Renaissance Books

King Bidgood's in the Bathtub: Book and Musical CD (Caldecott Honor Books)

Audrey Wood

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 52 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fabulous! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is my all-time favorite childrens picture book! The story is simple and delightful. The pictures are fantastic! My kids have studied the details in these pages. Reading it always made them want to go play in the tub for hours. We have worn out our copy and I most recently bought this for a grandchild. If only all childrens picture books were this lovely.

A Royal Bath Time 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This children's book is about a King who is very reluctant to get out of the bathtub. His court makes several unsuccessful attempts throughout the course of the day to lure him out of the tub. Instead of getting him out of his bubble bath they end up joining him in the bath partaking in the activity they requested. It takes a creative thought from an unlikely source to figure out how to get King Bidgood to finally get out.

The story line is humorous, repetitive, and entertaining. You can't help but chuckle or at least smile when you turn the page after a failed character has left the bathtub and are standing in the court dripping wet from head to toe. The simple text has a repetitive pattern that is easy for children to catch on to and join in with. The repetition pattern has minor changes from time to time that keep the story progressing. For instance, the line "come in cried the king" is repeated throughout the book but is followed by a different word repeated three times depending on the activity requested; "yum yum yum", "jig jig jig".

The incredibly detailed life like illustrations will keep your attention long after the text on the page has been read. From the small delicate bubbles that float out of the King's bathroom to the elaborate and accurate period clothing of the court. The color use throughout the book changes gradually with each turn of the page. At the beginning of the book "when the sun came up" the general color of the page is yellow then fades into light blue during the day, pink and red in the evening, and finally purple and navy blue "when the night got dark".

I enjoyed this book as a child just as much as I do now as an adult. It's one of those books that every time you read it you'll find something different that wasn't previously noticed. I recommend it for everyone but in particularly grades 1-3 who will comprehend and enjoy this masterpiece.

Editorial Review:

In this raucous tale, the Knight, the Duke, the Queen--and eventually the whole court--all try to lure King Bidgood from his cozy bathtub, but he won't get out! Will anyone be able to solve this problem?

In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of a Caldecott Honor favorite, this new edition features a hardcover book and a musical CD with six original songs ranging in style from a minuet to a rap. Perfect entertainment for bath time or for bedtime, the joyful music and hilarious rhyming tale will provide hours of fun for young readers.

Leonardo's Shadow: Or, My Astonishing Life as Leonardo da Vinci's Servant

Christopher Grey

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror -> Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Milan, 1497. The height of the Renaissance. And for Giacomo, servant of the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci, it's the most difficult time of all. His Master has been working on the Last Supper, his greatest painting ever, for nearly two years. But has he finished it? He's barely started! The all-powerful Duke of Milan is demanding that it be completed by the time the Pope visits at Easter. And Giacomo knows that if Leonardo doesn't pick up his pace, the Duke may invite a young genius -- Michelangelo -- to finish the painting instead. Which means that Leonardo won't be paid, which means that Milan's shopkeepers (to whom he owes massive amounts) will take drastic measures against him.

It's all down to Giacomo, and whether he can come up with a brilliant solution. And if he does, will his Master go for it? After all, Leonardo still doesn't seem to trust him. He refuses to teach Giacomo how to paint; he won't help him find his parents; nor will he discuss the significance of the medallion, ring, and cross that Giacomo was carrying when Leonardo found him. But with the secret arrival of a powerful stranger, Giacomo is about to discover much more than the answers he has been looking for. And he will also receive an invitation to help arrange a meeting that could change his life. . . and the future course of history.

With more twists and turns than a spiral staircase, this thriller is as unique as its two heroes -- the most celebrated artist who ever lived, and a young man without a past, who will stop at nothing to find the truth about his life.

