Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk

by Jane Sutcliffe, John Shelley (Illustrator)

When Jane Sutcliffe sets out to write a book about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, in her own words, she runs into a problem: Will's words keep popping up all over the place! What's an author to do? After all, Will is responsible for such familiar phrases as "what's done is done" and "too much of a good thing." He even helped turn "household words" into household words.
 
But, Jane embraces her dilemma, writing about Shakespeare, his plays, and his famous phrases with glee. After all, what better words are there to use to write about the greatest writer in the English language than his very own?  As readers will discover, "the long and the short of it" is this: Will changed the English language forever.
 
Backmatter includes an author’s note, a bibliography, and a timeline.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Shakespeare, History, Biography, Language, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 22, 2016

About the author

I am a kids' nonfiction author, school presenter, reader, library lover, and owner of one very spoiled dog named Willy.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is both a fun and interesting introduction to Elizabethan theater and Shakespeare's place in it. What a fantastic introduction for young adults or older children. The book is set up as a guide to what theater goers of the time experienced and through this guide also introduces us to words and phrases that Shakespeare either used for the first time/created or saved from linguistic obscurity. All of those mentioned in this book are still part of our common speech today. Sutcliffe also provides citations to the specific plays, acts, etc where they can be found.

The illustrations are evocative of what I imagine the original Globe theater and crowd to be: busy, people of many classes, appearing to be a noisy and boisterous atmosphere.

I would definitely recommend this for any older child or young adult interested in the theater in any way (and their adult companions would very likely enjoy it too). There is an accompanying timeline of Shakespeare's life and a biography which appears to be oriented more toward adult works, (though I am not familiar with them all). There are some great books on the list which I plan to read.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives a fun little history of the London plays and what life was like back then. It is also telling us phrases that Will either gave us or immortalized. "Wild-Goose Chase" "Too much of a good thing" These all came from Shakespeare.

The art is lovely and gives the feeling of excitement and crowds. There are so many people in this book.

It's a nice introduction into Will and the world of plays. My niece did enjoy it.

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

So yes and indeed, textually speaking, Jane Sutcliffe's biographical picture book Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is a solid five stars, delightfully readable and in fact quite verbally brilliant.

For not only does Sutcliffe provide a detailed and fun introduction to early 17th century London (including plays, how popular they were and of course also to William Shakespeare), every single page of Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is peppered with common English language vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that have come straight from Shakespeare's plays, and with the author also showing from which exact play (such as a few of the examples encountered in Will's Words: How Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk show that the noun outbreak comes from Hamlet, that the adjective fashionable first appears in Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, and that the idiomatic expressions green eyed monster for jealousy and wild goose chase for a useless endeavour come to the English language from Othello and Romeo and Juliet respectively).

Combined with the fact that Jane Sutcliffe also presents supplemental details on William Shakespeare in her author's note and has delightfully and much appreciatively also included a detailed time line and a very decent bibliography (although personally speaking, I do wish that Sutcliffe had not used Bill Bryson's arrogant and in my opinion linguistically questionable history of the English language in her list), yes, I do think that for children from about the age of six to ten or so Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is both wonderful and even potentially perfect. And really, the only reason why my rating for Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is four and not five stars is that visually I just do not consider John Shelley's accompanying artwork all aesthetically pleasant, with me in particular finding Shelley's pictures so busy that they annoyingly take away from Jane Sutcliffe's featured text and with far too many of the depicted human figures equally showing annoyingly parodistic facial features and expressions.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little book! I had to wait until I came back to the burbs to open it on my kindle fire to be able to read, enjoy the great artwork and double tap for the informative text boxes. Children through adults who enjoy colorful art and want to know more about Shakespeare should really enjoy this one.
Commonly used phrases of today are tracked back to specific plays by Shakespeare.

Library Loan

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Dear Reader: We have to talk. I have failed you. I set out to write a book about the Globe Theatre and its great storyteller, William Shakespeare. About how the man was an absolute genius with words and wove those words into the most brilliant and moving plays ever written. But that's just the trouble. You see, I wanted to tell you the story in my own words. But Will Shakespeare's words are there, too, popping up all over the place. It's not my fault. Really. Will's words are everywhere. They're bumping into our words all the time, and we don't even know it.

