing young adult fantasy. She describes herself and her neighbor Peter Marlowe as “happy nerds.” Yet when Peter suddenly becomes unable to speak modern English, everything changes. As hard as Peter tries to speak for himself, his words come out as Shakespeare’s own. His strange speech irritates Emma at the school bus stop and embarrasses her in the baseball stadium. He is sent to the principal and the school psychologist for acting up—no one seems to realize that Peter would cheerfully speak modern English if only he could. Luckily, he understands contemporary English despite being unable to speak it. His family believes that he is faking, at least at first. Emma thinks so, too, but she soon realizes that he cannot help himself. However, when he discovers that he can text and instant message in modern English, Emma becomes his translator.

English is Peter’s favorite class, and Ms. Hastings is his favorite teacher. Ms. Hastings decides to guide the class even further into Shakespeare’s world. She determines to help them put on the 30-Minute version of Romeo and Juliet. Peter and Emma will be the leads, the play’s star-crossed lovers—after all, Romeo and Juliet were about their age. Emma has never kissed a boy, and she realizes that she is about to experience her first kiss in front of the whole school.

While the play is in the rehearsal stage, a newspaper reporter interviews Peter and his parents, and the resulting article makes Peter a local celebrity. Then a classmate makes a video of Peter speaking Shakespeare’s words and it goes viral. Peter and Emma are invited to appear on the Today Show. Peter greets America with the words, “Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you.” Appearing on the show turns out to be more exciting than expected, especially when the interview ends with a romantic surprise for Emma. Finally, it is time for the play to begin. The leading actors perform their scenes flawlessly, and at last they kiss. Romeo and Juliet turns out to have a plot twist, at least for Peter and Emma.

This engaging comedy introduces Shakespeare’s language gracefully, making it part of a light and charming fantasy about language and first love.

About this title

About the Author:

Michael LoMonico's goal is to change the way that Shakespeare is taught in schools.

He has taught Shakespeare to many eager teachers and to quite a few intimidated students. His experiences have taught him that every student, whatever his or her degree of education, needs to be introduced to Shakespeare's language gently.

Michael is currently the Senior Consultant on National Education for the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. His books include The Shakespeare Book of Lists, Shakespeare 101, and That Shakespeare Kid.
He was an assistant to the editor for the curriculum section of all three volumes of the Folger's Shakespeare Set Free series, published by Washington Square Press. He was also the technical editor of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Shakespeare

He has taught Shakespeare courses and workshops for students and teachers in thirty-six states, in Canada and England, and digitally in South Africa and Russia. After teaching high school English for thirty-three years he brought his expertise to future teachers at Stony Brook University.

Review:

The book serves as an effective portal for early teens to become comfortable with the archaic, Shakespearean language, and the author pulls off a clever ploy by placing all quotes in context...As such, readers should have no problem understanding unfamiliar words and phrases. In the endnotes, all the quotes are identified and cited, making the entire book a useful teaching tool.An engaging, fanciful tale of a boy who inadvertently brings the beauty and majesty of Shakespeare into everyone's lives.--Kirkus Indie Review

"When you open the front cover, be warned. You won't be getting much done until you reach the end of Peter and Emma's journey through Shakespeare." Dan Bruno on NCTE's High School Matters"This is a book about teaching Shakespeare, and about learning it. About liking it, and about loving it. It is for teachers and for students and for Shakespeare fans of all ages." Bill Heller on shakespeareteacher.com

That Shakespeare Kid is more than an entertaining YA novel; it's also an argument for self-examination among English teachers. "The book in man's eyes doth share the glory" by showing us the way to bridge the YA literature that appeals to ourselves and our students with Shakespeare's words and world: "The play's the thing!" Glenda Funk on The Nerdy Book Club 

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1489598227
• ISBN 13: 9781489598226
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160