Shakespeare's Theatre

More authoritative and illuminating than Aliki's recent William Shakespeare and the Globe, this factual, focused and lively history is illustrated with 17 years' worth of paintings and drawings rendered by Everett, the ""Artist of the Record"" for the recent renovation of the Globe Theatre. Langley, a historian, describes the three Globes--the first, built in 1599 but burned to the ground in 1613; the second, which survived only until 1644; and the third, which opened in 1997 thanks to the visionary efforts of Sam Wanamaker. The focus of the text is on the first two theaters, but the drawings and photographs of the third building make Elizabethan architecture and theatrical style come alive. Everett has an eye for space and detail, and her most intriguing watercolors show contemporary artisans and construction workers using traditional building techniques. She also includes various archival images, like a 17th-century drawing of the Swan Theatre, and the table of contents from Shakespeare's first collected edition of plays. The prose is clear and peppered with interesting tidbits about Elizabethan life, and short appendixes list key dates in Shakespeare's life, his plays and other major London theaters of the time. Future architects and actors will love this thorough and appealing history, as will anyone interested in the Elizabethan age. Ages 8-up. (July)