Premise/plot: Sutcliffe's picture book for older readers does a great job introducing readers to the sixteenth century theatre. And her emphasis on "Will's Words" shows the relevance Shakespeare still has in today's world. It is part narrative. But on each spread, she focuses on words--phrases--Shakespeare either invented himself (coined) OR kept alive (sustained) through the longevity of his plays. She uses the word or phrase in her narrative, and then explains it. Each word is explained and/or defined. Sometimes this includes "what it meant then, what it means now." But she also always includes: WHERE it came from--which play, which act, which scene.

Words include:
for goodness' sake
what's done is done
too much of a good thing
outbreak
excitement
of a sudden
wild goose chase
fashionable
money's worth
hurry
with bated breath
a sorry sight
heart's content
well behaved
send him packing
good riddance
love letter
laugh oneself into stitches
foul play
make your hair stand on end
cold-blooded
hot-blooded
bloodstained
dead as a doornail
seen better days
into thin air
amazement
the short and long of it
not budge an inch
eaten out of house and home
green-eyed monster
household words

My thoughts: I really loved this one. It is for older readers. I don't think the typical preschooler is going to care about the word origin of the phrase "dead as a doornail." But for older students (mid-to-upper elementary on up) what a treat!!! Be sure to watch the Horrible Histories music video about Shakespeare!

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though she set out to write a book about the Globe Theatre and Shakespeare himself, the author was quickly caught up in all of the ways that Shakespeare has impacted our modern language and wrote the book about the instead. The result is a book that is immensely engaging and great fun to read. It is still in so many ways a book about the bard, his work and his theater, but it is also a vibrant and fascinating book about language and how modern colloquialisms hearken back to Shakespeare himself.

Sutcliffe clearly tells the story of Shakespeare and his theater on one part of the page and then in a side note shown on a scroll on the other page she pulls words directly from her explanation and shows exactly how they connect with Shakespeare and his writing. So many of the words are surprising words like “fashionable” and “hurry.” Other phrases have interesting connections like “dead as a doornail” or “green-eyed monster.”

Shelley’s illustrations are playful and vibrant, showing the bustling London streets and the crowded theater jammed with people. Some pages show the Globe Theatre from above while another shows how the stage appeared from the audience on the floor of the theater. Care has been taken with each face even in the crowd, each person reacting in their own way to what is happening in the scene.

This book should generate lots of “excitement” and “amazement” allowing people to read about Shakespeare to their “heart’s content.” Appropriate for ages 8-12.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Shakespeare lover, this was a delight to read. The illustrations were lovely and quite extensive at times and the information inside the book was delivered in an interesting manner. Not only does the audience learn about phrases that Shakespeare either coined or borrowed and made overwhelmingly popular, but we also learn about Shakespeare's life and the theatre during Elizabethan times.
Overall the book works extremely well in the picture book format. The illustrations give humorous added details to the informative text, while the words give added intellectual heft to the fun drawings. This would be a fun introduction to Shakespeare that even elementary school students could enjoy.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book for kids! The author took a bunch of phrases created by or made popular by Shakespeare and explained what they meant. She also explained how they evolved into the terms we use today. She included where they could be found in the plays as well. I’m so glad I bought this one!

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text: 5 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars

Engaging introduction to William Shakespeare and his profound impact on our modern-day vocabulary. Also discusses the importance of theater as the main source of entertainment in Elizabethan England, hundred of years before television and movies. Detailed illustrations set the location and historic time period. I loved seeing the Globe Theater from all those different angles. Includes a timeline of Shakespeare's life and an extensive bibliography. This informative nonfiction picture book is a fun way to expose children to literature and the arts.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more than a book that tells about how many of our everyday word choices and combinations were originally penned by W. S. There are wonderful explanations included for each and the opportunity to read them in context, which is more-than-excellent. It also tells of the times, of the theater, of how it all "worked." You learn lots! And the illustrations are a blast - there's so much to take in as you look and look at the details. Great timeline and bibliography included as well.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been really fun to read aloud with my 9 and 6 year olds. In addition to pointing out the ways Shakespeare helped form our modern English, it also gives a lot of in depth information, through the words and the wonderful illustrations by John Shelley, of what life looked like in Shakespeare's time and culture.

[Kristi Betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the summer my son took me to New York City specifically to see as many Broadway shows as possible. I had been to NYC one other time, but my trip (planned for over a year) coincided with the first Stagehands Strike in the union's 121-year history! To say I was devastated is an understatement, but I have always been told things work out the way they are supposed to. I guess this trip proves the point because I had the most fantastic time I could have ever dreamed of having with my son.

