This lively introduction to the visionary ideas of Leonardo da Vinci uses one side of each spread to portray a modern invention, while re-creations of Leonardo's original sketches occupy the other, accompanied by a quick scene of the great thinker coming up with his fantastic designs. Breaking his massive body of work down into bite-size chunks works well, allowing children to visually align the similarities of his prototypes for an airplane, tank, contact lens, or movie projector with their more modern incarnations mirrored across the fold. Mirrors play yet another role in this book, as bits of additional information about Leonardo's sketches are presented in the same backward writing that he used in his diaries. Berreta's colorful and comical artwork keeps the scientific subject matter fun, with smiling, apple-cheeked characters populating the pages and a gray-bearded da Vinci scribbling notes while studying the world around him. A fine choice to introduce the famous man, his peerless ideas, and the forward-thinking role of inventors in general.

Barretta uses a compare/contrast pattern to show how Leonardo da Vinci influenced future inventors; though he never produced such devices as a single-span bridge, steam engine, or modern movie projector, "Leo" envisioned them. The text effectively underscores the idea that scientific achievements often rest on the shoulders of others. Approachable watercolor drawings illustrate Leonardo's sketches and the modern-day inventions that followed. Websites. Bib.

In a format similar to his Now and Ben (2003), Barretta points out the links between one man's genius and the development of a varied catalogue of creations. The author acknowledges that many of the ideas mentioned never bore fruit during Leonardo's lifetime, but drawings and information from his numerous notebooks show that he did indeed posit possible predecessors to such disparate items as parachutes, armored tanks, scuba gear and rotisserie cookers. The colorful, cartoon-style illustrations show an elderly Leonardo observing the world around him and/or testing his theories on the right side while the left-hand pages reveal the (relatively) modern ideas and inventions to which parallels are being drawn. The pictures also offer sly humor (look for the Mona Lisa enjoying a plate of spaghetti) and hint at the level of sophistication required from readers. The text likewise challenges the notion that all picture books are for primary grades with a high-level vocabulary and the inclusion of explanatory notes written backwards, just as Leonardo himself wrote. Energetic, engaging and eclectic—just like its subject. (Informational picture book. 8-12)

Gr 2-5 Similar in format and style to Now & Ben (Holt, 2006), this book focuses on sketches found in Leonardo's writings that reveal an understanding of inventions that would not come into being until hundreds of years after the death of this quintessential Renaissance man. Vivid watercolor illustrations depict more than a dozen, including the hang glider, contact lenses, the tank, and robots. Each facing page appears as a sheet of notes revealing Leonardo's version, which is usually quite similar to the one we know today. Each page of Leonardo's notes contains a few short lines printed in reverse, and an author's note explains how a mirror can be used to view this writing style used by the inventor himself. Barretta provides clear information without veering into scientific explanations. Readers who most closely associate Leonardo with the Mona Lisa will be inspired by the breadth of his interests and the genius of his observations. This accessible introduction will inspire children to look closely at the world around them and come up with some creations of their own. Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO