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9781845074043

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Reviews

The beautifully illustrated Mario's Angels provides children with a friendly and charming introduction to the work of Giotto. Junior Education In a simple but informative story that many young children will be able to identify with, the author and illustrator give some fascinating insights into the world of an artist in the late 13th Century. www.booktrustchildrensbooks.org.uk

Mario is a little boy, with a dog, who hovers around the artist Giotto as he paints a fresco of the Nativity in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy in the 13th century. When Father Prior comes in to say Giotto's sky is dull, Giotto is upset, but Mario brings him the idea of his little sister Bianca as an angel. Giotto sketches a dancing, frolicking Mario as an angel, fills his Nativity sky with angels and everyone is pleased. While the text and notes mention how Giotto made his figures look real, as if they moved about and had expression, it does so at the expense of describing earlier painting as stiff and emotionless. The idea of perspective or of changing views of how art reflects humanity isn't mentioned at all, and it could be, even at this level. Greeting-card images of late medieval life-and that puppy-reinforce the cute at the expense of the story. (Picture book. 4-7) (Kirkus Reviews)

The beautifully illustrated Mario's Angels provides children with a friendly and charming introduction to the work of Giotto. Junior Education In a simple but informative story that many young children will be able to identify with, the author and illustrator give some fascinating insights into the world of an artist in the late 13th Century. www.booktrustchildrensbooks.org.uk

Author Information

Gillian McClure's titles include Tinker Jim and Tog the Ribber which were shortlisted for the Smarties Book Award. Tog the Ribber was also Highly Commended for the Kate Greenaway Award. Selkie won the Parents' Guide to Children's Media Award USA 2000. Gillian illustrated Mary Arrigan's Mario's Angels for Frances Lincoln. Gillian lives in Cambridge. Mary Arrigan studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, University College, Dublin and Florence University. She taught art for 18 years before starting to write for children. She was awarded the International Youth Library (Munich) White Ravens title in 1997, the Bisto Merit Award in 2000 and has also won The Sunday Times Crime Writers Association Short Story Award and The Hennessy Short Story Award. Her books for Frances Lincoln include Mario's Angels and Esty's Gold. To visit Mary Arrigan's website click here

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