Table of Contents

Timeline

Introduction: The World of the Renaissance Artists

Activity: Explore Greek and Roman Myths

Chapter 1: Sandro Botticelli

Activity: Make and using egg tempera

Activity: Recreate a mythological figure

Chapter 2: Leonardo da Vinci

Activity: Make and using oil paints

Activity: Draw with charcoal

Chapter 3: Michelangelo

Activity: Soap carving

Activity: Ceiling painting (under a table)

Chapter 4: Raphael

Activity: Create a contemporary Madonna

Activity: Portraits

Activity: Cartoons

Chapter 5: Titian

Activity: Create colors

Activity: Paint for a patron

Glossary

Resources

Index

Promotional Information

• $40,000 marketing and publicity budget (for series)
• Exhibiting at national and regional conferences including:
  American Library Association (ALA: 60,000 members)
  National Science Teacher Association/STEM (NSTA: 60,000 members)
  American Association of School Librarians (AASL: 10,000 members)
  Public Library Association (PLA: 11,000 members)
  Texas Library Association (TLA: 7,000 members)
  National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS: 25,000 members)
  International Literacy Association (ILA: 60,000 members)
  Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE: 40,000 members)
• Advertising in the following publications:
  SLJ display ads (3–4 times for series)
  Booklist/Booklinks display ads (3–4 times)
  Booklist/Booklinks online ads
  Follett Library
  Ingram (Children's Advance 2 times)
  Baker & Taylor (Growing Minds)
• Publicity and promotion in conjunction with the author's speaking engagements at bookstores, libraries, schools, museums, events, and conferences
• Extensive social media outreach via author website (weebly.com) author blog (dianecaroltaylor.weebly.com/blogs.html), Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest. Instagram, Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17157335.Diane_C_Taylor), LinkedIn, and YouTube

About the Author

Diane C. Taylor is a freelance writer whose published works include both fiction and nonfiction. She is the author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb from Nomad Press. She has written educational material for a nonprofit arts program in Dallas, Texas, and has been an English instructor for students in middle school, high school, and college. Diane lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews "Five famous artists of the Renaissance--Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian--are introduced in a format aimed at getting young readers to think. The tone is conversational and provokes curiosity over fact mastery and passive consumption. A conscientious examination of the subject that encourages critical thinking, application, and broad perspective."

Archimedes Notebook
STEAM into the Renaissance with this series
"Nomad Press has a fun new series out called Renaissance for Kids. The books in this series invite readers to dive into the Renaissance period and learn about inventors, thinkers, explorers, and artists. The series includes plenty of hands-on STEAM activities... Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Each volume is 112 pages; ages 10 - 15
Titles include: The Renaissance Artists, The Renaissance Explorers, The Renaissance Inventors, The Renaissance ThinkersWhat I like about these books: They include timelines for each person, provide great biographical details, and mention other scientists, inventors, artists, and explorers living at the same time. Sidebars present quick facts, additional information about the culture, and raise questions for curious readers."


School Library Connection

"The first in a series of titles on the period, this title is broken into five quick chapters that highlight the usual suspects of the Renaissance period: Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. Each section begins with fast facts and an engaging timeline which highlights the major lifetime achievements of each artist, and concludes with two or three history projects for teachers and students to consider. The chapters are engaging in content and presentation. Recommended."

Praise for Amazing Leonardo Inventions You Can Build Yourself The New York Times Book Review "Anderson regales us with tales of Leonardo's brilliant, often mischievous nature, and the nearly unfathomable range of his inventions."

Booklist STARRED Review (October 15, 2018 issue)

Gr. 5-8 This is a wonderfully enticing introduction to the Renaissance via the lives of five artists: Michelangelo, da Vinci, Titian, Botticelli, and Raphael. An accessible introduction offers a concise overview of just what exactly the Renaissance was, establishing social and historical context, and then five chapters explore the contributions and lasting impact of each painter. The heavily illustrated text covers basic biographical information--family background, training, relationships (including sexual orientation), even personal appearance and grooming. It also delves into artistic style: early influences, techniques, innovations, major works, public reaction, and so on. Side bars abound, from brief sketches of other artists, including women to blurbs on where masterpieces are currently located, and updates on what was going on concurrently in other parts of the world (Afghanistan, Mali, Japan, Mexico). Pages are peppered with reflective questions, topics for further exploration, and invitations to compare works of art using identified criteria. Each chapter ends with a variety of STEAM projects: make this, analyze that, check out this Khan Academy clip. There are time lines, quotes, clues to figuring out unfamiliar vocabulary terms (plus a glossary in the back), and further resources in print (books) and digital (videos, museum web sites, and QR codes). This appealing package will attract browsers and be a boon to student researchers and their teachers.