by Jon Blake
First published 2015
Three witches appear to Macbeth, a brave Scottish general, and prophesy that he will become king. Their words plant a dark seed in his mind. When King Duncan visits Macbeth's castle, Lady Macbeth pushes her husband to murder their guest and seize the throne. Macbeth kills Duncan but finds no peace in his crown. Guilt and paranoia consume him as he commits more murders to protect his stolen power. Former friends become enemies. Nobles flee Scotland as Macbeth's tyranny spreads fear across the land. The witches' prophecies continue to unfold, but not as Macbeth expects. His wife descends into madness, haunted by bloodstains only she can see. Armies gather to challenge the tyrant king. This adaptation introduces young readers to Shakespeare's tragic tale of ambition and its consequences. Jon Blake preserves the essential story while making the language accessible to children.
Genres: adaptations, classic-literature, historical-fiction, fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, power-struggle
Setting: Scotland
Period: Medieval
104 pages · Paperback · Oxford University Press
Content warnings: murder, violence