- Stone Giant: Michelangelo’s David and How He Came to Be by Jane Sutcliffe
It seemed like a great idea—a massive statue of Biblical giant-slayer David that would grace fifteenth-century central Florence and symbolize her power among surrounding contentious kingdoms. Unfortunately nobody, not even the redoubtable Leonardo, could pull off the project initially, until finally twenty-six-year-old Michelangelo Buonarroti took on the challenge. Sutcliffe presents a streamlined but lively description of the artist’s work process, from building a workroom around the enormous slab of abandoned and eroding marble, to Michelangelo’s renowned method of chipping away all the “not-David” material until the figure emerged, to the onerous task of hauling and installing the creation in its presumably permanent location. At this point, knowledgeable prospective book purchasers are asking the obvious question: “So, just how much David is on view?” Well, ultimately, all of him. However, Shelley manages to keep the statue under wraps via strategically placed models and scaffolding until the glorious full-frontal reveal, thus also helping to keep the picture-book audience attentive and under control until they share with the Florentines themselves an inevitable gasp of amazement. Figures of Michelangelo and the Florentine citizens are touched with humor, while in contrast the statue retains its gravitas. Text boxes are encased in embellished framing and the city unfolds in the foreshortened perspective of medieval painting. An author’s note provides extra information about subsequent alterations to the statue and its eventual removal indoors; a bibliography of adult resources is also included. Every veteran librarian knows what happens when a child with a marker meets a book with a naked guy, so perhaps it’s wise to purchase an extra backup copy.