Shakespeare in Children's Literature

This scholarly examination of Shakespeare adaptations in children's literature offers a critical lens on how classic works get repackaged for young audiences, analyzing both direct retellings and fictional portrayals of the Bard himself. Hateley brings feminist theory and sociological analysis to reveal how these adaptations often reinforce traditional power structures rather than challenge them, using Shakespeare's cultural weight to maintain outdated social hierarchies. The book carefully dissects the intersection of literary prestige and educational messaging in children's books, showing how canonical authority gets transmitted to new generations through seemingly innocent retellings.

What makes this study particularly valuable is its unflinching look at how children's literature can function as a conservative force, using Shakespeare's cultural capital to preserve rather than question established identities and power dynamics. Hateley's analysis will resonate most with educators, literary scholars, and parents interested in the hidden curricula within children's books, offering tools to recognize how even progressive-seeming adaptations might uphold anachronistic values. The book ultimately provides a necessary framework for understanding how cultural transmission works through children's literature, making visible the ideological work happening beneath the surface of beloved Shakespeare retellings.