Shakespeare is responsible for many of the words and phrases in use today in the English language, either because he coined them or, more often, because he popularized them with his plays. Words like “fashionable,” “hurry,” “well- behaved,” and “excitement” were all put into common usage by Shakespeare. He was also responsible for common expressions today, such as “wild-goose,” “all of a sudden,” and “too much of a good thing.” These and other words and phrases are cleverly introduced in an account of a single production of a play at the Globe Theatre during Shakespeare’s time. For each of the words or phrases, the author tells what it meant in Shakespeare’s time, what it means today, and in which play it first appeared. Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are teeming with details, both historical and humorous. (Ages 8–14)

When Jane Sutcliffe sets out to write a book about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, in her own words, she runs into a problem: Will's words keep popping up all over the place! What's an author to do? After all, Will is responsible for such familiar phrases as "what's done is done" and "too much of a good thing." He even helped turn "household words" into household words.
 
But, Jane embraces her dilemma, writing about Shakespeare, his plays, and his famous phrases with glee. After all, what better words are there to use to write about the greatest writer in the English language than his very own?  As readers will discover, "the long and the short of it" is this: Will changed the English language forever.
 
Backmatter includes an author’s note, a bibliography, and a timeline.