We're staying at the moment with a friend, and I woke up this morning to find Littletree lying abed reading a book - a copy of The Poems and Histories of Shakespeare - a book whose title page is stamped "Published in London, 1901".
Littletree didn't know when she picked up the book that it's 111 years old, but she knew there was something special about it. She's been engrossed in it all day, even if she can't fully understand every word she reads.
Of course, children will only learn about great literature if they're forced to do so in school, but I won't tell that to Littletree ;)
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My 12yo LOVES shakespeare but hated that she couldn't understand it all so we bought her a few plays from Shakespeare Made Easy - http://www.shakespearemadeeasy.com/ which has the original on one side and the modern english on the other. She no longer needs the english translation for her favourite "A Midsummer Nights Dream" and has actually written her own version of it as well. Thank god for homeschooling!
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic that she's discovered Shakespeare. finding it on her own and reading what she wants is such a better way than being forced to do it at school. I love Shakespeare and can't wait till our 6 year old is old enough to go to some productions.
ReplyDeleteIf LittleTree ever comes to Massachusetts, she has a free spot reserved for her in my Shakespeare summer program:))
ReplyDeletethanks everyone :)
ReplyDeleteCute picture.
ReplyDeleteLove to you and Littletree xo
Oh gosh that book looks a treasure, what a find, gotta love old books, books just aren't bound as pretty these days ;)
ReplyDeleteI remember doing A Midsummer Night's Dream in year 8 and not really having a clue what it meant... we did Romeo and Juliet in year 11, only for the kids who volunteered for the program, and we spent time studying and understanding it. It was far nicer to understand the modern equivalents of the words. There's definitely more enjoyment from wanting to understand than being forced.
ReplyDeleteWow! The town of Sandgate - or is Redcliffe - somewhere around there (just outside Brisbane on Moreton Bay) but I'm fairly sure it is Sandgate - well they have a Shakespeare festival once a year and the entire town gets involved. Cafes where the waiting staff recite sonnets to customers at their table...heaps of open air performances and quirky stuff. Fantastic! How novel and eclectic. I've been getting into Shakespeare recently and I must confess the
ReplyDelete"Idiots Guide" or Dummies Guide or whatever it is - to Shakespeare - well it was extremely educational. And there is NO proof someone else wrote all those works, incidentally! It WAS the Bard himself! Wow such a fantastic entry...reading about LITTLE TREE and 'Speare and Chocolate and Coffeee and ..oh hang on those latter two were my embellishment. Oh well sounds like a good time for some stimulants...My Spiritual Warrior is still alive and active even when I deviate momentarily from my FOOD FOCUS
that does sound cool
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