The Story of William Shakespeare - Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema

Favorite Books about Shakespeare: “Bard of Avon”

As every parent and educator knows, there are some books that just get to the heart of what you are trying to teach – whether it’s life lessons or school lessons! We at Shakespeare For Our Children have a library of works that have helped us immeasurably in our teaching, and every so often we will highlight one of our favorites.

This week, it’s Bard of Avon by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema (1992). It explores Shakespeare’s life and early inspirations with beautiful prose and illustrations – a worthy tribute to the Bard that will appeal to young children and early adolescents alike. Find it on Amazon.

Now, one of our favorite passages from the book: “No amount of education could have given [Shakespeare] his high intelligence, amazing memory, artistic sensitivity, imagination, and profound understanding of the human heart. Just to know him was to realize the genius he was. ‘He was not of an age,’ wrote his friend Ben Jonson, ‘But for all time.’” Happy reading!