It has been awhile since I read anything about the Renaissance time period. I am aware of the number of artists that came out of that time but knew little about the way of life for families. Roman shares how a merchant family would live in Florence during the time of the Renaissance period. Like her other books, she offers examples of names given to children, type of food eaten, and the type of schooling that children would receive. She delves into the culture of the area including what you would do for fun and how the economy would work for both merchants and servants. The style of clothing and the many layers worn by girls and women would surprise young girls today.

I am used to Roman's books being high quality, but this one has several misspelled words. So, I am hoping I just got an early copy and the books available for purchase have been cleaned up. Otherwise, the research and way of explaining the details for elementary-aged children is spot on.

Brunetti's artwork fits the time period perfectly with its muted colors and meticulous detail to clothing and buildings. She is definitely a talented artist.

I found much that I learned while reading the book. The biographical pages and glossary in the back offer more explanations of famous people and definitions for the more interested reader. ( )

I received a copy to facilitate my Review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

In this book we learn about the period after the Middle Ages. It was a time of rebirth. The awakening of creativity. It was called the Renaissance. The author has given a lot of information about how those who had some money lied. Everything was different from the clothes they wore to the food they ate. The author included a section on the changes in art, famous artists and a glossary. ( )

ISBN: 9781523234271
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

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.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Review also appears at https://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2016/07/if-you-were-me-and-lived-renaissance-i... ( )

This is another of Carole P. Roman’s If You Were Me… books that take the reader back in time. This time we visit Renaissance Italy. The book begins with a brief introduction to the present day Florence and then the emergence from the Middle Ages, poverty and isolation of the people, to the Renaissance era.

The story tells the life of a wealthy family with servants. It describes their life, work, food, clothing, habits and customs. There are brief bios of twelve famous people of that era. There also an emphasis on the art and artists of the time.

This is another great addition to the series. ( )

If You Were Me and Lived in ...Renaissance Italy (An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time Book 2) by Carole P Roman is a great book for kids to learn and really enjoy history! I was amazed at how she made history so simple and seen through the child's eyes as she walks the reader through all aspects of life during this time. She discusses education, hobbies, food, religion, employment, the home, clothes, money and what it would buy, and what the child's name might be. These books are for elementary to middle school-aged children but do to some difficult words, it would be best to read to some children. The illustrations are colorful and follow allow perfectly grabbing the reader's attention and enhancing the lesson. The end of the book has a list of influential people at that period. I received this book for a honest review. I must say, I enjoyed it myself. ( )