While planning the trip he asked me what I wanted to see when we got to New York. I told him the only show I really wanted to see was Something Rotten! and he could choose the rest of the shows. I had only seen a short preview of the show while watching The 69th Annual Tony Awards earlier in the summer, but I was completely taken with the story line, music, and actors from the moment the curtains were raised.



If you don't know about Something Rotten!, and you love musical theater you should check it out. As soon as we left the theater (after staying around long enough to take pictures and get autographs from all of the leads, of course) I downloaded the soundtrack and listened to it all night.


Will's Words: How William Shakespeare
Changed the Way You Talk
by Jane Sutcliffe
illustrated by John Shelley

I bring up this musical because while reading Jane Sutcliffe's Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk my mind kept going back to the theater and the staging of the show. John Shelley's beautiful illustrations provide a wonderful example of the layout of London and remind me fondly of the stage set for Something Rotten! Painstaking detail can be found on each two-page spread. Jane Sutcliffe's creative text tells the story of London and the popularity of the theater while carefully including the phrases Shakespeare originally penned and we now all use routinely. Words and phrases are bold within the text of the story (printed within a colorfully framed box) and then "Will's Words" are defined and cited showing the work in which the words originally appeared. A time line of events from 1564 (the year Shakespeare was christened) to 1997 (the year the modern Globe opened in London) appears at the end of the book along with a Bibliography.

Here are a few of the phrases used within the text:

"for goodness' sake"
"what's done is done"
"wild-goose chase"
"fashionable"
"money's worth"
"heart's content"
"well behaved"
"laughed themselves into stitches"
Not only is this a fascinating look at the influence William Shakespeare has had on the spoken word, it is also a very interesting history of his works and the legacy this master left for us all. I would highly recommend this book for all levels of school libraries, but I think it would have the most impact on high school students as far as understanding the works they are generally required to read during their final years of public school. I believe this could start an interest in Shakespeare's work for younger students if they were to read this book and see how the words and phrases we say and hear have been around for hundreds of years. Wills Words would also be a great gift to any fan of The Bard.

This book will be released on March 22, 2016.

* To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Charlesbridge has provided a complimentary electronic copy of Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

This review previously published on my blog: http://texaslibrarylady.blogspot.com/...

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book! Sutcliffe describes how a Shakespearean play was viewed and performed at the Globe Theatre back in 17th century, and, in the process, introduces us to words and phrases that Shakespeare either invented in or popularized through his plays. Fascinating! I had no idea that so many of the sayings I use today originated with him. She even tells us which play the phrases or words were used in. I enjoyed reading about the audience watching the plays. How, I wonder, did the actors make themselves heard over the noise of everyone talking, coughing, and eating, or the wind blowing if it was a windy day? There was no roof, so architectural acoustics couldn't have come into play. Can you imagine performing during rain or snow? The actors had a roof over their heads, as did the wealthier audience members, but the poorer people had to stand out under the weather. And Sutcliffe mentioned that there were no bathrooms there, so did they just go anywhere, or did they have to go outside to do their business? I'm sure these questions will occur to young readers too.

What I liked best about the book was John Shelley's detailed illustrations. He must have spent hours drawing each crowd scene. He must have studied the clothing people typically wore, and some of the customs of the time. The street scenes have all kinds of little dramas going on. I noticed, however, that he depicted Shakespeare always wearing the same set of clothes, as if that was the only clothing he owned (and maybe it was!).

I think young readers will enjoy this book for the same reasons I did, but I recommend it to readers of all ages. Outstanding!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shakespeare changed the way we speak. But do we know the origin of the phrases that have become household words?



It was with great excitement that I opened Jane Sutciffe's book Will's Words about the phrases and sayings inherited from William Shakespeare. It is beautifully illustrated by John Shelley.

As I was reading the book written for Third and Fourth Grades I was wishing I could have read it to my son when he was that age. He would have loved the detailed illustrations showing London teeming with houses and people, the views of the Thames and London Bridge with boats of all sizes carrying people across the river, the aerial views of the city and The Globe, the crowds with their ruffed neckwear and doublets. There is a great cutaway of the Globe showing all the actors and stage hands putting on A Midsummer's Night's Dream, using trap doors and dangling a fairy over the stage.

And while my son studied the detailed illustrations I would have taught him about the importance of Shakespeare, an introduction to the Bard.

