Illustrator Emily Sutton and Dr Anjna Chouhan with their children's book.
Illustrator Emily Sutton and Dr Anjna Chouhan with their children's book.

Warwickshire County Council is delighted to share that a children’s book edited by Dr Anjna Chouhan has achieved national recognition.

Warwickshire County Council is delighted to share that a children’s book edited by Dr Anjna Chouhan, National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) Creative Producer at Warwickshire Libraries, has achieved national recognition.

The children’s book, Shakespeare's First Folio: All The Plays, has been shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year, which is due to be announced on 28 November, and highlighted as one of the best children’s books of 2024 by the Telegraph as an engaging introduction to Shakespeare's works.

The book is adapted from Shakespeare's First Folio and was published earlier this year to celebrate its 400th anniversary. It is the first-ever illustrated children's edition of William Shakespeare's First Folio and was published by Walker Books in association with The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The book has also been lovingly illustrated by Emily Sutton and features a wonderful poem by British children's author Michael Rosen.

The book received 5* reviews earlier this year from multiple media outlets, and a copy has been distributed for free to every library in the country through the organisation Libraries Connect. Six thousand schools have also received a free copy to add to their own school library collections. 

Cllr Yousef Dahmash, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Transformation, said:

“I would like to congratulate Anjna on this fantastic accomplishment. The book, which is available at all of our child-friendly libraries across the county, is a great way for families to introduce their children to Shakespeare for free in a fun and engaging way, whilst being accessible to their reading age”.

Shakespeare's First Folio: All The Plays

Shakespeare's First Folio: All The Plays

Shakespeare's First Folio: All The Plays is available at all of Warwickshire’s libraries. To borrow or read the book, residents can join Warwickshire Libraries as a member for free.

There are also many more books available for members to borrow in-person at a local library, through the online library catalogue, or by browsing the BorrowBox collection which includes a great range of eBooks and eAudiobooks.  

To keep-up to date with Warwickshire Libraries’ latest information, and events, follow the service on Facebook and X (previously Twitter), or sign-up to the weekly newsletter.

Published: 21st November 2024

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