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The Shakespeare Stealer #1
The Shakespeare Stealer
High jinks and high adventure fill every page of this exciting, panoramic novel set in Shakespeare's time. Widge, our hero, is a young orphan indentured to a cold, unscrupulous master because the young boy has a special talent--the ability to write a secret shorthand. The master is bent on getting hold of the script of Hamlet at any cost, so it becomes Widge's task to transcribe it--or else. This picaresque tale follows Widge as he hightails his way into the very heart of the Globe Theatre and Shakespeare's company of players. As full of twists as a London alleyway, this entertaining novel is rich in period details, colorful characters, villainy, drama, and chuckles. Swordplay and wordplay share the stage with pure fun, all of which will keep readers rapt to the final scene.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1998
229 people are currently reading
3132 people want to read
About the author
Gary L. Blackwood
68 books92 followersHe grew up in rural Cochranton, Western Pennsylvania, where he attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He graduated with a B.A. in English from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. While a college student, Blackwood published his first short story, Cliffs of Gold, in Twelve/ Fifteen magazine.
He has sold dozens of stories to children's magazines, and has published thirty-five novels and nonfiction books for adults, young adults and middle readers.
Blackwood is also a widely produced playwright.
He has sold dozens of stories to children's magazines, and has published thirty-five novels and nonfiction books for adults, young adults and middle readers.
Blackwood is also a widely produced playwright.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 644 reviews
August 20, 2017
I listened to the Audible edition of 'The Shakespeare Stealer' with my oldest daughter on a recent trip. It was the last of the books that she needed to read to complete her school's summer reading list for the year. It was also one that I hadn't read before, so it was new to both of us.
While I usually enjoy reading the classic children's stories, this one just didn't hold much appeal for me. Honestly, it was kind of a tedious listening experience for both of us. We both kept losing interest. There just wasn't a feeling of anticipation at any point in this story for us.
The story is about a young boy, Widge. He is a servant and is trained to write in shorthand. When he is sold to a new master, he finds himself facing a big ethical dilemma.
Widge's new master owns a theatre company. He wants to make use of Widge's shorthand skills in order to steal the script for a new production being put on by a rival company, the Globe Theatre. Widge's assignment is to attend the performances and copy down the script, returning it to his master. The production is Shakespeare's newest play, 'Hamlet'.
One thing leads to another and Widge is taken in by the Globe Theatre company. He makes new friends and grows quite fond of their varied personalities. He is treated as an equal, and a person, for the first time in his life.
Meanwhile, Widge's secret haunts him. He no longer wants to betray the people he's grown to care for and he wants to escape his life of servitude. At the same time, he is playing a cat and mouse game with his master, who expects him to produce the script that he was sent to steal.
When the truth eventually comes to light, Widge learns a lot about "family" and "friendship". His loyalties are tested and he must make a decision between doing what is expected of him and doing what he knows is right.
Despite being a rather flat read for us, I can see why this book was recommended reading for my fifth grade daughter. It is a coming of age story with many life lessons sprinkled in. It also does a wonderful job of depicting that era in London, exploring issues of social class and providing a glimpse into that timeframe. That did prompt several discussions and explanations related to the meaning of different words and situations.
Overall, it was an "okay" story. I can't ignore the historical insight that this book provided, or the important moral lessons. However, I'd be lying if I said that it was an entertaining read. It was mostly dull. Despite the numerous awards that this book has won, I couldn't bring myself to love it.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
While I usually enjoy reading the classic children's stories, this one just didn't hold much appeal for me. Honestly, it was kind of a tedious listening experience for both of us. We both kept losing interest. There just wasn't a feeling of anticipation at any point in this story for us.
The story is about a young boy, Widge. He is a servant and is trained to write in shorthand. When he is sold to a new master, he finds himself facing a big ethical dilemma.
Widge's new master owns a theatre company. He wants to make use of Widge's shorthand skills in order to steal the script for a new production being put on by a rival company, the Globe Theatre. Widge's assignment is to attend the performances and copy down the script, returning it to his master. The production is Shakespeare's newest play, 'Hamlet'.
