Leonardo Da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas by Janis Herbert, Carol Sabbeth

From the Publisher

The marriage of art and science is celebrated in this beautifully illustrated four-color biography and activity book. Kids will begin to understand the important discoveries that da Vinci made through inspiring activities like determining the launch angle of a catapult, sketching birds and other animals, creating a map, learning to look at a painting, and much more. Includes a glossary, bibliography, listing of pertinent museums and Web sites, a timeline, and many interesting sidebars.

Home Education Magazine

One of a series of terrific history-based activity books.

Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers

Enthusiastically recommended.

Children's Literature

The subtitle, "His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities," suggests that this approach to da Vinci is pretty much inclusive, and it is. An intelligent biography is peppered with extensive sidebars on subjects such as "Leonardo's Lunch," which gives recipes and directions for making an actual, documented meal that the vegetarian artist ate. Other diversions are more like art projects. A concluding glossary and biographies of other Renaissance notables, as well as Web-site suggestions, are useful. But the real attention-catcher, of course, is da Vinci's art. Nearly every page is illustrated or decorated by his paintings, inventions, and drawings. The pictures themselves are worth the price of admission.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-A lively biography of the ultimate Renaissance man. Herbert describes Leonardo's life while also providing a good deal of historical information about Italy and background about art. She explains how Leonardo used the artistic techniques and materials available during his lifetime, as well as his own unique ideas, to create masterpieces. However, youngsters will also gain insight into Leonardo as a scientist, inventor, and humanist. Presented for consideration are his detailed sketches of human anatomy (the first of their kind), maps drawn from a bird's-eye view, and designs for such things as diving suits and hang gliders that weren't invented until hundreds of years later. A few projects are also included. Youngsters can make a kite based on Leonardo's drawing of a parachute, cook up his favorite meal of minestrone soup, or grow a Renaissance herb garden. The high-quality reproductions of the artist's sketches and paintings coupled with an interesting text give readers a full picture of this truly amazing man. A list of related Web sites is included.-Michele Snyder, Chappaqua Public Library, NY

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