Overview
No one knows for sure if Sweeney Todd actually existed, but this story, taken from a serialization in a Penny Dreadful from 1846, was the first official record of the terrible crimes committed by the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Gory? No! What’s particularly good about this adaptation is that none of the horror is to be seen — making this a truly wonderful version of a brilliant book. This story first appeared in serialized form in 1800s London and gripped the nation. Although there is no explicit record of these events taking place, there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence that Todd existed and that he was the world’s worst mass-murderer. A gruesome tale, portrayed with a certain Victorian “twee-ness” that borders on the comical. With beautiful engaging artwork, the book features the entire novel, unabridged (in the original British English), as well as an illustrated Character List (Dramatis Personae), 156 pages of story artwork, and fascinating support material — all beautifully presented in color. An alternative text edition with simplified US dialogue is available in paperback enabling differentiation in the classroom.