Leonardo da Vinci

November 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-In this graphic novel series, the stories are mostly conveyed through speech bubbles and clearly demarcated text boxes. The visual style is rich and evocative. A scene of a war battle in Amsterdam includes inset close-up illustrations of participants and bystanders. Some text-only narrative includes biography and related topics (for example, "Italy in the Renaissance" or "South Africa and Apartheid"), as well as an overview of the subject's portrayal in film. Complex stories are sometimes compressed. Mandela's first marriage, divorce, and then remarriage occur within a few pages. Some of the detail in Francis will be incomprehensible to non-Catholics. Each text includes discussion questions and writing prompts. A limited number of books are also cited for additional reading, but no sources are listed. VERDICT Generally solid introductions to historical figures, particularly for more visual learners, though less useful for research.

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