Review by Booklist Review
Architect Antoni Gaudí, a Spanish boy "with wobbly legs" who "felt different from everyone else," transformed his childhood observations about nature into breathtaking architectural marvels. His life is celebrated in this admiring and eccentric picture-book biography, which opens with Gaudí's artistic and infirm youth, covers his university training, and surveys several of the most notable mosaics Gaudí designed. Particular attention is given to the still--incomplete Sagrada Família cathedral. Schwalbe (Ida and the World beyond Mount Kaiserzipf, 2020) fills each page with stylized, seemingly acrylic illustrations that mimic Gaudí's whimsical, if tumultuous, aesthetic. Her use of fluid curves and broken lines in bold colors duly honors the architect's "marvelous, modern innovations." Several open-ended threads in the text may raise questions among inquisitive readers, while sophisticated vocabulary (undulating, grandiose) will suit a more advanced audience. The book includes a map placing 10 Gaudí masterpieces around Barcelona, quotes (without sources) from Gaudí, and an endnote with additional biographical details. A supplemental pick for STEAM and biographical collections.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--A stunning introduction to the life of innovative architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi's early life finds him surrounded by a long lineage of metalsmiths. Details include that young Gaudi had difficulty walking and sitting for long periods of time, so while the other children went to school, he took long strolls on a donkey through nature. It was on these walks that he noticed that curved lines were dominant, not the straight lines of his family's work with metals. Katz details with care the other noteworthy aspects behind Gaudi's changing the face of art and architecture in Barcelona. End notes expand on Gaudi's work ethic and collaborative nature. Beautifully colored pages are filled with curves and geometric shapes that guide readers through the decades of Gaudi's life. The pictures flow one to the other just like Gaudi's creations curve and sparkle. Close attention reveals charming details and additional information. VERDICT This literary biography is at home in the art, architecture, or biography sections of any library. It will surely pique interest in this genius and inspire visits to Gaudi's creations, if only online.--Elisabeth LeBris
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Spanish boy with "wobbly legs" grows up to be an architect known for his curved and broken lines. In this picture-book biography, readers learn that Antonio Gaudí (1852-1926) didn't follow in the footsteps of his father, a metalsmith, because he "had an illness that made it hard for him to walk." Instead, as a child, he rode a donkey around the Catalan countryside, admiring the shapes and curves of the world around him. Educated as an architect, he began to make art and construct buildings that incorporated those curves and broken lines. With the support of patron Count Escubí Güell, he designed and supervised the construction of houses, a park, and even a cathedral in Barcelona. Work continues on La Sagrada Família cathedral even today. Katz, who is also an artist whose own mosaic art reflects Gaudí's influence, has written a smoothly flowing overview of the architect's life, giving prominence to his patron's support and incorporating a few direct but unsourced quotations. She concludes with a schematic map showing Gaudí's major buildings in Barcelona and a short afterword. Schwalbe's stylized acrylic paintings are lively and engaging, full of curves, fantastic shapes, and surprising colors. They nicely reflect Gaudí's work and would show well in a storytime. People are depicted in varying skin tones. Gaudí is described as "a blond-haired, blue-eyed Spaniard"; images show him as tan-skinned. Count Güell, who is White-presenting and whose portrait can be seen on the internet, is, oddly, portrayed with dark brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A solid biography of an important artist. (Informational picture book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
