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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Michelangelo?
Travel to Renaissance Italy and learn about the young apprentice who went on become a true master, and one of the most beloved sculptors and painters of all time, Michelangelo!
Michelangelo created some of the world's most recognizable art, from the statue of David to the intricate ceiling fresco of the Sistine Chapel. Beyond his well-known painting and sculpting, he was a gifted poet and architect. Young readers can learn about the entirety of Michelangelo's life, from his time as a young apprentice, his relationships with several Catholic popes and the Medici family, to his unwillingness to stop working into his late eighties. A perfect read for art lovers and fans of the Renaissance.
Michelangelo created some of the world's most recognizable art, from the statue of David to the intricate ceiling fresco of the Sistine Chapel. Beyond his well-known painting and sculpting, he was a gifted poet and architect. Young readers can learn about the entirety of Michelangelo's life, from his time as a young apprentice, his relationships with several Catholic popes and the Medici family, to his unwillingness to stop working into his late eighties. A perfect read for art lovers and fans of the Renaissance.
112 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2022
45 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 2, 2024
Who Was ...? biography series for middle grade brings Renaissance artist - Michelangelo who was a talented painter, sculptor, and poet.
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564) was born in Caprese, Italy.
From childhood, he enjoyed drawing and he did it against his father’s wishes. Since there was no stopping him from his art, the father agreed for Michelangelo to be apprenticed at thirteen. Soon after, his sculpturing talent was discovered by Lorenzo de’Medici.
Living at Medici’s palace, he was surrounded by philosophers, writers and other artists. He absorbed their knowledge.
At a hospital belonging to church, he asked if he could dissect bodies that weren’t claimed by families. He was allowed to do it. This helped him to make his sketches and sculptures more realistic.
When he heard that a large block of marble at the office of Works of Florence cathedral was available for a sculpture to use, he presented his project to carve the figure of David. He was chosen to do the project and the sculpture carved by him was awe-inspiring.
For a few years, he travelled between two cities, working on chapel and library in Florence and statues in Rome.
His last years were spent in Rome where he worked on the Last Judgement wall fresco, and other projects.
This biography illustrates a man who despite being bitten by his father and brothers when caught drawing, he just couldn’t stop himself from following his talent. Whenever opportunity presented to learn something to improve his skill, he always grabbed it. His talent was undeniable; he had high standards and high expectations from himself, this also led to some conflicts. He was known to be difficult and bad-tempered.
This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564) was born in Caprese, Italy.
From childhood, he enjoyed drawing and he did it against his father’s wishes. Since there was no stopping him from his art, the father agreed for Michelangelo to be apprenticed at thirteen. Soon after, his sculpturing talent was discovered by Lorenzo de’Medici.
Living at Medici’s palace, he was surrounded by philosophers, writers and other artists. He absorbed their knowledge.
At a hospital belonging to church, he asked if he could dissect bodies that weren’t claimed by families. He was allowed to do it. This helped him to make his sketches and sculptures more realistic.
When he heard that a large block of marble at the office of Works of Florence cathedral was available for a sculpture to use, he presented his project to carve the figure of David. He was chosen to do the project and the sculpture carved by him was awe-inspiring.
For a few years, he travelled between two cities, working on chapel and library in Florence and statues in Rome.
His last years were spent in Rome where he worked on the Last Judgement wall fresco, and other projects.
This biography illustrates a man who despite being bitten by his father and brothers when caught drawing, he just couldn’t stop himself from following his talent. Whenever opportunity presented to learn something to improve his skill, he always grabbed it. His talent was undeniable; he had high standards and high expectations from himself, this also led to some conflicts. He was known to be difficult and bad-tempered.
This illustrated biography series for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences and enriched with insightful inserts.
January 12, 2023
Good children's history book. Interesting and so simple.
April 9, 2025
Short, to the point, with good clear information and wonderful drawings. My only gripe with this book is that Michelangelo wasn't that handsome when he was young, the artist was way too generous making him look like Prince Caspian.
Otherwise, highly recommended for those who want to know more about Michelangelo without commiting to a hundred-pages long biography.
Otherwise, highly recommended for those who want to know more about Michelangelo without commiting to a hundred-pages long biography.
May 28, 2024
I enjoy all the books in the "Who Was" series and this is no exception. This book is a great introduction to the artist Michelangelo and would be a perfect non fiction text to use in a research project for middle school students. Recommended for ages 9-13 by the SEPA School Library Book Reviewers
January 19, 2023
good for kids
Should be good intro info for kids. Overviews major life points and famous works of Michelangelo. David, Sistine chapel, Medici tomb.
Should be good intro info for kids. Overviews major life points and famous works of Michelangelo. David, Sistine chapel, Medici tomb.
October 3, 2023
He was an incredible paintor and sculptor but I like da Vinci better.
August 15, 2025
This is an excellent book to teach kids about Michelangelo. I learned new information about the artist myself!
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February 18, 2025Who Was Michelangelo? by Kirsten Anderson is, of course, not written for me. As a history professor, I am far from the intended audience. However, after finishing The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, I wanted a straightforward biography to help me gauge whether the novel’s broad strokes were historically accurate. This book served that purpose well.