The book opens in 1606, a time when people sought an escape from their daily lives and the theaters offered plays six days a week. Except during an outbreak of the plague when they were shut down. We read about the theater goers, what the experience was like, and about the actors and the stories they told. We learn that Will wrote comedies that made the audience laugh themselves into stitches and tragedies about foul play that made their hair stand on end.

It ends with the publication of the 1616 first Folio, without which Shakespeare's words would have been lost.

Included is an author's note of how she came to write the book, a bibliography and a time line of Shakespeare's life.

The long and the short of it is that you'll get your money's worth out of this book!

NOTE: I used words included in the book Will's Words.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Tammy Prater · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally published at: http://everydayroads.blogspot.com

Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk is a beautifully crafted book for children up to about 10 years old. Sutcliffe writes about Shakespeare, his life, his works, and most importantly, his words in a way that is both educational and engaging.

Sutcliffe begins by trying to use her own words to discuss Shakespeare, the Globe Theater and a little bit of London's history, but she quickly finds Will's words cropping up. She decides there are no better words to use than those of the man himself--William Shakespeare. The book alternates between a bit of history using those words or phrases created by Shakespeare and definitions of those phrases complete with the plays they originate in.

Let me also say Shelley's illustrations are fabulous. I found myself getting lost in London, looking at the people, the buildings, the birds.

I believe this book works on a lot of levels, most importantly as an early introduction to the works of Shakespeare and an understanding of the human link to history. Everything comes from somewhere and understanding where these everyday phrases and words originate will put the children who read it on a path towards deeper understanding of history and their place in this world.

I also greatly appreciate that Sutcliffe includes an accurate bibliography in the book, thus exposing children to actual literary and historical scholarship.

Well done!

Will's Words is expected to be published by Charlesbridge in March 2016. Mark your calendars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

WILL’S WORDS: HOW WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE CHANGED THE WAY YOU TALK by Jane Sutcliffe is an informational picture book explore the impact of Shakespeare on the English language.

Designed for intermediate grade students, the book begins with a letter from the author explaining that the focus of the book is on Shakespeare’s fascinating words and phrases. This beautifully illustrated picture book immerses readers in the time period, while weaving Shakespeare’s famous words into the narrative. Phrases like “too much of a good thing” and “wild-goose chase” are a couple examples of the many words made famous by this famous playwright. The book features sidebars containing Shakespeare’s words, their meaning, and where they can be found in his work. The book concludes with a second letter from the author, a timeline, and a bibliography.

Librarians will find this book to be a fun and engaging way to introduce young readers to Shakespeare’s world and his love of wordplay. Place the book in a learning center along with other books about Shakespeare, online resources, and a hands-on activity involving his famous phrases.

Published by Charlesbridge on March 22, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book for the young – with huge, greatly detailed and artistic splash pages we get just a few key words about the relevant subject, namely William Shakespeare and the world of the theatre he worked in. The text uses words and phrases that are common to us but made their debuts in Shakespeare, thus creating the USP of this book – so many could tell us about the nature of The Globe performances, but none branches out into a box-out every page to point us to what his neologisms meant and mean now, if different, and where and in what context we can find them. Some of the instances are used a little cheaply or cheesily, but on the whole they fit perfectly with the narrative, and it's great the way just two large spreads show the equally large spread they have had since the 1600s. A very clever, educational and attractive volume, with quite wonderful artwork and a fine purpose. Much recommended.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. So that is what is here. Lies take up too much time to figure out and keep up with. Honesty is best in life and all reviews - whether the book was free or no.**

An introduction to William Shakespeare, yes, but also to his world and the language of his world at the time. Words in bold are given further definition and history outside of their usage in the story in sidebars. I loved that - it kept the story flowing with an option to see more details at the time or later.

The illustrations were detailed and entertaining, so much going on to look at and understand about the time. Not too serious about itself and informative. A great non-fiction book for children or adults.

I will be using this when my children study Shakesepeare's time in their history lessons.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sutcliffe, Jane Will’s Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk, illustrated by John Shelley. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Charlesbridge, 2016. $18. Content: G.
Sutcliffe tells the story of play-going in Shakespeare’s time, especially goings-on at The Globe Theatre and about Shakespeare’s plays. She weaves in Will’s own word, including side notes with definitions and origins in his plays.
Any part of this would be a gem to share with theater class, Language Arts and anywhere that Shakespeare or his plays are studied.
EL, MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Cindy, Library teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a fairly interesting and informative read for children about play-going and the Globe Theater during Shakespeare's time. The way that it incorporates words and phrases popularized by Shakespeare makes it even more interesting. My only complaint - and unfortunately it's kind of a big one - is that there are no actual quotes from Shakespeare's plays to give these words context. The play, act, and scene are all cited and a basic description of the plot and how the words are used is given, but I'd really like to also see the actual phrasing so that we can really appreciate the language and the way it is used.

