(3) YA Maids of Honor series. McGowan adds supernatural elements to this third entry in her clever court-intrigue/historical-romance series. Sophia, one of five women recruited to protect the young Queen Elizabeth I, can speak with angels and foresee the future. She must use her gifts to thwart a prophecy that predicts a death at court. References to Elizabethan superstitions add historical authenticity.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA Lacey Chronicles series. London actor Kit Turner falls for Mercy Hart, whose pious merchant father disapproves of the match. When Kit accidentally becomes entangled in the historic 1586 Babington Plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth, Mercy must disobey her father and, with the Lacey brothers, help clear Kit's name. Familiar characters return and historical British figures appear in this well-researched, engaging third series entry.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) YA While struggling to master her growing Akhet abilities (remembering past lives), Cole must navigate a love triangle that spans centuries and also uncover the villain threatening her family, friends, and possibly the entire world. In this intricate sequel to Transcendence, Omololu hits Cole with tough choices but allows her to make decisions that result in a surprisingly relatable teenage character.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(2) 4-6 After escaping the evil clutches of the innkeeper to whom his drunken father sold him, Will joins up with a magician, a blind juggler, and a troupe of "prodigies and oddities." Readers will connect with affable and quick-witted Will; by the end of this coming-of-age journey, he has a different take on those around him and has found a family and a place in life.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(3) YA Ellie wins the heart of William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, even though her father is responsible for Will's family's financial problems. Court intrigue and familial obligations abound, preventing the match for most of the story. Told from multiple viewpoints, this captivating Elizabethan England period novel introduces a host of real historical figures.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) YA Modern-day teen Miranda, daughter of famous Shakespearean actors, finds herself whisked back to Elizabethan England by a hottie named Stephen who can travel between his own era and the present. Miranda's mission: seduce young Will Shakespeare to prevent him from joining the Jesuits and giving up writing. The story's love triangle is a stretch, but Mingle's historical details are spot-on and intriguing.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Thomas Cox. Cutpurse-turned-carpenter Kit, striving to find his place in the world, works as a stage boy, messenger, and even bit player with the Lord Chamberlain's Men (the theater troupe home to Will Shakespeare et al.). His journey from lost boy to young man with a future is as satisfying as the detailed portrait of place and time in this accessible, you-are-there Elizabethan saga.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(4) YA History of Exploration series. In these information-rich volumes, each double-page spread contains one short paragraph of text on the title subject and several illustrations with extensive captions. Pictures range from historical paintings to maps and geographical sites to photographs of artifacts. The format is eye-catching, but the small font and crowded pages are challenging to navigate. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these History of Exploration titles: Captain Cook & His Exploration of the Pacific, Columbus & the Renaissance Explorers, Drake & the Elizabethan Explorers, Exploration of Africa, Exploration of North America, and Magellan & the Americas.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Meggy, who walks with the help of sticks, moves to London. Her alchemist father rejects then ignores her, leaving Meggy to fend for herself. Cushman creates a prickly, resourceful, and ultimately triumphant young woman. She incorporates specific details of daily life in Elizabethan England unobtrusively into the story; little funny touches help balance out the grimly realistic ones.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(3) 4-6 Kronos Chronicles series. Desperate to rescue her father from cruel Prince Rodolfo, headstrong Petra Kronos (The Cabinet of Wonders) is herself held prisoner as the ward of English spymaster and magician John Dee. Before he'll release her, she must solve the murder of a man rumored to possess the mysterious Celestial Globe. Strong characterizations and a lively action-adventure plot propel this Elizabethan fantasy-mystery.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Following her father's death, Miranda is sent to Queen Elizabeth I's court as the ward of a corrupt guardian. She uses her skills with a needle to draw the queen's attention, but sewing up the right marriage proposal proves trickier. Many of the characters are two-dimensional; Kolosov's vividly rendered portrait of courtly life, intrigue and all, is the book's strongest feature.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Viola (disguised as a boy) travels with a troupe of actors until her uncle is falsely accused of murder in Stratford. Fortunately, an incorrigible young Will Shakespeare intervenes to help solve the crime and reveal the real villain. Though this tale of Elizabethan mystery and adventure is light on character development and suspense, it's richly dressed in Shakespearean phrases, character names, and diverting plot contrivances.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) YA When her father is arrested for being a Catholic, fourteen-year-old Rosalind escapes to London, in this historical novel set in 1592. A chance encounter with the playwright Christopher Marlowe results in a gig for Rosalind (now disguised as a boy) as his assistant. Thomson has created a well-rounded character who reacts believably to her unraveling life.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2006

(3) 4-6 Twelve-year-old James finds a way into the year 1600 from the London flat where his family is spending a summer; once there, thanks to his remarkable singing voice and exotic skin (he's biracial), he is made a Queen's chorister. James returns to the present with a greater sense of self. While too mechanical to be fully satisfying, Curry's novel has its moments.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2005

(2) K-3 A goose named Willoughby goes to London, where he hopes to become useful. Unprepared for the noise and confusion, he is saved by an understanding young man named Shakespeare. The engaging story is illustrated with watercolors that have wit and style and that convey much information about the Elizabethan setting.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: October, 1975

(2) K-3 In a wordless book using well-varied multiple frames, a boy enters an empty Thames-side theater in modern London and finds himself four centuries back, raising the ire of the great Bard himself by disrupting his play. The well-paced events are entertaining, the setting is atmospheric, and the characters are drawn with humor, affection, and style.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Photographs by Steve Teague. For each of twenty-nine Shakespeare-related topics, thoroughly captioned illustrations surround a paragraph of text. Presented in loose chronological order, the subjects range from the playwright's birthplace to "country fun" to the Globe Theatre. The colorful photos are mostly of Elizabethan art and artifacts but feature a few live models wearing period clothing. The cramped page layout makes this volume more suitable for browsing than for steady reading. Ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Girls of Many Lands series. When twelve-year-old Elizabethan Isabel embarks on a mini-adventure--she sneaks out with the maid to see a play--she is caught and shipped off to her aunt's in the country. Through a series of improbable events, she is attacked by brigands, joins a theater company, and saves her sister's life during an outbreak of the plague. Details of the period are accurate and interesting.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA A & E Biography series. Though centuries may separate the subjects of the volumes in this series, all have played prominent political or cultural roles. Their life stories are relayed in sometimes rushed prose, but these books will make acceptable starting points for those seeking basic biographical information. The texts are accompanied by average-quality photos and historical reproductions in black and white and in color. Bib., ind. [Review covers these titles: William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, Oprah Winfrey, George W. Bush, The Beatles, Benjamin Franklin.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Visiting the Past series. This volume uses Shakespeare's childhood home, preserved by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, as the focal point in a discussion about daily life in Elizabethan England. Construction, interior decoration, food, and the roles of men, women, and children are covered in the dry but accessible text, which is accompanied by color photographs. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo