Shakespeare's tragic lovers receive star treatment in this spellbinding graphic-novel production. Hinds as director, set designer and writer has expertly abridged the original text while embellishing it with modern sensibilities. His edition retains the flavor and poetry of the 1597 play and its memorable and oft-quoted dialogue. It is in the watercolor and digitally illustrated panels that he truly presents a stunning visual reading. Juliet and the Capulets are from India. Romeo and the Montagues are from Africa. Thus, the political rivalries of Verona become contemporary and more meaningful to 21st-century readers. The Capulets are dressed in reds and the Montagues in blue--all against the finely rendered lines of Verona's buildings and Friar Laurence's monastery. Beautiful shades of blue infuse the night sky as the two lovers swear their eternal devotion. The panels vary in size to control the pace of the plot. Sword fights pulse with energy and occasional karate thrusts for added drama. The most moving image--a double-page spread without words--is depicted from above in shades of gold and brown stained red with blood as Romeo and Juliet lie dead and immortalized in each other's arms. As thrilling and riveting as any staging. (author's note) (Graphic drama. 12 & up)

Gr 8 Up-With his latest graphic novel, Hinds once again shows his considerable talent for adapting classic stories for modern audiences. The most notable change between this story and Shakespeare's original is the creative license that Hinds takes with ethnicityhe makes the characters of African, Indian, and Caucasian descent in order to promote the universality of the story. The Shakespearean language is abridged but not adapted into contemporary English; footnotes explain words that could be confusing to young audiences. The use of lines and colorful watercolors is striking, especially when illustrating action such as dancing and sword fights. The cover provides one of the best advertisements for the book, showing readers a multiracial spin on this classic play. And one of the most memorable panels illustrates how, when Romeo first sees Juliet, the image he had in his mind of Rosalind literally shatters. Hinds also offers visual cues to the dialogue through his artwork; for example, as a character refers to maidenheads, he pops a cherry off its stem. The author's note explains which aspects of the story were strictly Shakespearean and which were adapted for modern audiences. Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Shakespeare's tragic lovers receive star treatment in this spellbinding graphic-novel production. Hinds as director, set designer and writer has expertly abridged the original text while embellishing it with modern sensibilities. His edition retains the flavor and poetry of the 1597 play and its memorable and oft-quoted dialogue. It is in the watercolor and digitally illustrated panels that he truly presents a stunning visual reading. Juliet and the Capulets are from India. Romeo and the Montagues are from Africa. Thus, the political rivalries of Verona become contemporary and more meaningful to 21st-century readers. The Capulets are dressed in reds and the Montagues in blue--all against the finely rendered lines of Verona's buildings and Friar Laurence's monastery. Beautiful shades of blue infuse the night sky as the two lovers swear their eternal devotion. The panels vary in size to control the pace of the plot. Sword fights pulse with energy and occasional karate thrusts for added drama. The most moving image--a double-page spread without words--is depicted from above in shades of gold and brown stained red with blood as Romeo and Juliet lie dead and immortalized in each other's arms. As thrilling and riveting as any staging. (author's note) (Graphic drama. 12 & up)