Showing results by author "Samantha Newman" in All Categories

Shakespeare's plays have been beloved for so many years that his characters and words have shaped our world today. This collection has adapted these works adapted for younger listeners, introducing them to iconic characters such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.

King Lear demands that his three daughters tell him how much they love him. When his youngest, Cordelia, refuses, he casts her out and divides his kingdom between the other two. But when those two reject him, he descends into despair and madness...

General Othello is the best soldier in Venice. But when he marries the beautiful Desdemona, one of the senator's daughters, he begins to discover that he is surrounded by enemies.

Once upon a time, six famous children's stories were magically reimagined...with hilarious results! Meet the sneaky Ninjabread Man, cheeky Little Rude Riding Hood, ground-shaking Cinder-Elephant, and clever Octo-Puss in Boots. Snow White has ditched her woodland cottage for a spaceship and seven robots...and the Three Little Narwhals are on the run from the Big Bad Shark! This wonderful compendium brings together riotously funny retellings of well-known tales by popular children's authors Chris Jevons, Samantha Newman, and Jo Franklin.

Once upon a time, a fairy tale went very wrong! This new twist on a traditional children's story is packed with fun. When Young Angus receives a gift from his famous father, the last thing he expects to unwrap is a weird, wisecracking octopus! The silly cephalopod offers to help Angus make his fortune...and all he wants in return is some fabulous footwear. Can this unlikely pair of heroes defeat Gutrot, the 'orrible ogre?

Young Cinderella is desperate to go to the handsome prince's ball...and she's delighted when Fenella the fairy offers to help her. Unfortunately, though, Fenella hasn't really got the hang of her magic wand yet. Can Cinderella dance with the prince without tripping over her glass...flippers? And can she leave before midnight, when she'll turn into a ten-ton Cinder-Elephant?

This box set brings the Bard's timeless tales to life for a younger generation, with wit and panache. Samantha Newman's cleverly reworked text retains many of Shakespeare's own inimitable turns of phrase, while simplifying and clarifying the language and plots to make stories accessible to children. Perfect for children aged 7+.

A romance between a Roman general and the Queen of Egypt was never going to be easy. Marc Antony has abandoned his duties since he has fallen in love with Cleopatra. But as war looms, their union shifts from difficult to doomed...

A shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian on the shores of an unknown land. Viola disguises herself as a male servant, but soon falls in love with her master. He is in love with a countess, who in turn falls in love with Viola! And it only gets more complicated when Sebastian turns up...

The King of Naples and the Duke of Milan are shipwrecked on a strange, enchanted island. Little do they know that the lord of the island is Prospero, the old duke of Milan who they betrayed many years ago—and he has been plotting his revenge ever since...

Their battles of wits are legendary, but Benedick has sworn off women and Beatrice has vowed that she will never marry a man. It's a good job that they don't like each other then... or might they be persuaded with a little help from their friends?

The greatest love story ever told. When Romeo and Juliet meet, they fall in love—but how can they ever be together when all their families know is hate for one another?

When two sets of long-lost twins turn up in the same town on the same day, confusion and hilarity ensue. Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse are looking for their brothers—but they accidentally end up living their lives instead!

Macbeth is riding home from war when he is met by three witches. They tell him a prophecy, in which he will be king of Scotland. Macbeth decides to make it come true by killing the current king—but he soon comes to be haunted by his bloody choice.

When young Orlando searches the forest for his banished lady love, Rosalind, he doesn't realise that he's met her in disguise. Dressed up as a boy, Rosalind sees a chance to train Orlando to be the sort of partner she'd like—and she has some laughs along the way!

King Ferdinand's plan to ban ladies from his court to focus on his studies seems like a great one—until the Princess of France and her friends arrive and he falls in love! Can Ferdinand and his friends break their own law?

Prince Hamlet's father is dead. Hamlet believes he was murdered, and that he knows the culprit. The only problem is it's his uncle, the new king—and Hamlet has no proof.

Helena, a low-born girl, is desperately in love with Bertram, a nobleman. When she is allowed to choose anyone in the kingdom to marry, she chooses Bertram. He swears he will never be her husband. Can Helena ever convince Bertram to love her back?

King Leonte's jealousy causes his sweet wife, Hermione to die and their baby daughter, Perdita to be exiled. Can the king learn the error of his ways? Will he ever get to meet Perdita again?

Four young lovers escape into the woods outside Athens, each hoping to find true love and happiness. Instead, they find fairy mischief and love potions! Everyone is confused about who likes who—and has the Queen of the Fairies fallen in love with a donkey?