The Shakespeare Stealer
| The Shakespeare Stealer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The cover of a 2000 paperback edition of The Shakespeare Stealer |
|
| Author(s) | Gary Blackwood |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Puffin Books |
| Publication date | May 1, 1998 |
| Media type | Hardcover and Paperback Audio CD and cassette |
| Pages | 208 pp (hardcover) 224 pp (paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0141305950 |
| Followed by | Shakespeare's Scribe |
The Shakespeare Stealer is a 1998 young adult novel, written by Gary Blackwood. The novel is a historical fiction novel, and takes place in Elizabethan England. It was an ALA Notable Children's Book in 1999.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
Fourteen-year-old Widge is an orphan who doesn't even know his real name. Widge's previous master, a clergyman named Dr. Timothy Bright, taught him charactery, a shorthand language, to steal other preachers' sermons. His new master wants to use Widge's shorthand to acquire William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which hasn't been reprinted yet, for himself.
Widge is given the assignment to write the play out in shorthand and sets off to London with a companion named Falconer. Falconer is a ruthless man, who is given the job of making sure that the deed is accomplished. During the play performance, Widge is so caught up in the play that before long, all he wants is to know what happens in the play. When he returns for a second try, his notebook is stolen.
Widge comes back, posing as a hopeful player. He is accepted into the Lord Chamberlain's Men and, for the first time, feels like a part of a family. However, Falconer constantly presses Widge to steal the play, and Widge must decide between his master and the company.
[edit] Characters
- Widge:an orphan who doesn't even know his real name. Widge's previous master, a clergyman named Dr. Timothy Bright, taught him charactery, a shorthand language, to steal other preachers' sermons. His new master wants to use Widge's shorthand to acquire William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which hasn't been reprinted yet, for himself.
- Alexander 'Sander' Cooke: Widge's closest friend when he gets his acting career started at the Globe Theatre
- Julia 'Julian' Cogan:Widge's 2nd closest friend. She fakes being a boy to be a actor but in the ending of the book people find out she's a girl
- William 'Will' Shakespeare: One of the sharers in the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
- Simon 'Falconer' Bass: Widge's 2nd master who wants him to steal Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Simon Bass disguises himself to be a messenger named Falconer. At the end Falconer reveals that he's Simon Bass, as he dies.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- 1998 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year[2]
- 1999 ALA Notable Children's Book[1]
- 1999 ALA Best Book for Young Adults[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "1999 Notable Children's Books". American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb/ncbpastlists/1999ncblist.cfm. Retrieved 2011-06-04.
- ^ "SLJ Best Books 1998". School Library Journal. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA153006.html. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
- ^ "1999 ALA Best Books for Young Adults". American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/1999bestbooks.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
|
|||||
 |
This article about a 1990s novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
