Manga Shakespeare : Coming Soon

The good folks over at Harry N. Abrams, Inc were nice enough to send me some review copies of their Manga Shakespeare series that I blogged about recently.  As I told Laura (who sent them), once I pry them out of my kids' hands I'll get reviews up and then probably give them away to you folks.

But until then I thought you'd get a kick out of this story.

One of the books was The Tempest, of course (I ask for that one special :)).  Forgetting I had it last night, I leave it on the kitchen table at my daughter's chair, so she'll see it in the morning.  This morning it is the 4yr old (Elizabeth) down first, and I tell her, "There's a surprise waiting for you at the table.  You have to share it with your sister."

"Do I have to close my eyes?" she asks.

"No, not really," I say.

A few minutes go by as I pack up my bag to head in to work, and I don't hear anything.  I go into the kitchen where my 4yr old is standing there, expectantly, with her eyes closed.  So I take the book, hold it in front of her face and tell her to open her eyes.  "What is it?" she asks.

"This is the story about the girl on the island," I tell her (and her sister, who has come up rapidly behind when she realizes there are surprises).  "One of Daddy's friends on the internet sent it."

"Oh, The Tempest?" asks the 4 yr old.  It always amazes me when Shakespearean stuff flows so naturally out of their mouths.

As the 6yr old gets ready for school, the 4yr old goes off to read.  Well, to look at the pictures.  In a minute I hear, "Is this Miranda?"  I go in the room and she's pointing to one of the characters who, as far as I know, is Miranda. I tell her so.

The morning ritual continues, I'm trying to make myself a lunch, get breakfasts, all that sort of thing.  Then I hear, "I found Shakespeare, Daddy!"  Odd, I think, since he's not actually in the story.  "He's on the back page."  Oh.

I can only imagine what will be waiting to tackle me when I get home from work. :)