It has been awhile since I posted anything - a direct result of the turmoil of my personal life and the loss of my husband. Through his stay in various hospitals and nursing homes, the 'favorite things' song kept playing through my head like a mantra for when I was feeling sad, mad, bad or any other emotion that ends in 'ad'.
One of my favorite books (which I love to recommend to EVERY child that comes into the library... and adults too) is Shakespeare's Secret. I know.... those of you who know me well have probably been waiting to see when this book might make its appearance on here. Although it isn't a book that makes me cry, I do get quite emotional while talking about how much this book inspired me to read all things 'Anne Boleyn'.
In library school, I had to pick one of the books I read for my Children's Literature class and write a review of it. This is that review:
Elise
Broach’s debut novel about a lonely middle-school girl named Hero is one not to
be missed. Hero and her older sister
Beatrice have just moved into a small town outside of Washington, D.C. The girls may share the source of their
names, Shakespeare’s Much Ado about
Nothing, but they could not be more different. The story follows Hero as she learns about
her new town, the secret of the house into which she has moved, and how to
accept herself and grow through her experiences. The novel allows the reader to enter the
overbearing world of English royalty and observe some of the social injustice
that occurred at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s rein. Shakespeare’s Secret is an accurate portrayal
of a new student dealing with typical middle-school problems and any reader can
relate to Hero’s dilemmas and predicaments.
The narrator of the audio book only adds to the brilliance of this
novel, as she provides excellent character separation. The mood and setting created by her voice are
easy to get enveloped in. This novel,
both in print and in audio book formats, is an excellent title to be added to
any school or public library and can easily be worked into a school
curriculum.
My love for the book goes far beyond 'the best book I read in library school'. I was just getting into the world of children's literature in my second semester. For someone who was stuck reading Sweet Valley Kids and Baby Sitter's Little Sister books well into High School, I missed out on a lot of great books for kids. It is only lucky for me that I have to read books I should have read as a child for my job.
After reading Shakespeare's Secret, I was so excited to learn about Anne and Shakespeare as well as try to figure out if Hero's discovery of their connection might actually be true. I devoured books on Elizabethan England and Shakespeare like I was a two year old eating an Oreo. It was definitely just as messy. I tell this story to parents as often as I tell it to children - mostly as encouragement to find 'that book' for their child... one that will inspire them to absorb as much information as they possibly can on a subject before finding the next book that inspires them. It is incredible to watch and even more awesome to experience.
I encourage everyone to check out Shakespeare's Secret, but on that same note, I encourage them to find their own 'Favorite Thing' and have fun with it!
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