Shakespeare's Secret

Broach, E. (2005). Shakespeare’s secret. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Plot summary: Hero hates her name. Her father, who studies Shakespeare for a living, took it from the play Much Ado About Nothing, and it always gets her teased when they move. Things are no different when Hero and her family move to Maryland; the other kids in sixth grade torment her. She finds her only solace when her mother asks her to return a pair of shears to old Mrs. Roth next door; the two develop a friendship when Mrs. Roth reveals that Hero’s new house holds a mystery. The former owner, Mr. Murphy, is reputed to have faked the theft of an extremely valuable diamond from his wife’s antique necklace in order to pay for her cancer treatment—and rumor is that the diamond is hidden somewhere in the house. Hero discovers that there is more to Shakespeare than she originally thought as she, Mrs. Roth, and eighth-grade Danny Cordova try to find the diamond. The debate over Shakespeare’s true identity comes into play as they trace the necklace’s origins back to Anne Boleyn and connect it to Queen Elizabeth I and Edward de Vere, who is suspected to have written Shakespeare’s plays. The mystery only deepens when Hero and Danny learn that Mrs. Roth was once married to Mr. Murphy, and that Mrs. Roth had a daughter who ran away from home. The puzzle is finally resolved when Hero and Danny find the diamond hidden in Hero’s porch light, proving that Edward de Vere wrote the plays credited to Shakespeare, and discover that Danny’s absent mother is Mrs. Roth’s daughter. By that time, Hero can count Danny as a friend, the teasing has subsided, and she is even starting to form a friendship with another sixth-grader.

Genre: Mystery

Suggested age range: 10 to 14

Annotation: Elise Broach pulls together rich historical detail, a long-debated question of identity, and a modern-day dilemma to form a well-written and thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Broach expresses a true understanding of what it is to be a misfit while subtly offering readers suggestions for overcoming that obstacle. She provides a solid yet comprehensible introduction to Shakespeare and the debate over authorship of his works that will likely tempt readers to explore his history and works further; the inclusion of a timeline and historical notes at the end of the text provides a nice supplement. Perhaps most importantly, young readers will find Broach’s writing style both realistic and engaging and will not want to put Shakespeare’s Secret down until the diamond has been located and Broach has tied all the loose ends into a neat bow.

Subjects/themes: Mystery, Secrets, Shakespeare, History, Misfits, Teasing, Family relationships.

Awards:

• 2006 American Library Association Notable Books for Children (Won)
• 2006 Edgar Awards (Edgar Allan Poe Awards) (Nominated)
• 2007 Mark Twain Award (Nominated)
• 2007 Nene Award (Nominated)
• 2008 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award (Nominated)
• 2008 Young Reader’s Choice Award (Nominated)
• 2009 Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (Nominated)
• 2009 Nutmeg Children’s Book Award (Nominated)

Reviews:

• Booklist (May 1, 2005)
• School Library Journal (June 1, 2005; December 1, 2005)
• Voice of Youth Advocates (August 1, 2005)

Character list:

• Hero Netherfield – A sixth-grade girl who is teased about her name; she and her family have just moved to Maryland.
• Beatrice Netherfield – Hero’s older sister; she likes her sister but adapts more easily to new places.
• Mr. and Mrs. Netherfield – Hero’s parents; her father studies Shakespeare while her mother does graphic design.
• Miriam Roth – An old woman who lives next door to Hero; she tells Hero about the diamond and was once married to Mr. Murphy.
• Arthur Murphy – The former owner of Hero’s house; he lived there with his wife, Eleanor, and supposedly hid the diamond there.
• Danny Cordova – An eighth-grade student; he is friends with Mrs. Roth and help Hero search for the diamond.

High-interest annotation: When her mother asks her to return a pair of garden shears to old Mrs. Roth next door, Hero has no idea that she is about to become involved in a mystery that stretches back to the time of Shakespeare.