The Extraordinary Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci
By Alex Woolf, Illustrated by Paula Zamudio
From his remarkable flying machine to the Mona Lisa and even a robotic lion, Leonardo da Vinci’s creations mark him as a true genius of the Italian Renaissance who continues to influence technology today. This inspiring guide introduces da Vinci’s his life and extraordinary inventions for young readers, with scientific ideas explained in easy-to-follow language.
Readers can: Explore Leonardo’s life story, his years spent doodling sketches of early versions of the parachute, helicopter, diving suit, machine-gun, self-driving car and many more.
Take a tour through the other achievements of this great polymath, his work in mathematics, anatomy, astronomy, geology and civil engineering, not to mention his world famous paintings.
Uncover the world in which da Vinci lived, find out how his ideas were received, and how they influenced both contemporary and later scientists and inventors. 8-12 years
Leonardo Beautiful Dreamer
By Robert Byrd
Famous in his time as a painter, prankster, and philosopher, Leonardo da Vinci was also a musician, sculptor, and engineer for dukes, popes, and kings. What remains of his work, from futuristic designs and scientific inquiry to artwork of ethereal beauty, reveals the ambitious, unpredictable brilliance of a visionary, and a timeless dreamer. 7-10 years
Who Was Leonardo da Vinci
By Roberta Edwards, Illustrated by True Kelley
Leonardo was a gifted painter, talented musician, and dedicated scientist and inventor. He designed flying machines, submarines and even helicopters. Yet, he had a hard time finishing things, a problem anyone can relate to. Only thirteen paintings are known to be his. As for the illustrated encyclopedia he intended to create, all that he left were thousands of disorganized notebook pages. Here is an accessible portrait of a fascinating man who lived at a fascinating time—Italy during the Renaissance. 8-12 years
Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci
By Gene Barretta
In 1781, Thomas Paine came up with a model for a single-span bridge; in 1887, Adolf Eugen Fick made the first pair of contact lenses; and in 1907, Paul Cornu built the first helicopter. But Leonardo da Vinci thought of all these ideas more than five hundred years ago!
An artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, he wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more. Gene Barretta cleverly shows how Leonardo’s ideas, many inspired by his love of nature, foreshadowed modern inventions and offered a window into the future. 4-8 years
I am Leonardo da Vinci
By Brad Meltzer, Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
This book features Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance artist and inventor. He always followed his interests, no matter where they led! His quest to fly led him to study birds’ wings and his invention designs were the very earliest sketches of helicopters and other flying machines. His hard work and dedication to his curiosities is why we still remember him today. 6-8 years
The Story of Leonardo da Vinci
By Ciari O’Neal
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist and thinker. He created well-known paintings like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and even had ideas for modern-day inventions like cars and contact lenses. Before he amazed the world with his creative mind, he was a bright kid who loved asking questions.
As a teenager, he studied under an expert artist who taught him different ways to create, like painting and sculpting. Explore how Leonardo went from being a thoughtful young boy to an artistic genius whose artwork still hangs in museums all over the world.
The Story includes:
Core curriculum standards―Learn the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of Leonardo’s life, and test your knowledge with a fun quiz.
His lasting legacy―Discover more about how Leonardo da Vinci changed the world for future generations, including you!
A visual timeline―Explore a timeline marking the major milestones of his life so you can watch him progress from a little kid to a brilliant artist. 6-9 years
The Genius of Leonardo Da Vinci
By Guido Visconti, Illustrated by Bimba Landmann
Artist, engineer, pacifist, inventor: Leonardo da Vinci was a genius of a very particular kind. This introduction to his life and work is vividly retold through the eyes of his young apprentice, Giacomo, making it easy for young readers to relate to his story. 7-10 years
Leonardo da Vinci: The Genius Who Defined the Renaissance
By John Phillips (National Geographic)
“This work is an attractive and friendly resource for students… The strengths of this biography are its attractive illustrations, the time line of Da Vinci’s life across the bottom of each page, and the simple presentation of the facts of his life. Young readers will find the book visually appealing, and those searching for factual information on Da Vinci will find it helpful…” —VOYA 8-12 years
Leonardo da Vinci
By Diane Stanley
Born in 1452, to a peasant woman and a country gentleman, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most amazing people who ever lived. He grew up to be a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, and inventor.
As a boy, he was apprenticed to a famous artist. But he quickly became more skilled than his teacher. He filled thousands of pages with plans for incredible inventions including a submarine, and air-cooling system, “glasses to see the moon large,” and even a flying machine. 4-8 years
Leonardo and the Flying Boy
By Laurence Anholt
Zoro is a little boy in 17th-century Italy, long before airplanes flew in the sky. But Zoro is also an apprentice to the artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci–and Leonardo is experimenting with a revolutionary flying machine! 4-8 years
Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities
By Joan Herbert
The marriage of art and science is celebrated in this activity book. Kids will begin to understand the important discoveries that da Vinci made through inspiring activities like determining the launch angle of a catapult, sketching birds and other animals, creating a map, learning to look at a painting, and much more. Includes a glossary, bibliography, listing of pertinent museums and websites, a timeline, and many interesting sidebars. 8 and up
Leonardo Da Vinci
By Mike Venezia
Clever illustrations and story lines, together with full-color reproductions of actual paintings, give children a light yet realistic overview of Leonardo DaVinci’s life and style. 3-7 years
The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
You may like Leonardo da Vinci Invented https://barbaralowell.com/leonardo-da-vinci-invented
Leonado da Vinci for kids https://www.ducksters.com/biography/leonardo_da_vinci.php