Swan Town: The Secret Journal of Susanna Shakespeare

By Michael J. Ortiz

Book Overview

A girl like me, more nimble of mind than finger, what am I to do? Hide my wit in a half-penny purse, and smile all day long? Boils and plagues Thirteen-year-old Susanna Shakespeare longs for something exciting to happen in her quiet, dusty village of Stratford, England. Her father, Will, is off in London, working on new plays. Susanna yearns to be a part of that world, but girls aren't allowed to perform in the theater, or even attend school. Narrow-minded knaves Susanna refuses to turn into a good-for-nothing lackwit and begins keeping a journal, hoping something will deliver her from her dull life. When her uncle gets into trouble with the Master of Revels, Susanna is whisked off to London to help. Suddenly her stage is set for adventure . . . and romance. Swan Town offers an unconventional glimpse into the life of the famed Bard's family in Elizabethan England, as seen through the eyes of Shakespeare's spirited daughter.

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060581271
• ISBN13: 9780060581275
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Great book for a young lady

My 10 year old daughter really enjoyed this book. The story is engaging and well written. I highly recommend it.

History Lesson Without Pain

Remember your high school History? Me neither. "Swan Town" will give you a second chance. It is written in the voice of Shakespeare's 13-year-old daughter Susanna, a girl who has to grow up real fast. And she is the one who will supply you with all the really interesting information about Shakespeare's era. Did Sister William ever tell us about "ducking"? Of course disease was rampant - there were horse droppings all over the streets! Shakespeare had a son named "Hamnet"? Huh! The pudding game...what's that? Need a snappy retort for that rude neighbor? See page 41. Besides providing all these absorbing facts, Susanna places Shakespeare in historical context for you. So maybe the next time you hear Shakespeare quoted you will have a better understanding of what he was saying...or leaving unsaid.

Engaging, artful, adventurous writing for all.

From the first page to last Mr. Ortiz' expert handling of his protagonist and her world makes this a truly enjoyable read. Whether it's tending the families herb garden or experiencing the sights and sounds (and smells) of London, Susanna's adventures capture the imagination and encourage the reader to accompany her in her exploits. She is witty and charming and worth the time to become better acquainted with.

Good, earthy, beautiful

I bought this book for my 11-year-old niece, but I decided to read it first. Mr. Ortiz has given us a superb story for adolescents and for anyone else with a capacity for joy and a weakness for mischief. The story is in fact structured as a journal, a device that Mr. Ortiz employs to excellent effect. Diary-keeping is still a favorite pastime of girls Susanna's age. What particularly pleased me was the juxtaposition between wisdom and mischief, between soaring delight and the muck left in the tracks of horses and fanatics. Everything is included in the weave. Swan Town has important, positive values to convey: the goodness of a family, as it germinates in courtship and as it blooms in self-sacrifice; the splendor of the earth and material things; the wonder of language and its artful uses; and ultimately, the profundity of self-giving versus the pettiness of ideology, fear and self-seeking. But because it holds these values, Swan Town is not a tract. It is a good, earthy, beautiful story. I had thought to finish the book over a long afternoon and evening, but this is a book I had to put down; the writing was often so poetic and lovely that I had to savor it by reading slowly over a few days. Is this really a book for adolescents? It is, because it requires stretching. It coaxes growth. It expands horizons gently, playfully, and sometimes a little mournfully (but just a little). It is for all maturing children.

Great Read and Style, recommended for all

I enjoyed this book enormously. It made me think about the connections between religion, geography, history and the times that are the backdrop in the book. The diary style made the book move quickly, and learning about Shakepeare, his place in history, and the life of a young girl in his day was joyous exploration. A great middle school read for students studying European history or Shakespeare's plays. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.