Stratford Zoo's troupe of animal thespians is back with another production of one of Shakespeare's tales of woe. Romeo the rooster, a Petter from the Verona Petting Zoo, and Juliet the bear, a Wilder from the forest, meet and become best friends, despite the objections of their families. Following the story line of the original play, Lendler's adaptation is succinct, age appropriate (the audience's view of Tibb's death is cleverly hidden by a pair of late-arriving elephants, and Romeo and Juliet are joined together in hibernation instead of death), and very funny, with the audience providing much of the humor. The bold, colorful artwork is equally witty and helps not only to propel the story but also to illustrate for a young audience some of Shakespeare's more flowery prose. "Director's Notes" at the end of the book further explain the story's setting, the history behind the play, and fun facts about Shakespeare and his time. Entertaining and educational, readers will welcome the news that the troupe next plans to perform one of the Bard's comedies.