No Shakespeare Allowed

Portia Cordelia Donnelly has decided that enough is enough. At 14, it is time that she break away from the acting career her parents want for her. But her ``No Shakespeare Allowed'' campaign quickly goes astray as she comes to realize what old William S. means to her family. Portia tries coaching her best friend for the part that she doesn't want, but her director-father quashes that plan. She battles it out with her father (their argument culminates in a fencing match), learns about her mother's troubled relationship with her own father and, with newfound insight, solves her problems. Written with an intelligent, affectionate knowledge of the Bard, this well-crafted novel deftly explores father-daughter relationships. But it is Portia's level-headed appreciation of and ease with Shakespeare that gives this novel its luster. Ages 10-14. (Sept.)