Michelangelo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities

Gr 5–8—Architect, sculptor, painter, engineer, teacher/mentor, poet, genius—Michelangelo Buonarroti was all these and more. This intelligently written, comprehensive, and fascinating account of the Renaissance icon's life, art, personal and professional relationships, and prickly personality and the ways in which he navigated the religious and political upheavals of his time are handled smoothly and with sophisticated language. The volume is as much a history of mid-16th-century Italy as it is about the artist; indeed, this book demonstrates that it would be difficult to understand Michelangelo and his output without background knowledge of the era in which he lived and worked and the influences that shaped his ideas. Many examples of the artist's works and contemporary graphics grace the book in four-color, and excerpts from his poetry will help familiarize readers with his literary output as well. Overall, the activities are easy and enlightening (though geared to younger students), offering insight into the artist's methods and techniques; they require only simple, readily obtainable supplies. An Italian pronunciation sidebar in the opening chapter; a list of key figures mentioned in the text and their dates (minus a pronunciation guide, which would have been most valuable here); videos; and resources are included.