The Genius of Leonardo

By Visconti, Guido & Landmann, Bimba

Publishers Summary:
This engaging picture-book biography of Leonardo da Vinci is told from the perspective of his 10-year-old assistant, Giacomo. He looks on in wonder as Leonardo paints the Mona Lisa, designs a flying machine--and, less impressively, plays practical jokes on him. The basics of Leonardo's life are all here, including his habit of buying and releasing caged birds and his reluctant move, late in life, to the French court. But young readers will learn most about da Vinci's ideas--on painting, science, and the nature of time. Cleverly interleaved with short quotations from the master's own writings, The Genius of Leonardo leaves a vivid impression of what it must have been like for a child to be an apprentice to such a genius. A nice touch is that Leonardo doesn't know everything: Giacomo's last question, about the moon, is beyond him, and Leonardo's assistant is left to speculate about knowledge and inventions yet to come. As in the spectacular A Boy Named Giotto, Bimba Landmann's gorgeous paintings are melancholy and oddly--but strangely aptly--medieval looking. (Ages 9 and older) --Richard Farr

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ISBN
978-1-84148-301-6
Publisher
Barefoot Books


REVIEWS

School Library Journal

Reviewed on August 24, 2000

Gr 1-5 This picture-book biography offers a personal vision of the famous artist, engineer, inventor, and musician from Vinci as described through the voice of his mischievous, 10-year-old apprentice, Giacomo. While the boy's feelings are a fabrication, the events (including his lifelong relationship to Leonardo) are historically accurate. Quotes from the artist's journals are incorporated into the story and appear in italics. ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

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