*The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents… by Ian Lendler

The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents…graphic novels are clever and humorous adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.

*The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents… by Ian Lendler, illustrated by Zack Giallongo. First Second.

Macbeth (2014). 80 pages.

Romeo & Juliet (2015). 96 pages.

• Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10
• Recommended for: ages 8 and up

When the zookeeper locks the gate and sweeps the walk after dark, one of the animals steals her keys and proceeds to open all the cages, freeing the inhabitants to assemble in front of the stage. Concessions include something for everyone, and thankfully none of the attendees are threatened by predator/prey complications.

The curtain opens. Enter the lion as Macbeth, our heroic hero. Everything he does is heroic, and everybody loves him. But Macbeth is bored, and all the food he is offered grows tiresome: he’s ready for something new. Following his nose to the swamp he meets three witches (laughing like anyone except witches) who offer him something he REALLY wants: the potential for power if he eats the king. With the help of Lady Macbeth (who is eager for his-and-hers thrones) and a lot of ketchup, the job is done. (Don’t worry, everyone is restored by the end of the play.)

Romeo and Juliet continues the hijinks with a rooster and a she-bear falling in love. He belongs in a petting zoo, she in the wild forest, and they are not supposed to be together, of course. They meet at a costume party and are instantly attracted, which leads to Juliet being confined to her room, but she escapes to have a play-date with Romeo in the woods and they agree to be best friends until everything goes awry.

The audience participates in the story, as they did in Shakespeare’s day, providing commentary and comic relief. A pair of vultures are critics; a monkey and lamb who don’t get along realize at the end that they can be friends; and an elephant (or two) provide interference at the most violent junctures. The whole thing is kept very child-friendly, a great introduction to well-known stories that were written for the populace and have greatly influenced culture.

Considerations:

• Language: One instance of “My God” in Macbeth.
• Bathroom Humor: Urinating habits of animals

Bottom Line:  Are these delightful literary retellings? You could read chapter 6 of The Redeemed Reader: Cultivating a Child’s Discernment and Imagination Through Truth and Story to find out why. The short answer is, yes.

*indicates a starred review, the best of the best in its field

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• Resources: We’re big Shakespeare fans, whether it’s viewing a real production on stage or reading a quirky one using animals. Some of our Shakespeare resources include: Shakespeare Fun and Frivolity, Building a Shakespeare Home Library Collection, Shakespeare at the Movies, The Bard the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of Shakespeare, Shakespeare’s First Folio: All the Plays (Children’s Edition)
• Review: Kids who enjoy the Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue books will also enjoy Mirror Town (Bizarre Bazaar #1) by Daniel Nayeri and The Sheep, the Rooster and the Duck by Matt Phelan.
• Reviews: More books for boys: Cookies and Milk, The Midnight War of Matea Martinez, and Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve. Or browse all the books we’ve tagged as boy-friendly!

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You may purchase these books from Amazon:

• Macbeth
• Romeo and Juliet