The Shakespeare Stealer

Gary Blackwood

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Theatre and Language of England 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This novel for young teens and its sequels follow the adventures in theatre and language of a boy named Widge. Those readers with an interest in theater, history, weaponry, England or linguistics will find this especially interesting. The names of streets and buildings will be familiar to those who have read other novels of London. Though some events are harsh, I found this quite appropriate for my son to read. Those who enjoyed reading this story of a boy in theatre might also like reading the similar adventures of a girl in choir in the historical novel A Murder for Her Majesty by Alice Hilgartner. The Shakespeare Stealer is recommended.

This is the first of a series that includes Shakespeare's Scribe and Shakespeare's Spy. All three are in the single-volume hardcover The Shakespeare Stealer Series. The series should be read in order. The Shakespeare Stealer is a complete novel and does not leave you hanging while you scramble to find the sequel.

Editorial Review:

Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"--or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform. As full of twists and turns as a London alleyway, this entertaining novel is rich in period details, colorful characters, villainy, and drama.

"A fast-moving historical novel that introduces an important era with casual familiarity." --School Library Journal, starred review

Awards:
( An ALA Notable Book
( An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
( An NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
( A Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book
( A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
( A Child Study Children's Book Committee Best Children's Book of the Year

Leonardo and the Flying Boy

Laurence Anholt

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

L..Anholt continues to charm and inspire with Leonardo's Flying Boy 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Laurence Anholt's series of famous artists always delights my art students with its wonderful drawings, lovely stories, and on target knowledge of art history. Great job.

Editorial Review:

There were no spaceships or airplanes when Zoro was a boy. He lived in Italy during the era we now call the Renaissance, a time when the sky belonged to the birds. But one unusual man dreamed of incredible flying machines. "One day, Zoro," he told his pupil, "people will sail through the clouds and look down at the world below." Zoro was curious. He knew that his teacher did more than merely dream about the future, but was an important artist and inventor. Then Zoro made an astonishing discovery. His teacher was building a mysterious machine. A machine intended to fly! Here begins a fascinating story based on a true event, for Zoro's master was the famous artist and inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. Full-color illustrations throughout this beautiful book include reproductions of some of Leonardo's famous artworks. (Ages 4-8)

The Smile

Donna Jo Napoli

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Lovely. One of my new favorites. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This story is absolutely amazing. After starting and tossing aside so many dud YA novels lately, I was so excited when this story instantly drew me in--not because the story was instantly exciting, but because Elizabetta (Mona Lisa) is a compelling character. I was able to connect emotionally to the story, and I felt every joy and heartache that Elizabetta felt. It was also quite refreshing to read a story that doesn't nauseate me with the "he's so cute" romance (which I think I've had my fill of lately). The romance in this story is tender and draws me in to the emotions.
The story is true to life, and for those who like "Disney endings" this book may not be as enjoyable. But I think it was a lovely story.

Editorial Review:

Hers is the most famous portrait in the world. Here, in prose as rich as the high Renaissance, is Mona Lisa’s tale—a story of passion, intrigue, loss, and, most of all, love. Elisabetta longs for romance, though she thinks she is too plain. Then, on a fateful visit to glittering Florence, she catches the eye of the great Leonardo da Vinci, and falls for a boy named Giuliano de’ Medici. It is a dangerous time to be—or be involved with—a Medici. As tragedy and chaos threaten their happiness, Elisabetta faces the bittersweet truth of love.

Conspiracy (Lady Grace Mysteries)

Lady Grace Cavendish, Patricia Finney

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not bad, but more for a younger crowd. 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I read this book because I really like Historical Fiction, and I was hoping for a different kind of book. Instead of only reading about royalty, I wanted to read about the other people. I thought it was a good book in that way, and the plot wasn't bad, although it was pretty easy to figure out who was behind the accidents. I guess it was designed more for younger kids, like the 9-13 range. It's just that it was pretty obvious plot-wise and aside from that it was just your standard historical fiction book. So, I think the younger set would like it, but teens might want to look elsewhere for a good Historical Fiction book.

