Review
"Sutcliffe makes a big impression with this handsome introduction to one of Western civilization's most iconic sculptures... her tale of Michelangelo's talent and industry is considerably enhanced by the thoughtful pen, ink and watercolor work of British illustrator Shelley. He makes the finely modeled realism of the statue the real standout here. (Yes, there are a few views of David in full frontal splendor.) Shelley wondrously juxtaposes this cool, nuanced marble hero with a crowded city, brimming with the bright colors and lively action of Renaissance book illuminations... a handsome offering that helps youngsters understand both an artist's process and how this stunning statue became the enduring symbol of a city and its people." - Kirkus Reviews"Renaissance icon and one of the most towering (in more ways than one) of Western civilization's artworks gets a humorous but respectful,down-to-earth, and easy-to-understand treatment... This well-written, lively account is graced with excellent illustrations, rendered in pen-and-ink and painted with watercolors, that truly convey a Renaissance Italian flavor; there's even an image of Michelangelo's sketches for the statue with a poem he wrote about it... Highly recommended for all public and school libraries and especially recommended for units on the Italian Renaissance and in art classes in the middle to upper-elementary grades." - School Library Journal
"Sutcliffe presents a streamlined but lively description of the artist's work process, from building a workroom around the enormous slab of abandoned and eroding marble, to Michelangelo's renowned method of chipping away all the "not-David"material until the figure emerged, to the onerous task of hauling and installing the creation in its presumably permanent location.... Figures of Michelangelo and the Florentine citizens are touched with humor, while in contrast the statue retains its gravitas. Text boxes are encased in embellished framing and the city unfolds in the foreshortened perspective of medieval painting. An author's note provides extra information about subsequent alterations to the statue and its eventual removal indoors; a bibliography of adult resources is also included. Every veteran librarian knows what happens when a child with a marker meets a book with a naked guy, so perhaps it's wise to purchase an extra backup copy." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
About the Author
Jane Sutcliffe is the author of Leonardo’s Monster (Pelican) and The Attack on Pearl Harbor (Capstone), as well as nearly two dozen biographies in the History Maker series and the On My Own series from Lerner. Jane holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and a master’s from Penn State University, both in Communication Science. She lives in Tolland, Connecticut.
John Shelley was born in Birmingham, UK and grew up in Sutton Coldfield. He studied at Bournville School of Art, then illustration at Manchester Polytechnic under children's illustrator Tony Ross. Following his first major picture book The Secret in the Matchbox, his children's illustrations have been published in the UK, USA, Europe, and Asia. He has illustrated more than forty children's books, including Outside-In: A Lift-the-Flaps Body Book by Claire Smallman and Family Reminders by Julie Danneberg. John lives in Norwich, England.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
There was a giant in the city of Florence. It had been there for nearly forty years. And no one knew what to do about it. The giant was an enormous block of stone--marble, to be exact. It stood three times as tall as any man in the city. It was the color of cream. And it was a troublemaker.