One thing leads to another and Widge is taken in by the Globe Theatre company. He makes new friends and grows quite fond of their varied personalities. He is treated as an equal, and a person, for the first time in his life.
Meanwhile, Widge's secret haunts him. He no longer wants to betray the people he's grown to care for and he wants to escape his life of servitude. At the same time, he is playing a cat and mouse game with his master, who expects him to produce the script that he was sent to steal.
When the truth eventually comes to light, Widge learns a lot about "family" and "friendship". His loyalties are tested and he must make a decision between doing what is expected of him and doing what he knows is right.
Despite being a rather flat read for us, I can see why this book was recommended reading for my fifth grade daughter. It is a coming of age story with many life lessons sprinkled in. It also does a wonderful job of depicting that era in London, exploring issues of social class and providing a glimpse into that timeframe. That did prompt several discussions and explanations related to the meaning of different words and situations.
Overall, it was an "okay" story. I can't ignore the historical insight that this book provided, or the important moral lessons. However, I'd be lying if I said that it was an entertaining read. It was mostly dull. Despite the numerous awards that this book has won, I couldn't bring myself to love it.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
November 10, 2020
Well and honestly, with regard to how Gary L. Blackwood presents a sense of historical time and place in his 1998 middle grade novel The Shakespeare Stealer, this part of my reading experience has most definitely been both a delightfully fun and also much educational historical fiction (and historical mystery) romp, presenting a detailed slice of Elizabethan Renaissance life and of course in particular how plays, how dramas were performed during Elizabethan times and what the daily lives of actors generally were like (and yes, you can certainly tell that Blackwood has really and truly done his research here, since The Shakespeare Stealer does indeed feature and present a descriptiveness that is basically totally realistic, showing us as readers the sights, the sounds, the smells, basically the daily happenings of late Renaissance England, of London, and how William Shakespeare’s The Lord Chamberlain’s Men organised and ran their plays at the Globe Theatre).
But nevertheless, I would also not in any way yet consider The Shakespeare Stealer as being a personal reading favourite. Because albeit that I truly have appreciated the wonderful, realistically detailed and authentic feeling and reading description and depiction of Shakespeare’s acting company and the Globe Theatre, I also do think that aside from main protagonist and chief first person narrator Widge, all of the secondary characters present in The Shakespeare Stealer are basically kind of one dimensional in their scope and often equally rather stereotypical good or bad (with especially the given villains who make their necessary appearances in the Shakespeare Stealer usually being so obviously lacking in any kind of even remote character depth and background that their actions and behaviours are rather totally predictable and as such also quite monotonous and tedious, and of course therefore totally expected, such as for example Falconer being Simon Bass in disguise not at all turning out to be the surprise that I think Gary L. Blackwell was intending this to be).
Combined with the fact that William Shakespeare’s own role in The Shakespeare Stealer is much too limiting and small for my tastes (and that I did in fact expect Shakespeare to have been much more prominently featured within Gary L. Blackwood’s storyline and not to have him basically just seemingly play second fiddle to not only Widge and his attempts to steal Hamlet for Simon Bass but really with regard to ALL of the other actors, apprentices and shareholders of the Globe), while I have without a doubt enjoyed my reading time immensely (and would have absolutely adored The Shakespeare Stealer as a tween or as a young teenager), I do think that much more depth needs to be included in Blackwood’s text for me to consider more than a high but still a trifle disappointed three star rating (but yes, I am definitely planning on reading the two sequels to The Shakespeare Stealer and am also kind of hoping that perhaps both Shakespeare’s Scribe and Shakespeare’s Spy might be more in-depth and feature more developed and nuanced characters).
But nevertheless, I would also not in any way yet consider The Shakespeare Stealer as being a personal reading favourite. Because albeit that I truly have appreciated the wonderful, realistically detailed and authentic feeling and reading description and depiction of Shakespeare’s acting company and the Globe Theatre, I also do think that aside from main protagonist and chief first person narrator Widge, all of the secondary characters present in The Shakespeare Stealer are basically kind of one dimensional in their scope and often equally rather stereotypical good or bad (with especially the given villains who make their necessary appearances in the Shakespeare Stealer usually being so obviously lacking in any kind of even remote character depth and background that their actions and behaviours are rather totally predictable and as such also quite monotonous and tedious, and of course therefore totally expected, such as for example Falconer being Simon Bass in disguise not at all turning out to be the surprise that I think Gary L. Blackwell was intending this to be).
