Today is the 448th birthday of William Shakespeare -- or at least that's what scholars believe. Much of Shakespeare's life remains shrouded in mystery. But there's no mystery about Shakespeare's enduring appeal and relevance. We've got all kinds of editions of Shakespeare's work, which you'll find in 822.33, or J 822.33 for kids. For young readers, check out Tales From Shakespeare, in which master storytellers Charles and Mary Lamb detail the stories of Shakespeare's plays. (This book is also helpful for grown-ups as a way of refreshing themselves on the basic storyline before seeing a Shakespeare play). We've even got a couple of illustrated collections of Shakespeare's plays for kids; the artist who illustrated them is Marcia Williams, so just look in our all-ages comics under J 822.33 Williams. Of course, in Washington, we're also lucky to have a wonderful Shakespeare educational institution, Folger Shakespeare Library which offers regular programs about the Bard, his work and his world.
There one other famous person with a birthday today: Shirley Temple turns 84.