Hamlet (Real Reads)

Hamlet's father, the king of Denmark, has died suddenly. But instead of grieving, his mother Gertrude has married the dead king's brother, Claudius.

One dark night, Hamlet sees a ghost. It is his dead father, who claims he was murdered by Claudius, the new king. But did Hamlet really see a ghost, or did he just imagine it? And if he did see a ghost, was it telling him the truth?

Hamlet plans to avenge his father by killing Claudius. But the man he stabs isn't Claudius, as he thinks, but his girlfriend's father. So the wrong man dies.

So much tragedy, but there is more to come. Who else will die an untimely death? And who will live to tell the tale?

Real Reads are retellings of great literature from around the world, each fitted into a 64-page book. Our books make classic stories, dramas and histories available to intelligent young readers as a bridge to the full texts, to language students wanting access to other cultures, and to adult readers who are unlikely ever to read the original versions.