Combined with the fact that William Shakespeare’s own role in The Shakespeare Stealer is much too limiting and small for my tastes (and that I did in fact expect Shakespeare to have been much more prominently featured within Gary L. Blackwood’s storyline and not to have him basically just seemingly play second fiddle to not only Widge and his attempts to steal Hamlet for Simon Bass but really with regard to ALL of the other actors, apprentices and shareholders of the Globe), while I have without a doubt enjoyed my reading time immensely (and would have absolutely adored The Shakespeare Stealer as a tween or as a young teenager), I do think that much more depth needs to be included in Blackwood’s text for me to consider more than a high but still a trifle disappointed three star rating (but yes, I am definitely planning on reading the two sequels to The Shakespeare Stealer and am also kind of hoping that perhaps both Shakespeare’s Scribe and Shakespeare’s Spy might be more in-depth and feature more developed and nuanced characters).
November 21, 2025
The Shakespeare Stealer is one of those unfortunate books that has all the ingredients to be a good read but ends up being not merely disappointing but hurtful. I could write about the ways in which the story does not succeed for me as a reader, despite the Elizabethan setting and my deep devotion to Shakespeare. I could write about how the story fails on some historical grounds and grounds of plausibility. Most obviously, it was performing Richard II, not Richard III, that got the Lord Chamberlain’s Men into hot water during the Earl of Essex’s short-lived rebellion. But I will focus my reflection here on how the story fails for me as a Jewish reader. To quickly summarize the plot, the protagonist Widge is a poor orphan recruited to steal the script of Hamlet from the Lord Chamberlain’s Men as part of what proves to be the villain’s personal vendetta against the company. In the end, Widge proves his acting talents, is welcomed among the company players, and thwarts the villain’s plot to steal the script, resulting in the villain’s death.
The villain, we learn at the end, has been masquerading as two people - both the harmless-looking wealthy gentleman from Leicester named Simon Bass who wants the script, and the dark and forbidding henchman who does his dirty work. This latter, the alter ego, is disguised, we learn at the end, in his own words, in “everyone’s idea of what a Jew looks like.” Namely, dark skin, hooked nose, curly beard, etc, what we are supposed to imagine was Shylock’s costume.
None of this is damning for the story. What is damning is the author’s characterization of the story’s villain. In his persona as the henchman, the villain is nothing less than abusive in his treatment of Widge and merciless in his treatment of others. He is quick to kill those who offend him and displays few if any redeeming qualities. We are given to understand that he was with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men for a while but left under unspecified circumstances and turned to a life of crime - not just stealing other company’s scripts but also pilfering town coffers. We learn that when he was with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, there were rumors circulating about him being a Jew and that his real name was Simon Bashevi. We learn that even then his behavior towards others had a streak of cruelty. I am not convinced that the average Elizabethan would have been able to identify Bashevi as a Jewish rather than merely foreign-sounding surname. In any case, Simon is given no backstory to explain his origins or how the rumors of his Jewish identity started. Through the specificity of the name Bashevi, and through Simon’s touchiness on the topic of Jews, and his obsession with Shylock-esque makeup, we are given to understand that he is, by origins if not practice, a Jew. The story also leads us to the conclusion that his criminality was innate to him. At the end, Widge wonders how Simon was able to embody his disguise as the hook-nosed villain so convincingly. The wise Mr. Armin (who delivers some of Shakespeare’s most profound lines in the Fool’s roles) replies that “Perhaps it was his true self.”
So what does this mean, “his true self?” How can it mean anything other than that Simon Bass’ benign exterior would be more truly reflected in the visage of a “Jew?” That the guise of the “Jew” reflects the makeup of his heart? The Jew costume exposes Simon’s true self just as the actions he takes wearing this costume expose his true self. In this book as in antisemitic stereotypes more broadly, the role of the Jew is defined by not just a dark face and hooked nose, but also cruel behavior and criminal proclivities. The story’s sympathetic characters perceive Simon’s “Jewified” face as a truer reflection of his identity than his natural face. This is the perverse logic of antisemitism, which the story does nothing to disrupt or question. The Jew that appears as a “mild-looking man” is as much, if not more, of a threat as the Jew that outwardly signals his identity by his sinister appearance. He may appear harmless, but all the while he is plotting; his kindness is itself deceit.
This book carries a deeply and insidiously antisemitic message. I am curious how the author would defend himself, but antisemitism exists regardless of intentionality. This book is undeniably, unambiguously antisemitic. Perhaps most shockingly, it was published by Scholastic in the 1990s and taught in classrooms.
The villain, we learn at the end, has been masquerading as two people - both the harmless-looking wealthy gentleman from Leicester named Simon Bass who wants the script, and the dark and forbidding henchman who does his dirty work. This latter, the alter ego, is disguised, we learn at the end, in his own words, in “everyone’s idea of what a Jew looks like.” Namely, dark skin, hooked nose, curly beard, etc, what we are supposed to imagine was Shylock’s costume.
None of this is damning for the story. What is damning is the author’s characterization of the story’s villain. In his persona as the henchman, the villain is nothing less than abusive in his treatment of Widge and merciless in his treatment of others. He is quick to kill those who offend him and displays few if any redeeming qualities. We are given to understand that he was with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men for a while but left under unspecified circumstances and turned to a life of crime - not just stealing other company’s scripts but also pilfering town coffers. We learn that when he was with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, there were rumors circulating about him being a Jew and that his real name was Simon Bashevi. We learn that even then his behavior towards others had a streak of cruelty. I am not convinced that the average Elizabethan would have been able to identify Bashevi as a Jewish rather than merely foreign-sounding surname. In any case, Simon is given no backstory to explain his origins or how the rumors of his Jewish identity started. Through the specificity of the name Bashevi, and through Simon’s touchiness on the topic of Jews, and his obsession with Shylock-esque makeup, we are given to understand that he is, by origins if not practice, a Jew. The story also leads us to the conclusion that his criminality was innate to him. At the end, Widge wonders how Simon was able to embody his disguise as the hook-nosed villain so convincingly. The wise Mr. Armin (who delivers some of Shakespeare’s most profound lines in the Fool’s roles) replies that “Perhaps it was his true self.”
So what does this mean, “his true self?” How can it mean anything other than that Simon Bass’ benign exterior would be more truly reflected in the visage of a “Jew?” That the guise of the “Jew” reflects the makeup of his heart? The Jew costume exposes Simon’s true self just as the actions he takes wearing this costume expose his true self. In this book as in antisemitic stereotypes more broadly, the role of the Jew is defined by not just a dark face and hooked nose, but also cruel behavior and criminal proclivities. The story’s sympathetic characters perceive Simon’s “Jewified” face as a truer reflection of his identity than his natural face. This is the perverse logic of antisemitism, which the story does nothing to disrupt or question. The Jew that appears as a “mild-looking man” is as much, if not more, of a threat as the Jew that outwardly signals his identity by his sinister appearance. He may appear harmless, but all the while he is plotting; his kindness is itself deceit.
This book carries a deeply and insidiously antisemitic message. I am curious how the author would defend himself, but antisemitism exists regardless of intentionality. This book is undeniably, unambiguously antisemitic. Perhaps most shockingly, it was published by Scholastic in the 1990s and taught in classrooms.
September 24, 2024
I’ve been meaning to read this for ages and finally reading it during Shaketember was the right book at the right time! It was so fun to see details in the story from Shakespeare’s life and world that I’ve just been reading about in “Will in the World”. Widge’s storyline is a sweet one too. He goes from orphan to having a found family, and I always find that moving. It’s interesting that the author portrayed the Lord Chamberlain’s Men as being a more welcoming, merciful, and just group of individuals than the society at large. I hope it was true that acting out Great Art gave the members of the company compassion and understanding. I loved the glimpses we get of Shakespeare. I also loved the twist about 3/4s through with one of Widge’s friends in the company.
This was just a bit too gritty in its violence at times for me as a highly sensitive person. I would definitely give this to a high schooler instead of a middle schooler. It is a great introduction through story to Shakespeare. Definitely recommended generally and for kids with discretion.
This was just a bit too gritty in its violence at times for me as a highly sensitive person. I would definitely give this to a high schooler instead of a middle schooler. It is a great introduction through story to Shakespeare. Definitely recommended generally and for kids with discretion.
April 9, 2020
*hides from Mary H* Sorry, girl!
August 5, 2018
Excellent coming of age story about a young boy who had only known hardship and serving a master, unconditionally. He only knew to obey, not to question why, until he was sent to record the words in Shakespear's play Hamlet, using his unique short-hand that he had learned from his previous master. If he couldn't do that, he was to steal the playbook. After accidentally setting fire to the thatched roof of the Globe theater, he became involved with the performers and was invited to become an apprentice.
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration by Stuart Blinder. His voices for the numerous characters was wonderful.
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration by Stuart Blinder. His voices for the numerous characters was wonderful.
June 13, 2017
I found myself comparing this book to The False Prince and found it lacking. Widge is likeable enough and he truly is on the horns of many a dilemma with the disadvantage of being an orphan and at the mercy of the adults who choose to take him in. The end was a bit anticlimactic. Overall a fun tale, but not as compelling as others I have read.
August 25, 2020
This is a great book! I really liked how it was so well thought through, and how there were little clues that were hardly noticeable until something happened that put them all together. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
May 30, 2023
An easy, light read with a solid fairy tale and identity quest structure. Explores the different ways in which we play roles in life, for good or ill. Touches on a legitimate play pirating issue in Shakespeare’s day. I most enjoyed the story’s wordplay and use of period-era language.
(The Literary Life Podcast 2023 Reading Challenge – Historical fiction/nonfiction)
(The Literary Life Podcast 2023 Reading Challenge – Historical fiction/nonfiction)
November 5, 2015
I really hated this book in the being but in the end i came to like it. The book involves a lot of sword fighting, weird, HUH? The book really comes to show that everybody is not who you thought they were. Sometimes people hide their identity for goo reasons and sometimes for bad reasons. This book really comes to show that loyalty is important and you need to be careful who you trust, because you never know who is hiding their identity!! I would definitely recommend this book, It is a quick and easy read for historical fiction. It is boring a first, but give it a chance, the book has a great lesson in it.
February 17, 2008
This young adult novel follows the adventures of an Elizabethan orphan named Widge, who is sold into service to an unscrupulous theater director. Widge knows the new art of shorthand, and he is ordered to attend a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Globe Theatre, copy down the text of the play, and return it to his master, who will mount an unauthorized production. But Widge is discovered by the players, who take him in as an apprentice.
Blackwood has done his theater-history homework, and his rendition of backstage life is vivid and believable. His historical figures (Richard Burbage, Will Kemp, Shakespeare himself) are one-dimensional and his fictional boy actors speak to one another in overly contemporary tones at times, but the story moves quickly and Blackwood does avoid the sentimentality that mars the similarly-themed King of Shadows by Susan Cooper. The novel's surprises are not so surprising to anyone who's watched Shakespeare in Love, but the realistic details of sword-fighting, stage effects and line memorization make this a great read for anyone interested in theater.
Blackwood has done his theater-history homework, and his rendition of backstage life is vivid and believable. His historical figures (Richard Burbage, Will Kemp, Shakespeare himself) are one-dimensional and his fictional boy actors speak to one another in overly contemporary tones at times, but the story moves quickly and Blackwood does avoid the sentimentality that mars the similarly-themed King of Shadows by Susan Cooper. The novel's surprises are not so surprising to anyone who's watched Shakespeare in Love, but the realistic details of sword-fighting, stage effects and line memorization make this a great read for anyone interested in theater.
