Shakespeare is responsible for many of the words and phrases in use today in the English language, either because he coined them or, more often, because he popularized them with his plays. Words like “fashionable,” “hurry,” “well- behaved,” and “excitement” were all put into common usage by Shakespeare. He was also responsible for common expressions today, such as “wild-goose,” “all of a sudden,” and “too much of a good thing.” These and other words and phrases are cleverly introduced in an account of a single production of a play at the Globe Theatre during Shakespeare’s time. For each of the words or phrases, the author tells what it meant in Shakespeare’s time, what it means today, and in which play it first appeared. Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are teeming with details, both historical and humorous. (Ages 8–14)