If You Were Me and Lived in...Renaissance Italy (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time) (Volume 2) by Carole P. Roman, Silvia Brunetti-Illustrator [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN13: 9781523234271

My thoughts: So much happened during the Renaissance and, author Carole P. Roman writes interestingly of much of those exciting years. It was a time of reawakening. People began to exchange ideas, to explore the arts, and to craft amazingly beautiful and realistic art. People began to develop a merchant or middle class which was the result of new ideas, new business ventures abroad, and money making opportunities. Italy was very much a center for the re-awakening and life began to flourish.

As Ms. Roman tells the story of these developments, the reader can place himself right at the center. He or she will learn that the education was vastly different for boys and girls and was given to them by a tutor. Lower classes were uneducated.

I especially like the text on page 8, "A new age was coming. You wouldn't know this time period would be called a special name and it was about to change the entire world. It was going to be called the Renaissance and means rebirth in French. People looked back and rediscovered the teachings of Ancient Greece and Rome."  And then, "The Renaissance was the reawakening of human creatively after a darker time period."

You see, the Renaissance followed the "dark ages" which is another story to tell sometime. The timeline for the Renaissance Italy was 1330 to 1550 AD *Reference

Life for a child in Renaissance Italy was filled with activity. There was work and there was fun. Ms. Roman shares much of this with the reader.

I especially like the sections in the back of the book. There are explanations and pictures of some of the great art of the period - sculpture and paintings. Then there is a really nice section with pictures and short biographies of famous and important people during the period. And lastly, the wonderful glossary.

The illustrations of Silvia Brunetti show life styles, clothes, furnishings, and architecture. The people in the illustrations are bright eyed and have a certain charm.

This is an excellent resource for the home or classroom library. More sturdily bound editions would be wonderful in children's school libraries and the children's section of public libraries. While ideal for the elementary age child, even preschoolers will find it interesting.

About the book: Join Carole P. Roman and travel through time to visit the most interesting civilizations throughout history in the first four books of her new series. Learn what kind of food you might eat in Ancient Greece, the clothes you wore in 15th century Renaissance Italy, what your name could be in Elizabethan England, and what Colonial American children did for fun. If You Were Me and Lived in...does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture. So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you. . Two great question/answer worksheets to make the book even more productive.

GIVEAWAY

1 grand winner = both books

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5 win Renaissance Italy

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DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the author to facilitate this review of my own opinions. I was not compensated nor obligated to give a positive review.