I received an gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Shakespeares Tales: A Midsummer Nights Dream is a beautiful, quick short story for children based on A Midsummer Nights dream re-told for children's pleasure. This book is at a good level of understanding for children to get their heads around and accompanied by fun illustrations, too. Children get a feel of the story and what it entails, which is great for when they go to high school if they do English lit. This is one of my favourite shakespearian plays so I jumped at the chance to review this one.

I first read the original A Midsummer Night's Dream in high school and loved it. I have always wanted to re read it but it's a very hard book to get through (well for me it is) so this was the perfect bite size, easy to read version. The illustrations were super cute and I think this book and the others in the series is a great way to get young people excited about some guy that lived over 400 years ago and the stories he wrote!

This was an amazing job at turning Shakespeare for a younger reader while still managing to keep true to the original story. It makes me want to reread all the Shakespeare plays by her. And this was always one of my favorites.
I just reviewed Shakespeare's Tales: A Midsummer Night's Dream by Samantha Newman. #NetGalley
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'Shakespeare's Tales: A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Samantha Newman with illustrations by Ceej Rowland is an adaptation of the William Shakespeare play for younger readers.

The complications of love get more confused and comical when four young people head to the woods and have an encounter with the Theseus, Hippolyta, and impish Puck. A wayward love spell makes a mixup of everything until Theseus sets it all straight.

It's a great adaptation for younger readers. The illustrations work well and the chapters are divided by Acts in the play.

What a lovely way to introduce a new audience to the Bard's classic plays! As a middle and high school teacher who makes it a point to teach Shakespeare in the original Shakespearean language (I feel like the challenge gives students a confidence to face future difficult tasks, where translation of meaning is important) I love that they could now come to me, potentially, already possessing a basic idea of the stories. I also think this series could take some of the fear away for hesitant students, and show them that good stories are good stories - and they can transcend time. Although this version of adaptations is a bit young for my students, I would consider purchasing a set as an introduction for each play. Thank you to NetGalley and Arcturus Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

: "I received a copy of this book via Netgalley Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Also A midsummer's Night's Dream is not my favorite of Shakespeare's works, I greatly enjoyed this version of the Bard's classic. Once again, a wonderful way to introduce a younger audience.

Great series

Excellent version of the classic play, perfect for my English class.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed Arcturus' series of abridged Sherlock Holmes stories for young readers, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find that Arcturus have launched a series of abridges Shakespeare tales as well. While Charles and Mary Lamb's classic adaptations will always be my number one choice for introducing young readers to the Bard, I will definitely recommend this new series as well!

This is a good re-telling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies. Lysander and Hermia are deeply in love and want to marry, but Hermia's father wants her to marry Demetrius. Helena, Hermia's bosom friend, is in (unrequited) love with Demetrius. When Lysander and Hermia elope to the woods with Demetrius and Helena in pursuit, a hilarious tale of mixed-up affections ensues when they become the hapless victims of the fairy Puck's mistakes with a love potion. Suddenly, Lysander hates Hermia and loves Helena! And Demetrius reciprocates Helena's love! Poor Hermia is left alone and bewildered. Side plots involve the fairy king and queen's arguments, and Puck making the queen fall in love with a poor human actor whose head has been transformed into a donkey's. Will the poor lovers get out of this terrible mess and be able to marry their true loves at last? Young readers will enjoy the superb comic scenes unfolding one after another, and I hope this series will spark children's interest in the wonderful world of Shakespearean drama!

I loved this book, I have never had to read Shakespeare for any educational purposes but did try to read it for pleasure for the experience. As I British woman I felt it important to do so. However I could not get through the text and even with other supporting text could not get to the point of the story.
Samantha Newman had opened up a whole new world for me with this book, I was able to read and gasp the story and I am fairly certain if I went back to the original text I would be able to follow and understand and see Shakespeare original text. These books aimed for children and totally not just for children and any adult wanting to experience Shakespeare now has a really good series to access these stories. Most people know about the stories but it’s a brilliant series to experience Shakespeare’s stories.

** “The course of true love never did run smooth.” **

Sam Newman retells Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for young readers, with illustrations by Ceej Rowland, a story of jealousy and revenge and happy endings.

Although Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius, she wants to marry Lysander. And to further complicate matters, her best friend Helena is in love with Demetrius. But when she’s given an ultimatum — marry Demetrius, die or become a nun — she runs away with Lysander. What follows is a madcap series of events involving fairies, donkeys and strange dreams (“What none of the humans of Athens knew was that woods were home to the court of the fairies, and sometimes very strange things went on beneath the trees”).

A story of jealousy, revenge, mischief and mistaken identity, Newman does a brilliant job of retelling a classic Shakespeare tale in five short acts in a way readers of all ages will understand and enjoy.

The publisher does include a note indicating Shakespeare’s works can contain sensitive themes so adults should read these stories with their children, although this story is not as sensitive as some of Shakespeare’s other tales.

Five stars out of five.

Arcturus Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I can't say that we are the sort of family to read Shakespeare together but we loved this, it was such fun and accessible for all of us. The illustrations are great too. We will look for others in the series.

A fantastic Shakespearean adventure complete with fairies, magic and romance. With dashing grooms to be, a pair of friends competing for the attention of those they love and some pesky fairies. A perfect adapted story for children and great for younger audiences as an introduction to Shakespeare and his plays.

This one is one of my favourites and it was greatly adapted, keeping in the essence of the original whilst summing up and conveying all the important bits. I love the chaos in this book, with the fairies trying to help but getting mixed up whilst the Athenians are all falling in love with the wrong people. It’s great. With bottom the donkey, fairy kings and queens, what’s not to love?

Some great pictures and illustrations to accompany as well, makes it the perfect read for kids (and adults too! Who doesn’t love a nice humour read with a happy ending!). It’s great as a part of the Shakespeare adapted set of books, a must for all with budding little readers.

Cute little retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream for kids, full of quirky black and white illustrations. The comic plot revolves around two Athenian couples who run away into the woods: Lysander and Hermia to marry against Hermia's father's will, Demetrius to chase Hermia, and poor Helena (in love with Demetrius) to chase the object of her passion. Little do they know that hidden fairy forces are at work in the woods...

The fairy king tells his servant to apply a love juice to Demetrius eyes so that he falls in love with Helena instead of Hermia. But Puck mixes up the couples and applies the juice to Lysander's eyes, making him fall out of love his beloved Hermia and pine for Helena instead! Havoc and hilarious mix-ups naturally ensue among the Athenians, while a funny side plot involves the queen of the fairies falling in love with a man with a donkey's head thanks to the love juice. This simple yet powerful rendition of the story will have kids rolling on the floor with laughter.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC!