William Shakespeare was born into an utterly fascinating time and place: 16th-century England. Eyewitness Books brings this era alive in the spectacular, modestly titled Shakespeare. Crammed with vivid photos of replicas and actual items from Shakespeare's time, the oversized volume shares with readers everything they ever wanted to know (and some things they probably didn't want to know) about the Bard, from details of his birthplace to descriptions of Queen Elizabeth's court (and clothing) to an explanation of how actors portrayed beheaded characters on stage. Curious readers will spend hour upon hour perusing this densely packed volume, and come away with a head full of knowledge about apple wives, the Globe Theatre, "nipping a bung" (purse snatching), the plague, bizarre face lotions, toothless bears, and religious conflict, not to mention a bit about Shakespeare's plays. Eyewitness: Shakespeare joins stacks of other fine Eyewitness titles, including Ancient Greece, Presidents, and Time & Space. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter
