A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Manga that brings to life Shakespeare’s
classic romantic comedy.

This third entry in Manga Classics’
adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays maintains their practice of reproducing the full
text of the original. The black-and-white illustrations allow readers to easily
follow the plot while also picking up on subtle themes that are significant to understanding
the play. For example, the abundant imagery surrounding the moon is emphasized
by the moon’s presence in the backgrounds of many panels throughout the book, drawing
readers’ attention. Long dialogues are also explained visually, which allows young
readers to grasp what is being discussed without the need for a glossary or
translation into modern English. The nobility is portrayed in a typical manga
fashion with large eyes, small noses, and well-defined ears—but with
appropriate Grecian clothing—while the commoners are easily visually
distinguishable from them in style. The guide to reading manga at the beginning
unfortunately describes the right-to-left reading order as “backwards from the
normal books you know,” a strangely judgment-laden description for a book using
manga to broaden the cultural exposure of young readers. However, the creators’
notes at the end offer fascinating insights into the adaptation process and may
inspire budding manga artists to attempt their own works.

Shakespeare’s fantastical dream in
an appealing format that can be shared with a wider audience. (cast, creators’
notes, character design sheet) (Graphic fiction. 12-18)