August 6, 2022
Featured in grandma reads chapter book sessions.
This award winning book (1998 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and 1999 ALA Notable Children's Book and Best Book for Young Adults) was a delight to read to my grandchildren. They come from actors and are very familiar with Shakespeare, can quote and often do!
Widge is a 14-year old boy who lives during Shakespeare's time, and has picked up an interesting skill - more powerful than one would think - he has learned shorthand from one of his masters (he's a serial apprentice), and the next master in line has a sneaky, thievy way to use Widge's skill. The story unfolds in a way that takes Widge right to Shakespeare's company in London.
My crew enjoyed this tale, but felt the end could have been less abrupt and more exciting - it is part of a 3 book series, so they may opt to satisfy their curiosity by requesting book 2 Shakespeare's Scribe (followed by Shakespeare's Spy).
This award winning book (1998 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and 1999 ALA Notable Children's Book and Best Book for Young Adults) was a delight to read to my grandchildren. They come from actors and are very familiar with Shakespeare, can quote and often do!
Widge is a 14-year old boy who lives during Shakespeare's time, and has picked up an interesting skill - more powerful than one would think - he has learned shorthand from one of his masters (he's a serial apprentice), and the next master in line has a sneaky, thievy way to use Widge's skill. The story unfolds in a way that takes Widge right to Shakespeare's company in London.
My crew enjoyed this tale, but felt the end could have been less abrupt and more exciting - it is part of a 3 book series, so they may opt to satisfy their curiosity by requesting book 2 Shakespeare's Scribe (followed by Shakespeare's Spy).
November 26, 2020
I found this an engaging romp, but not much more.
I did like the bits that compared the country wight's language to that of the city boys, and the wordplay and jests of the players, but the rest feels pretty forgettable to me. I also wanted the playwright to have a larger role.
Oh, and I did appreciate learning why the plays were not always published, and therefore why we have naysayers doubting Shakespeare's authorship of them.
I do recommend it for interested youngsters and educators.
I did like the bits that compared the country wight's language to that of the city boys, and the wordplay and jests of the players, but the rest feels pretty forgettable to me. I also wanted the playwright to have a larger role.
Oh, and I did appreciate learning why the plays were not always published, and therefore why we have naysayers doubting Shakespeare's authorship of them.
I do recommend it for interested youngsters and educators.
May 30, 2016
The book was pretty boring and didn't have any action the influenced the book. The author had the right idea but just couldn't pull it off. Over all it was just super boring and pointless
February 21, 2022
an interesting and intriguing historical fiction type book, with delightful characters and story. Well written. Best of the series
November 12, 2015
I personally did not like this book. I thought it was really slow and boring and didn't get interesting till the end. To really understand the book you have to know the language. There is a lot of older language that some people might not understand. The book is kind of confusing at some points and really strange at other points. I would recommended this book to anyone that likes Shakespeare or likes kind of mysterious books. This is also a quick and easy book so if you needed an extra historical fiction book I recommended this one.
December 31, 2022
hard no on the antisemitism
August 3, 2025
This book kinda reminded me of The False Prince...I enjoyed the writing style and creative storyline! Definitely a great light read.
April 11, 2019
Read aloud with the kids as part of a school reading assignment. I can't say it's one I would have picked up on my own but the kids (aged 6 - 12) enjoyed it very much. They really engaged with the story and were happy with our read aloud time. I'm giving it 4 stars based on their love of the story.
Well written, historically interesting and a unique sort of tale, I guess we'd recommend it! :D
Well written, historically interesting and a unique sort of tale, I guess we'd recommend it! :D
August 19, 2023
Fun, light YA book set in Shakespeare's England. Fast read. There are 2 more in the series, which I also want to read. Would be fine for kids 8 and up I think.
October 21, 2022
Fun middle grade read, set in Shakespeare's time. Fast moving plot and solid characters. Realistic historical fiction without being gratuitous. Age appropriate for 9-12 years (though the 6 year old did listen in). Glad we added it into our homeschool this year.