Editorial Review:

When Margaret Cavendish, one of Elizabeth I’s Gentlewomen of the Bedchamber, lost her life in a bungled attempt to kill the Queen, her daughter, Lady Grace, became a protégée to the monarch, who takes her under her wing. Now Grace, a spunky girl who romps through the gardens with the laundry maids and court tumblers and rolls her eyes at her fellow ladies, chronicles the court intrigues that swirl around her. . . .

The Royal Court is on its summer travels and Lady Grace is sure something strange is going on. As Queen Elizabeth narrowly escapes a series of mysterious accidents, Grace must investigate just who might be behind the conspiracy. Could it really be one of the Queen’s faithful friends—or even her latest suitor?

Delve into the daybooke of Lady Grace, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite Maid of Honor, to discover a deadly dangerous plot.

King of Shadows

Susan Cooper

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 58 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Gimmicky 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Nat is eleven years old and has been chosen to be a member of a very exclusive boys' theater company. The company, made up of Americans, is going to travel to London to perform two Shakespeare plays at the newly rebuilt Globe Theater, modeled after the theater William Shakespeare first wrote his plays for four hundred years ago. The idea is thrilling to Nat. Ever since the death of his parents, theater has been his escape. His aunt has encouraged him to perform as a way of finding calm and comfort, and Nat has found that he has real talent in acting and tumbling.

Soon after his arrival in London, though, Nat becomes very ill. One night he loses consciousness and when he wakes up his surroundings are both strange and eerily familiar. Before long he realizes that he is still in London--but four hundred years earlier! He is a member of the theater company that Shakespeare himself writes for and performs with, and he is preparing for the same part in the same play he was to perform in modern-day England.

Nat adores William Shakespeare and loves his old English theater company, but he can't figure out what is going on and why he is here. Furthermore, he worries that after this performance is finished, he will be sent back to the boarding school where someone is sure to notice something funny about him.

The details of life in the theater were great, and I loved the characterization of Shakespeare and the way Nat interacted with him. However, the time-travel aspect seemed really gimmicky and forced, with far too many coincidences to overlook.

Editorial Review:

Nat Field is a young actor who has travelled from America to rehearse and perform as Puck in a "Midsummer Night's Dream", at the new Globe Theatre in London. As rehearsals intensify, Nat's health begins to fail and soon the rest of the cast are horrified to hear that he's been rushed into hospital with Bubonic Plague! Something strange happens, and as Nat's friends worry about him, he is experiencing an amazing adventure with the King of Shadows, William Shakespeare himself, and performing in the original Globe Theatre.

Doomed Queen Anne: A Young Royals Book (Young Royals)

Carolyn Meyer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Amazing Queen Anne 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I think that the book, Doomed Queen Anne by Carolyn Meyer, is a wonderful and amazing book. Doomed Queen Anne is about a teenage girl with some really big dreams. She starts out trying to be better than her older sister, Mary, but ends up getting more than what she ever dreamed of having. Will she ever get the biggest of her dreams? Will live a wonderful life?

-A.N.

Royal Praise for Doomed Queen Anne 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Royal Praise for Doomed Queen Anne

