I, Vivaldi

Children's Bookwatch, April, 2008

I, Vivaldi

Janice Shefelman, author

Tom Shefelman, illustrator

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

c/o Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

www.eerdmans.com/youngreaders

9780802853189, $18.00 1-800-253-7521

Intended for young readers age seven to eleven, I, Vivaldi is a children's picturebook story about the childhood of classical violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). Though there are a few author's liberties taken with Vivaldi's factual biography, most notably telling the story directly from Vivaldi's point of view, I, Vivaldi stays reasonably close to what history tells us of this remarkable music genius. Vivaldi's mother pushed him to enter the priesthood, but Vivaldi's first and foremost passion was his music--how was he to find his life's destiny? The text is moderately complex as picturebooks go, making I, Vivaldi ideal for young readers who are almost ready to make the transition to chapter books. Highly recommended.