To Sleep Perchance To Dream: A Child's Book Of Rhymes - Hardcover

James Mayhew has created a beautiful framework of pictures that interpret and link the words and take the reader through a magical day in an imaginary world. From fairies and friendship to dolphins and mermaids, this is a treasure trove for every child's bookshelf.

K-Gr 3-Using a selection of snippets from Shakespeare's plays, Mayhew depicts a typical day in the life of a bucolic family from a previous century as a mother, her three sweet-faced children, and a young neighbor cavort in the fields, streams, and along the seashore from dawn to dusk. The boy serves conveniently as the "lover" in "a lover and his lass" and one of the pretend swordfighters in a bit of "the seven ages of man" speech. The impressionistic watercolors, in summery blues, greens, cheerful yellows, and muted reds, are a joy to behold. However, the bits of poetry often do not convey the intended meanings and are interpreted literally by the illustrations, rather than metaphorically in the context of the play ("-our little life is rounded with a sleep"). In addition, some of the vocabulary will drift above the heads of the intended audience, making this book most useful for reading by those families already familiar with Shakespeare, who might set the selections in a wider context. While the book is pretty to look at, it is not likely to send anyone off to find the Shakespearean sources.

Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA

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