Da Vinci: His Life and His Legacy by Catherine McGrew Jaime

Title: Da Vinci: His Life and His Legacy

Author: Catherine McGrew Jamie

Publisher: Createspace

Published: September 2010

ISBN: 1453820965 (also available as an ebook)

Rating: 5/5

The cover on this represents some of Da Vinci's work.  The book is in large font format, and suitable for both children and adults alike.  One of the author's aims for this book is that it is engaging, and suitable as an introduction of Da Vinci's life and work across a broad age range.  I think this is achieved really well.  The addition of illustrations of Da Vinci's work helped the Young Reviewers appreciate this book.

The book is divided into four eras of Da Vinci's lifetime - The Early Years, The Milan Years, The Travel Years and The Final Years.  Each is detailed enough for adults and children alike to read and gain information and knowledge from, and was page turningly interesting for me.  The overview is well referenced and informative, making it an educational read.  

I knew Da Vinci for his Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but until I'd read this, that was all I knew.  I've been given so much more by reading this, and come to appreciate just how much Leonardo did in his lifetime.  Da Vinci was way ahead of his time, and many of his plans, drawings and theories couldn't be put into action during his lifetime due to him being so forward thinking.  I now know that he made incredible contributions to many subjects.

The contents of this book will stay with me for a long time to come. As a parent, I can see the value in this book for my children - having been an educator, I think this is ideal to use as a starting point in lapbooks, creative learning, or for reading.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and learning more about Da Vinci.

Book Synopsis:
"Leonardo da Vinci lived at a time when people did not specialize in a particular area, like we tend to do today, and his life showed that trend clearly. This book follows his life through his various "occupations" -- from apprentice to artist to inventor and military advisor and much more.

What makes this book different from others about Leonardo? Catherine has tried to make it interesting for those who may know nothing about Leonardo, and yet still interesting for those who already know quite a bit! She has also attempted to make it interesting enough for a wide range of ages -- from kids of all ages through adults."



Source - Author for an honest review.