In my interview with my previous high school English teacher Ms. Gulens, she noted the importance of Shakespearean texts being performed and watched rather than read. The tones, movement, actions, and energy brings the text to life in an understandable, engaging way. Even comic books, a medium with a combination of dialogue and imagery, can be more approachable and understandable to some teens than merely text on a page. Encouraging an enjoyable reading experience of Shakespeare, one of the seemingly most challenging texts to read,  it is my aim to embolden teenagers in the act of reading books that at first appear challenging (for example, university textbooks). Heightened reading skills lead to strengthen critical thinking, ease the transition into post-secondary environments, and produce active adult citizens (Sliwa). 

Students tend to hold a notion that Shakespeare’s language is dated and challenging, while Ms. Gulens noted that the plays are technically written in modern English, and with the opening line of Hamlet being “Who’s there”,  the line exemplifies a taste of how students can understand Shakespeare with the right approach and methods of teaching. By creating a book that is a readable, visual, emotionally expressive representation of the script, it acts as a blend of film, theatre, comic and text, and when students are able to understand Shakespeare, they can analyze its themes deeply, build critical thinking, and blossom into confident, cultured, informed citizens that carry their skills and interest into more books in the future (Sliwa).

There is a decline in the reading of traditional texts, which is attributed to the increased use of the internet and digital media (Thompson and McIlnay). Teenagers grow up in a digital environment, making preferences for quick, convenient, short and visual bursts of information engrained in digital natives’ minds from youth (Zerba). This poses the challenge of redirecting attention and interest into physical reading.

Adolescence is the time when one transitions from child to adult; and is the critical age of developing oneself mentally and socially (Understanding the Basic Importance of Education to Youths). Promoting the reading of Shakespearean scripts can aid in the learning of morality, decision making and both exposure to the good and the bad in life. The stories teach lessons of right and wrong, emotional awareness, and being human (Teen opinion: why reading Shakespeare should be fun).

The centuries-old scripts continue to teach relevant lessons of morality and life (Teen opinion: why reading Shakespeare should be fun).

Shakespeare’s plays allow for deep analysis of the complexities of his stories (Teen opinion: why reading Shakespeare should be fun) which can boost critical thinking skills which in turn helps adults to use these skills as informed voters, and active citizens (Sliwa).

Texts by Shakespeare are an expected part of most of the western world’s high school English class curriculums (The Ontario English Curriculum Grades 11 and 12) that one must either struggle with, tolerate or enjoy. While they may be approached with differing attitudes, Shakespearean scripts are commonly viewed as a challenge to read (Why it is important to teach Shakespeare in schools) due to their being written in an early form of modern English and having complex vocabulary and themes.

There is a proven effect of digital media negatively impacting focus, which affects the ability to sit and read a single print text without being bored or distracted (Thompson and McIlnay).  With teenagers being raised in an age of technology, this places importance on shifting attention back to print to develop reading, focus and critical thinking skills. 

With familiarity of digital media in adolescence,  a traditional book can appear daunting, overwhelming, challenging, dated and boring in comparison to the hypervisual, fast and engaging content found online (Thompson and McIlnay, Sliwa). In post-secondary studies, textbooks become more difficult to approach if reading is not practiced, and critical thinking, focus, and grasping complex issues become challenges to teens who are used to digital content (Sliwa).

Helvetica is commonly seen as exemplifying neutrality (Monotype), which makes presenting it with treatments to convey various emotions be augmented with a neutral offset that makes emotions more visible and distinguishable. 

Helvetica is a familiar typeface to teenagers. It is used on nutrition labels, signage, and online (Nix). Google, facebook, Apple, and many other brands use sans-serifs to portray trustworthy, modern companies. With sans-serifs dominating the online landscape, this makes Helvetica more neutral and approachable to teens (even though a typeface cannot be entirely neutral).

Helvetica can be quiet or loud, dimmed or brightened. It can be a voice that does not pull attention from images, or it can be treated with expressive manipulations that beg for attention (Nix). It is mutable. This makes Helvetica  suitable for a book that visualizes emotions and tones that vary in intensity. 

Helvetica appears modern. It breaks with the traditional serif type used in books, distancing the text from appearing dated, which Shakespeare often is. Sans-serif typefaces are ideal for screens and are associated with technology and modernity.

When it comes to designing websites for teens, minimalism is valued for its clarity, modern appearance and clutter-free look. Helvetica, without the frills of serifs and in its ubiquitous usage can appear clean, modern and clutter-free (Dodkin).

Teenagers of the digital age appreciate instant, quick, and snappy information. Helvetica is easy to read even at small sizes and can be read quickly (Dodkin).

For my own voice, I wanted a typeface that both complimented and contrasted Helvetica. Opting for a serif, I selected Garamond. I had debated using my own handwriting, but felt it would be too amateur looking, and Garamond was based off of handwritten letters, giving it a human feel, yet still has the evenness and sophistication of a typeface. This typeface was used in components that were not part of the story, for example, the colophon, and the workbook prompts. The idea of a secondary typeface was so that the story and the additional components could be separated, with different voices. 

You may still have questions about why I opted for certain type treatments, colours, or interactive elements. I used the system below to explain the rationale of each of my choices, and to keep all three books consistent. Take a look to understand the reasoning behind these decisions.