[Jessica Haight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will's Words by Jane Sutcliffe is such a cool book. Not only is it interesting to find out how many terms William Shakespeare came up with, BUT the added bonus of locating him in every magnificent illustration is extremely entertaining. Watch out, Waldo! The artwork is outstanding, and I can only imagine how much fun the illustrator, John Shelley, had filling in the details. I was lost for hours, and you will be too trying to find Will. But, I promise it's not a wild goose chase. If you're a fan of William Shakespeare, you like history, or maybe you're a word connoisseur, this is the book for you! The story will whisk you back in time and the hunt to find the playwright will keep you busy.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is surprising, delightful, and amazing! I had no idea that Shakespeare had such a profound impact on our current day spoken language. So many of our expressions came from his plays. This book is going to be priceless when I teach the vocabulary session in the Methods of Reading class to my undergrads. I am going to insist that every teacher that I work with who teaches idioms gets this book. It's beautifully illustrated and full of nonfiction text features. Kids will enjoy the "Where's Will" hide and seek feature on each double page spread.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning about the origin of words and phrases that have become commonplace in the English language was an enlightening experience. Shakespeare's influence was certainly greater than I imagined. I adored this book, and truthfully, I would have loved to read more.

NetGalley ARC for review in exchange for an honest critique

[Judy Desetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! A wonderful book to share with kids about Shakespeare and how language grows. This tells about how plays were put on and how various words and expressions have come from Shakespeare; and which plays the words were used in. I am hoping this makes a wonderful read aloud and discussion with my students. It is a great introduction to theater and Shakespeare.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this are A-MAZING!!! I am a huge John Shelley fan. Unbelievable detail of Shakespearean England. Almost like a classy, intelligent version of a "Where's Waldo" book. The story is quite interesting too. You'd never believe how many phrases, words and expressions that we use in everyday language originated with Shakespeare. A good read, and you can pore over the art for hours.

[Annamaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very simple read but also a really interesting one! The art-work was amazing and the final note of the author made me tear up a bit!

I kindly received this book from its publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun introduction to Elizabethan theatre and the immense impact Shakespeare had upon the English language.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a simple format, author letter at the beginning and the end, and in between, lots of information presented clearly. Each double-page spread overflows with people, those living in London, on their way to the theater, especially to the Globe Theater. On the left, a small explanation of some part of life connecting to Shakespeare’s writing and the theater. For example, explaining that the Globe was more like a football stadium than our traditional thoughts of theaters today. And there were no restrooms. Jane Sutcliffe shares that looking for one “would have been a wild-goose chase,” which is a phrase that Shakespeare gave us. It is found in Romeo and Juliet, Act Two, Scene IV.
On the right sits another box explaining the words, what they meant then, and now, and where they can be found in one of Shakespeare’s plays.

The illustrations are fabulous double-page spreads, bringing colorful crowds of people into life in their communities, on the way to the theater, and watching the plays. There are scenes of the actors and the audience with varied expressions on the faces, which add to the story, too. Scenes that are found in the explanations are sometimes played out in the illustrations, which are as fascinating to view as the words are to learn about. A timeline and an extensive bibliography can be found at the back.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy word origins and language history and was looking forward to this book and I wasn't completely disappointed. It is a simple book that is one part story of the Globe and another part an explanation on Shakespeare impact on the English language. The only thing that stopped me from giving it 5 stars is that she didn't quote the word in context. She explained the context but nothing else. I had been hoping for a list of quotes in the back but there was a time line and great bibliography but no direct quotes. I think it would have been a great way to introduce what is seen today as the complex language of Shakespeare to a young audience. A minor quibble but just my thoughts.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute read. The artwork was great and really matched what I know of that era of architecture, so that was pretty cool. The writing seemed more advanced than picture book, but didn’t have the depth of information I would have liked. It did have a bibliography at the back, which seemed odd for a picture book, though it was definitely appreciated for future Mt. TBR. 3, solid Shakespearean, stars. Recommended for precocious younger readers, maybe middle grade? Hard to say. Worthwhile read.