The trite love story of a princess meeting her true prince is not as glamorous as it may seem. Usually, during the 16th century in England, love in a monarchy was significantly complex. Queen Anne, however, showed that with an ambitious attitude, one can achieve anything, even marrying a king. At the young age of 13, Anne declared her future that she will become the queen, which came true. The end of her story as wife to Henry VIII, however, did not conclude as a fantasy tale. Through her tale, author Carolyn Meyer writes with intense emotion in a first person point of view that draws in the readers to the dramatic, interesting, and adventurous rise and fall of Anne Boleyn.
Meyers employs an appealing style that grabs the audience. Her text is mostly informal and simple to simulate the story as a normal conversation or that a story is being casually told. Emotions and Anne's consciousness all play the part, such as when Anne is still engaged in a hot pursuit to marry King Henry: "I lay awake tormented by doubt: Why does he not simply declare himself the head of the Church, dissolve his marriage to Catherine, and marry me- before it's too late? Does he love me ENOUGH?" (Meyers 162-163). She also italicizes words to emphasize Anne's thoughts or emotions, for instance when Anne began to notice King Henry's eyes looking at her: "Time and again the King's roving glance halted and lingered upon me. What can he be thinking?" (Meyers 73). Since the readers become entranced with Anne herself, the plot also develops into a spell-binding story.
The plot that begins with Anne in her pre-teen years to her final death allows the audience to become fully involved in an adventure that so happens to be her life. Despite the change in time, Anne's obsession to lose her stereotype as the "odd" one and a bad reputation remained constant. Ever since youth, here long, black hair, black eyes, and dark clothes made her regarded as a "witch." Her disgraceful relationship with Lord Hal, and a secret marriage, almost ruined her chances of ever catching the king's eyes. Yet, the readers could see that Anne's ambition did not fail her when she was banished from court and told never to see Lord Hal again: "When I was drained of tears, my heart filled with bitterness. Someday I shall have my revenge" (Meyer 61). She eventually proved her family and the nosey ears of the court when she caught the kings heart and eventually manipulated him into having her as his wife, instead of a temporary mistress similar to most of his lovers. This ultimate shocker and revenge made everyone aware that Anne is not the average person but also proved to the readers that her ambition made her win. Once she became queen, one can imagine the sounds of "OHHHHH!!!!" that usually high-schoolers yell out when someone is "burned," in slang terms. Later, unfortunately, Anne's cause for her rise doomed her into her fall because once she couldn't give birth to a son, the tables turned on her. King Henry VIII became influenced to think that she was a which that put a spell on him and that she was having an affair with a musician. Eventually, Anne was beheaded, causing a sense of "wow" at the end.
The journey of Anne's obsession to make the king fall in love with her proved to be hectic and mind-blowing. The connection to the readers permitted the audience to become considerably engaged in her wild ambition. Carolyn Meyers successfully told Anne Boleyn's tale with a technique and plot to capture everyone. Doomed Queen Anne is not the common fairytale princess story, which is why this book is strongly recommended for anyone desiring for a ride.

Editorial Review:

Though born without great beauty, wealth, or title, Anne Boleyn blossomed into a captivating woman. She used her wiles to win the heart of England's most powerful man, King Henry VIII, and to persuade him to defy everyone--including his own wife--to make her his new queen. But Anne's ambition proved to be her fatal flaw.

Feud (Lady Grace Mysteries)

Grace Lady Cavendish

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

One of Grace's best! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Lady Grace is maid-of-honor to her majesty Queen Elizabeth (the first) and also her personal detective. The books are in diary form and chock-full of historical details and interesting facts, but without this information getting in way of the story. Not only that, but they are fun, rollicking adventures of Grace acting quite improperly and loving it. The Queen (not always the most proper woman) turns a blind eye as long as she saves the day and not many people find out.

One of my favorite parts of the series is the characterization of Queen Elizabeth. She is every bit regal, but also possesses a fantastic and wicked sense of humour.

Feud is the sixth book in this alphabetical series. The Queen is having her portrait painted, but the Queen has more important things to do than stand around all day while people paint her picture. Lady Sarah, who looks somewhat like the Queen, is standing for most of the portrait, and Grace has to sit and read to her. Grace would much rather watch the painters and learn their craft. While watching the artists, Grace learns quite a few things-- especially that certain paints are poisonous.

At the same time, an acting troupe has shown up and Lady Carmina is falling mysteriously ill. Grace suspects, but can't prove, she's being poisoned. Paints are being stolen from the work room-- if Grace can find the thief, will she find the poisoner? Who would want to harm Carmina?

The problem with this book is that a feud Carmina's family is involved in is the turning point of the plot, but it's hidden in the background. The pointers leading the the feud would have been very subtle foreshadowing and would make an almost-twist (and exciting) ending. But, alas, the book is named feud, so we know it's going to be important. The most interesting thing about this book is not the feud or the information presented about feuds. The most interesting thing is the information about the painting and artistic techniques of the Elizabethan age. This story contains more false leads than the previous mysteries and is one of the best.