May 4, 2019
3-3.5 stars. I think some kids would enjoy this, but of my students reading this book, it's probably a hit or a miss. I thought it was an enjoyable little story and I liked reading about the growth of the main character as he learned what was truly "proper" behavior and what was not and what it means to be a family.
March 19, 2014
SPOILERS!
Blackwood, G. L. (1998). The Shakespeare stealer. New York: Dutton Children's Books.
Characters: Widge (male, protagonist). Simon Bass and the Falconer (Widge’s ward and Bass’ mysterious henchman in disguise, antagonists). Mr. Pope (older male, catch Widge at the Globe). Sander and Julia(n) (Widge’s friends at the Globe). Nick (male, antagonist). William Shakespeare (the William Shakespeare).
Setting: London, Late 1500s to Early 1600s - the Globe Theatre
Themes: Character Transformation,
Genre: ETEC 545 Online D, Middle Historical Fiction
Summary: Widge goes from orphaned apothecary’s assistant to being sold for ten gold coins to Simon Bass, a man who wants Widge to use his scribing shorthand skills to copy works of others. Widge is tasked with stealing Hamlet, and winds up in the Globe Theatre after threats from Bass’ henchman, the mysterious Falconer. After a botched manuscript theft (reproducing Hamlet in shorthand), Widge winds up with a new role in the theatre, and truly enjoys his time with his first real “family.” Still trying to find his shorthand copy of the play, Widge had a role in a Globe production, but the Falconer is on to him. The Falconer enlists another person, Nick, with access to steal the script. Widge stops the theft. The Falconer perishes after a fight. As the Falconer dies, Widge learns that it was his master Simon Bass all along.
Target Audience: Middle School, Grades 6-8
Curriculum Ties: Right and Wrong, The Globe Theatre/Shakespeare
Personal response: The setting, and this story as a piece of historical fiction is excellent. However, I did find myself wanting more depth and development at points, but I guess I should consider the target audience and compact schedules.
Blackwood, G. L. (1998). The Shakespeare stealer. New York: Dutton Children's Books.
Characters: Widge (male, protagonist). Simon Bass and the Falconer (Widge’s ward and Bass’ mysterious henchman in disguise, antagonists). Mr. Pope (older male, catch Widge at the Globe). Sander and Julia(n) (Widge’s friends at the Globe). Nick (male, antagonist). William Shakespeare (the William Shakespeare).
Setting: London, Late 1500s to Early 1600s - the Globe Theatre
Themes: Character Transformation,
Genre: ETEC 545 Online D, Middle Historical Fiction
Summary: Widge goes from orphaned apothecary’s assistant to being sold for ten gold coins to Simon Bass, a man who wants Widge to use his scribing shorthand skills to copy works of others. Widge is tasked with stealing Hamlet, and winds up in the Globe Theatre after threats from Bass’ henchman, the mysterious Falconer. After a botched manuscript theft (reproducing Hamlet in shorthand), Widge winds up with a new role in the theatre, and truly enjoys his time with his first real “family.” Still trying to find his shorthand copy of the play, Widge had a role in a Globe production, but the Falconer is on to him. The Falconer enlists another person, Nick, with access to steal the script. Widge stops the theft. The Falconer perishes after a fight. As the Falconer dies, Widge learns that it was his master Simon Bass all along.
Target Audience: Middle School, Grades 6-8
Curriculum Ties: Right and Wrong, The Globe Theatre/Shakespeare
Personal response: The setting, and this story as a piece of historical fiction is excellent. However, I did find myself wanting more depth and development at points, but I guess I should consider the target audience and compact schedules.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2016
After an orphan boy named Widge is commanded by his master to write down Shakespeare's Hamlet in a secret handwriting called charactery that only he knows, it's clear that obedience is obligatory. But when he is adopted into Shakespeare's theater troupe and befriends the players, he starts to have second thoughts. He knows that what he has been asked to do is wrong, and in the end, he must decide. Will Widge carry out orders, or remain loyal to the other players?
Attaining the status of Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (not this year, however), this gripping middle-grade historical-fiction novel is very enjoyable. Its main theme, the true meaning of friendship and family, is very powerful.
