Books About Shakespeare

The Best Shakespeare Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about shakespeare? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 12–+ · 2003

Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet

By William Shakespeare, Michael Rosen (Adapter), Jane Ray (Illustrator)

Two young people from feuding families fall in love, with tragic results.

80 pages
4.1 Goodreads · 30,879 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Michael Rosen retells Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet scene by scene in simple, lively prose, weaving in the play's most famous passages in their original words. A border on each spread gives act and scene references and explains difficult words, alongside Jane Ray's illustrations of Verona and its warring Montagues and Capulets.
Hamlet and Cheese
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2018

Hamlet and Cheese

By Megan McDonald, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator) · Book #11 in the Stink series

A young boy attends a Shakespeare camp and learns about the Bard's plays and insults while navigating friendships and rivalries with his fellow campers

144 pages· 6,094 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 385 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Hardcover
Summary: Stink's spring break dilemma: stay home with his sister or join Shakespeare camp with his friend Sophie. Lured by swordplay and curses, he chooses camp, only to find himself the lone boy among Sprites, including the notorious Riley Rottenberger. Can Stink navigate the theatrical chaos and unexpected challenges, or will he be overwhelmed by the drama? Discover the hilarity and surprises that await in this camp adventure.
Whatshisface
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2018

Whatshisface

By Gordon Korman

A boy's phone is haunted by a ghost from Shakespeare's time. Can they right a past wrong together?

240 pages· 48,012 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 2,680 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Cooper Vega, always the new kid, feels invisible until his new phone reveals a ghostly presence. Roderick, a boy from Shakespeare's era, is trapped inside and needs Cooper's help to fix a historical wrong. As Cooper navigates middle school with Roderick's outdated advice, he must decide if he can trust this spectral ally. Can a centuries-old ghost help Cooper find his place in the present, or will their unlikely partnership lead to chaos? Discover the unexpected friendship that bridges time and changes everything.
Suffer Love
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2016

Suffer Love

By Ashley Herring Blake

A forbidden love tangled in family scandal tests loyalty and truth.

352 pages· 70,586 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
3.8 Goodreads · 2,930 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Sam Bennett's heart races for Hadley St. Clair, but discovering her family's dark link to his own forces a choice: pursue love or expose a devastating secret. As passion collides with family betrayal, Sam must navigate the treacherous waters of first love and hidden truths. Will he risk everything for love, or will the past's shadows consume them both? In a world where fate's hand is unpredictable, Sam and Hadley must decide if their love can withstand the storm of family dysfunction and scandal.
Romeo & Juliet
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 5–7

Romeo & Juliet

By William Shakespeare, Anthea Bell (Translator), Lisbeth Zwerger (Illustrator)

Two young people from feuding families fall in love, and the feud follows them.

32 pages
3.7 Goodreads · 2,902,207 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: In Verona, Romeo and Juliet belong to two families locked in a bitter feud, yet they fall in love at first sight and marry in secret. Lisbeth Zwerger's illustrated retelling of Shakespeare's play tells the story for young readers and invites them to imagine a different ending.
The Shakespeare Stealer
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1998

The Shakespeare Stealer

By Gary Blackwood · Book #1 in the Shakespeare Stealer series

An orphan must steal Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' or face dire consequences.

216 pages· 47,918 words· Est. 6.5 hour read
3.7 Goodreads · 7,567 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In Elizabethan England, orphan Widge is tasked with stealing Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' for his master. As he infiltrates the Globe Theatre, Widge faces a dilemma: fulfill his mission or embrace newfound loyalties. Will he betray the players or defy his master? This tale of intrigue and danger is woven with rich historical detail and unexpected twists.
Enter Three Witches
Sale price
$1597
Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 2007

Enter Three Witches

By Caroline B. Cooney

Trapped with a ruthless, power-hungry couple, an orphaned girl fights to survive as murders unfold.

281 pages
3.7 Goodreads · 1,546 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: When her father, Lord Cawdor, is hanged as a traitor, Lady Mary loses both her family and her future. Now she is a ward in the castle of Lord and Lady Macbeth, a couple who will crush anyone in their way. As the murderous events of Shakespeare's play unfold around her, Mary must struggle to survive and try to prevent more deaths.
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 8–14 · 2010

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

By Tamara Hollingsworth, Harriet Isecke · Building Fluency through Reader's Theater series

Two young lovers from feuding families marry in secret, with tragic results.

32 pages
3.6 Goodreads · 14 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: A reader's theater script of Shakespeare's tragedy for a classroom to perform. Romeo and Juliet, children of two feuding families in Verona, fall in love and marry in secret, but the hatred between their houses drives events toward disaster. Roles are written at different reading levels so students of varied skill can perform together, and a poem and song add fluency practice.
The Flip Side
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 2001

The Flip Side

By Andrew Matthews

Playing a girl's part in a school Shakespeare scene, a teen boy discovers a new side of himself.

147 pages· 22,505 words· Est. 2 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 60 ratings
$15.95Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: When his English class studies As You Like It, fifteen-year-old Robert is asked to play Rosalind, as boys did in Shakespeare's day. To his surprise he likes dressing as a girl and likes who he is as Rosalind. His friend Milena encourages him, but his feelings, his family's reaction and their friendship grow complicated.
The Hunting House
Sale price
$3386
Picture Book · Ages 8–12 · 2021

The Hunting House

By Elizabeth Catanese, Benedetta Capriotti (Illustrator) · Mt. Olympus Theme Park series

A secret door at a theme park leads to a mythic adventure and unexpected lessons.

48 pages· 1,225 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud
3.6 Goodreads · 10 ratings
$35.64Save 5%
Library Binding
Summary: During a trip to Mt. Olympus Theme Park, young Miles stumbles upon a hidden door that thrusts him into the myth of Aphrodite and Adonis. With archery on his mind, he must now apply a lesson from school to aid a legendary hunter. Can Miles bridge the gap between myth and reality, or will he be lost in the tales of old? Discover the unexpected twists as he navigates this ancient world, where every decision could alter the course of history.
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