MUSSARI, Mark . The Sonnets . ISBN 978-1-60870-018-9 . LC 2009041727. NADEN, Corinne J. As You Like It . reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-015-8 . LC 2009035466. NADEN, Corinne J. . The Taming of the Shrew . reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-019-6 . LC 2009041728. RICHERT, Scott P. King Lear . reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-016-5 . LC 2010007060. ea vol: 128p. (Shakespeare Explained Series). illus. photos. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Marshall Cavendish / Benchmark . 2010. PLB $29.95. Gr 8 Up Each book has a formulaic layout consisting of Joseph Sorban's introduction to the playwright's life and times; analysis of the specific work's text; and an overview of the characters, themes, motifs, symbols, and language. All but Sonnets also include a brief memory "test" to determine readers' comprehension of the plot and major characters. Illustrations are high-quality glossy photos, either of places, people, or images mentioned in the text or of the plays' modern productions. Colored boxes containing quotes from the plays or sonnets also adorn the pages; unfortunately, their sources are not referenced, and they seem rather randomly placed. In general the explanatory texts are clear and straightforward, if a bit repetitive at times. Naden's background information on Shrew , however, is rather disjointed and includes some distracting, irrelevant details. While the tone of each commentary is generally serious, in Richard III , Andersen uses both humor and modern expressions to capture readers' attention. For example, he describes Queen Elizabeth's entering "with what looks like a bad hair day." Occasionally difficult terms, e.g., "misogyny," are not readily defined but meaning must be garnered from context; in The Sonnets some sexual terms and connotations are referenced, although always in an appropriate manner. In all, while much less comprehensive than "The Greenwood Guides to Shakespeare" (Greenwood), these titles will provide both novice Shakespearean scholars and teachers with background and useful analytical material to enhance the comprehension of the Bard's life and works. Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, The Naples Players, FL