In addition, this book would be excellent to use as a supplement when discussing the Elizabethan Era in a classroom setting.
My favorite character is Widge. He isn't really anything special, or at least not in his mind. But, despite circumstances, he manages to survive through everything on his own wits and courage, and decides, in the end, to do the right thing. In the beginning of the book, having never had a family, Widge doesn't really understand the real value of love. But at the end, through his new friends and the rest of the theater troupe that think of him as a brother and son, he learns how important it really is.
This is a great book! Read it!
August 7, 2013
This book was different than my usual literature.
Yes, it is historical fiction. Yes, it has a bit of mystery in it. Yes, both are genres that I avidly read. But these two genres in this particular book was different.
And I think it was because of the theater aspect.
I don't usually read about the theater. And I didn't know much about Shakespeare, the theater, or the process of being a prentice or an actor back in the 16th century before I read this book. I did know that women weren't allowed to perform, and that men were always used to play the roles of women in plays. I really like the way the author brought that into perspective with Julian, .
It was hard work reading Widge's dialogue at first, but after a few hundred ken's, wis's, and an's, I was able to translate it with minimal difficulty.
I think four stars seems sufficient for this book. I look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
Yes, it is historical fiction. Yes, it has a bit of mystery in it. Yes, both are genres that I avidly read. But these two genres in this particular book was different.
And I think it was because of the theater aspect.
I don't usually read about the theater. And I didn't know much about Shakespeare, the theater, or the process of being a prentice or an actor back in the 16th century before I read this book. I did know that women weren't allowed to perform, and that men were always used to play the roles of women in plays. I really like the way the author brought that into perspective with Julian, .
It was hard work reading Widge's dialogue at first, but after a few hundred ken's, wis's, and an's, I was able to translate it with minimal difficulty.
I think four stars seems sufficient for this book. I look forward to reading the next two books in the series.
September 24, 2008
Despite it's klugy beginning, this one's a pretty good book. The premise is that there's this orphan lad, Widge, who's apprenticed to this odd doctor who had developed a form of shorthand. Widge is the guinea pig in this project and indeed is the only one who knows how to write in this unique script. Another man, one Simon Bass, reads about the good doctor's method and arranges to buy out Widge's apprenticeship. You see, Mr. Bass owns a company of players and he's looking for some good material that might increase their box office take. He's figured that rather than wait for William Shakespeare to publish his latest hit, Hamlet, he could just send Widge over to catch a performance at the Globe Theater and have him copy down the play. That way Bass' players can beat the rush and perform the latest hit while it's still hot. Of course, it doesn't work out so easily. Widge ends up getting more involved in the world of Elizabethan era theater and Shakespeare's company. It's a story worth checking out. As the tale progresses, the hokey shorthand premise is forgotten and a story of ambition and relationships plays out.
October 2, 2016
At first, I thought I had already predicted how this book would go: Widge infiltrates the company, actually learns to love it, is exposed, and has to convince everybody that he's changed. But this book defied that expectation by slightly adjusting that trope, along with adding some other details that I didn't expect, which overall made the book more credible as historical fiction.
I also enjoyed reading and being immersed into Shakespeare-era time and speech.
I also enjoyed reading and being immersed into Shakespeare-era time and speech.
September 8, 2016
This was a fun romp into juvenile historical fiction. I liked the way the author managed to recreate the sights and sounds of Shakespeare's world. This would be a good book to help introduce young readers to The Bard, as evidenced by the fact that it is a popular choice for a book report for the gifted and talented sixth grade class at my school.
August 5, 2017
This is perhaps my favorite children's book ever. I remember reading it in about the 7th grade and being blown away.
The novel has just so many superb sequences, I remember being surprised by many of the twists. With the wonderful character development, I learned to love each character.
I strongly recommend this book, it's superb.
The novel has just so many superb sequences, I remember being surprised by many of the twists. With the wonderful character development, I learned to love each character.
I strongly recommend this book, it's superb.
February 17, 2013
Had to read this in grade 6. Two words: Le creys.
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