Saving Hamlet

This lively young adult novel follows Emma Allen, a high school sophomore whose drama club troubles are overshadowed when she time travels to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 1601. Emma, a stage manager, must navigate the challenges of Elizabethan England, where she is mistaken for a boy, while also trying to save both the historical and her contemporary productions of Hamlet. The book is a humorous and adventurous exploration of identity, friendship, and the magic of theater, offering a unique blend of historical fiction and contemporary teen drama. It's perfect for readers interested in Shakespeare, time travel, or simply a fun, fast-paced story.

I wanted sophomore year to be different, but this was a little much. Emma Allen couldn't be more excited to start tenth grade. Not only is she the assistant stage manager for the drama club's production of Hamlet, but her crush, Brandon, is directing, and she's rocking a new haircut that's sure to get his attention. But soon after school starts, everything goes haywire. Emma's suddenly promoted to stage manager, her best friend, Lulu, stops talking to her, and Josh-the sweet soccer player who's been cast as the lead-turns out to be a disaster. It's up to Emma to fix it all, but she has no clue where to start. One night after rehearsal, Emma stays behind to think through her life's latest crises and distractedly falls through the stage's trapdoor . . . landing in the basement of the Globe Theatre. It's London, 1601, and with her awesome new pixie cut, everyone thinks Emma's a boy-even Will Shakespeare himself. Dropped into the middle of the original production of Hamlet, Emma gamely plays her role as backstage assistant, jumping at the chance to experience theatre history and rub shoulders with legends. But the Globe's Hamlet has its own problems, and once Emma starts traveling back and forth through time, things get really confusing. In which reality does she belong? And can she save two epically tragic productions of Hamlet before time runs out? In this sweet, surprising novel full of laugh-out-loud hijinks, debut novelist Molly Booth will have readers on the edge of their seats, ready to stand and applaud when the curtain falls.