In this interesting and informative book, Isaac explores how today's YA literature is influenced by the classic stories found in Shakespeare's plays. Citing the fact that many of the plays have teenage characters and that they feature universal themes of love, sex, death, humor, and families, Isaac compares several plays side-by-side to modern novels written for teens. Hamlet, for example, is paralleled to Katherine Patterson's Bridge to Terabitha and to Lois Duncan's Killing Mr. Griffin. Such parallels are not always obvious at first, but Isaac presents a carefully thought out and well-written comparison for her selections. The book also takes a brief look at young adult life in that time period, and discusses several YA novels that are set in the Elizabethan era. Intended for English Literature teachers, this book will make entertaining reading for anyone with an interest in Shakespeare or just a love for modern YA fiction. I was familiar with the plays discussed but not with all of the corresponding novels, and I found Isaac's summaries and comparisons remarkably informative and understandable. This is a very interesting look at the common, timeless themes in literature, and Isaac does a marvelous job of presenting and explaining her choices for comparison. Highly recommended, essential for librarians working in schools where Shakespeare is a strong focus in English classes.