Joe Hildebrandt, age 14, of Willingboro, N.J., for his question:

WHY IS STRATFORD UPON AVON FAMOUS?

Stratford Upon Avon is a picturesque English town that has become famous as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the great writer. It is one of the oldest towns in England and it lies in a green valley of the River Avon, eight miles southwest of Warwick.

The house where Shakespeare was born has been kept as a memorial. It is open to visitors. Also open to visitors is the thatched roof cottage that was the home of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. It is located at Shottery, one mile west of Stratford.

Another tourist spot is the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford, where Shakespeare and his wife are buried.

In 1879, a Shakespeare Memorial was completed on the riverbank above the church. It includes a theater, a museum and a library that contains valuable books and manuscripts having to do with Shakespeare and his wife.

The theater burned in 1926, but people immediately donated funds to rebuild it. The new theater was designed by Elizabeth Scott and it opened in 1932.

Each year a Shakespeare festival is held in Stratford from April to November.