I can't wait for Gold! see all my reviews at [...]

Editorial Review:

There is much excitement at Court as the famous painter Levina Teerlinc arrives to paint the Queen's portrait. The Maids of Honor are recruited to help entertain the Queen during the sittings, and to pose for the painter while the Queen is busy. They love being in the studio but have to beware as deadly poisons are used in some of the paints! One of Lady Grace's fellow Maids of Honor, Carmina, begins to act rather strangely--she seems confused and always tired. Her family has recently been involved in a feud with another noble family after her father was killed in a jousting tournament--is it possible that Carmina is being poisoned? Could the painter or her assistants be involved? Can Grace solve the mystery and discover the truth behind the strange happenings at Court?

The Mighty Asparagus (New York Times Best Illustrated Books (Awards))

Vladimir Radunsky

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Here it comes to save the day. The mighty asparagus is on its way. 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Prior to this book, Radunsky was probably best known for his illustrated children's books (picture and otherwise) and his insipid, "What Does Peace Feel Like?" of 2003. Nothing, in short, that set him apart from the pack of children's illustrators everywhere. Then he got an idea. He decided to create a picture book much in the style of such ribald and witty artists as Jon Scieszka and former partner Chris Raschka. A picture book that strains at the edges of convention. In short, a crazy amalgamation of classic Italian portraiture, the old Giant Turnip turned asparagus tale, and some mixed media for spice. The result is a book that may not always work in the ways Radunsky may have wanted it to, but at least it takes a gamble on being a little different. Other picture books should be so brave.

If you know the story of the giant turnip, then this tale will come to you as little surprise. One day the king is walking around his backyard when he spies a gigantic asparagus, fully grown, standing in the middle of things. Everyone admits that it is amazing, but the king is determined to remove it forthwith. Says he, "It sticks out like a sore thumb". No amount of pulling or tugging so much as budges the vegetable, however. His wife, the queen, finds the asparagus to be a beautiful sight. Her wish is to place it in the center of the palace but both she and the king are unable to move it. Add on the princess, the bravest the knight in the kingdom, and a mighty rhinoceros, but for all these the asparagus remains. Finally the king consults his mother and she sends a single tiny bird, who brings the tasty green tall thing crashing down. The moral, hidden amongst a lot of jabbering by the king's subjects, boils down to, "Even the smallest effort counts". End of tale.

It doesn't sound that weird, does it? Sounds pretty darn typical. Then you get a gander at the illustrations. Radunsky usually goes in for crazy original drawings. Here however he seems to have taken a page from Terry Gilliam's book. Characters, places, and things are all culled from classic Renaissance paintings, then given extra eyes, crazy noses, and sometimes entirely original faces. This haphazard conglomeration combines to produce a mighty weird tale. Then there are Radunsky's words in and of themselves. A fan of writing in script and saying things like the fact that he himself was born in 1589 and "became a participant in, the heroice battle of the Mighty Asparagus (March 1, 1602)". It's possibly the first picture I've ever seen made specifically for children that had honest-to-goodness footnotes in it. There are also a lot of fun throwaway lines here mixed within the story.

Honestly, I haven't a clue if kids will like this story. Adults certainly will, though the sheer scale of silliness will keep if from being universally beloved. For originality, however, it's hard to beat. A fun if somewhat haphazard tale.

Editorial Review:

Long ago in Italy, a mighty asparagus grew smack-dab in front of the king's castle. Was the king happy about it? No. The asparagus had to go. But how does a king reason with an asparagus of such stature?

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Vladimir Radunsky tells the uproarious tale of an almost immovable vegetable. Drawing on Italian Renaissance art, the esteemed artist creates a breathtaking magical kingdom, where it's easy to imagine that such an asparagus existed. His artwork is as gorgeous as it is funny. Although the old masters may turn over in their graves, readers of all ages will clamor for more of The Mighty Asparagus.