Ellinas, Georghia. Twelfth Night. Jane Ray, Illus. Candlewick, 08/2024. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-3150-2. GRADES 1–5. ADDITIONAL.
This smartly done adaptation of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy can serve as a great introduction to the play’s plot and characters. Viola and her brother are shipwrecked, so she disguises herself as a young man to find work; this is a tale of mistaken identity, romance, and some foolish characters, too. The story is told from the perspective of Feste the Fool, which will help the reader follow the plot. The smoothly told story averages two paragraphs per spread, making this easy to read in one sitting. The brightly colored watercolor and ink illustrations display the clothing and locale of the sixteenth century European setting, and show Countess Olivia as Black. Most libraries will shelve this in Dewey 822.33 (Shakespeare), not the picture book shelves.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool