You’re never too young to start with Shakespeare. But grab a dictionary, and get yourself a good copy with notes that will explain what the words were when Shakespeare was writing it (he used a lot of slang words in his writing). The Washington Square Press editions of the plays would have really helpful notes for you.

An excellent place to begin is with the sonnets. These are 14-line poems, so they are a nice way to begin reading Shakespeare but not feel too overwhelmed.

Then, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Tempest might be great plays to start with.

One other thing – Shakespeare never thought his plays would be read – he only thought they would be heard. So try simply reading the lines out loud – don’t worry about “acting” them, just read them – and it will make a big difference in your understanding.

And don’t feel bad if you don’t understand everything. One of the great things about any good book or play is that each time you get to understand it a little more, and find new things in it.

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