For a children’s biography, Who Was Michelangelo? is well written and engaging. It covers the essential details of Michelangelo’s life as an artist in Renaissance Florence and Rome while also touching on some of the more challenging aspects of his career and personal struggles in an age-appropriate way. The book does not shy away from the complexities of his time but presents them in a manner accessible to younger readers.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it a great resource for its intended audience. The Who Was? series, from the selections I’ve read, does an admirable job of making history approachable for younger readers without oversimplification. This installment is no exception, and I would readily recommend it to children interested in history or art.
If you want to hear more, check out my review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HSSeAXDsj1k
For a children’s biography, Who Was Michelangelo? is well written and engaging. It covers the essential details of Michelangelo’s life as an artist in Renaissance Florence and Rome while also touching on some of the more challenging aspects of his career and personal struggles in an age-appropriate way. The book does not shy away from the complexities of his time but presents them in a manner accessible to younger readers.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it a great resource for its intended audience. The Who Was? series, from the selections I’ve read, does an admirable job of making history approachable for younger readers without oversimplification. This installment is no exception, and I would readily recommend it to children interested in history or art.
If you want to hear more, check out my review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HSSeAXDsj1k
April 26, 2025
This book about Michelangelo is informative in more ways than one. It discusses the artist's life and works, but it also explains how to create a fresco. Michelangelo's frescos were Biblically based, and the book thankfully includes relevant information/ it lists who he painted. I had not previously known how eccentric Michelangelo was. As a young artist, he lived simply, eating a lot of bread and wearing the same clothes, and he did not always get commissions due to competition at the time. Later on, he dressed more like a nobleman. This book is well-written; however, Michelangelo's art, was and is still considered to be risky to many people. The Sistine Chapel is one of his most famous works. Michelangelo's talent is still evident even today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2022
Michelangelo: An anything but average artist.
This book: An average installment for the Who series.
The information and history are here, as they should be, since Michelangelo is considered one of the best-documented artists of the 16th century.
What it lacked for me was any feeling or connection to the subject. He's described as moody, tempermental, with poor hygiene, without really having many human relationships in life.
Following up, digging deeper (which is one of my favorite things about this series - when they inspire me to learn more), the feeling of disconnect I had for Michelangelo as the subject of this book is in line with what historians say about how he lived his life:
His biographer Paolo Giovio says, "His nature was so rough and uncouth that his domestic habits were incredibly squalid, and deprived posterity of any pupils who might have followed him."
This, however, may not have affected him, as he was by nature a solitary and melancholy person, bizzarro e fantastico, a man who "withdrew himself from the company of men."
Since Michelangelo is a hard guy to get to know, the wow factor here is really in his art, which is huge and, indeed, awe inspiring. He was incredibly hard working throughout his long life, and was multi-talented; a sculptor, painter, architect, and poet.
A note on the illustrations in this book: The majority of Michelangelo's figures in sculpture or paint are nude. This series targets middle grade readers, and the nudity depicting his art should be noted. Some children and their parents will be fine with it, others may not be. I picture myself way back in 4th grade and can pick out half a dozen boys in my class who would've behaved in all kinds of inappropriate ways had they gotten their hands on this!
This book: An average installment for the Who series.
The information and history are here, as they should be, since Michelangelo is considered one of the best-documented artists of the 16th century.
What it lacked for me was any feeling or connection to the subject. He's described as moody, tempermental, with poor hygiene, without really having many human relationships in life.
Following up, digging deeper (which is one of my favorite things about this series - when they inspire me to learn more), the feeling of disconnect I had for Michelangelo as the subject of this book is in line with what historians say about how he lived his life:
His biographer Paolo Giovio says, "His nature was so rough and uncouth that his domestic habits were incredibly squalid, and deprived posterity of any pupils who might have followed him."
This, however, may not have affected him, as he was by nature a solitary and melancholy person, bizzarro e fantastico, a man who "withdrew himself from the company of men."
Since Michelangelo is a hard guy to get to know, the wow factor here is really in his art, which is huge and, indeed, awe inspiring. He was incredibly hard working throughout his long life, and was multi-talented; a sculptor, painter, architect, and poet.
A note on the illustrations in this book: The majority of Michelangelo's figures in sculpture or paint are nude. This series targets middle grade readers, and the nudity depicting his art should be noted. Some children and their parents will be fine with it, others may not be. I picture myself way back in 4th grade and can pick out half a dozen boys in my class who would've behaved in all kinds of inappropriate ways had they gotten their hands on this!
December 12, 2022
Most of the "Who Was...?" or "Who Is...?" books are written in an entertaining way for young readers,
a narrative that allows one to read a story rather than a collection of facts. Interspersed are dozens of illustrations and a few fact pages that explain what certain terminology or factual items mean. This biography of Michelangelo will introduce young readers to the famed artist and his world , including the many pieces of art that contributed to his legacy. This and many of the other titles of the series are always a hit amongst the Grades 3 & 4.
a narrative that allows one to read a story rather than a collection of facts. Interspersed are dozens of illustrations and a few fact pages that explain what certain terminology or factual items mean. This biography of Michelangelo will introduce young readers to the famed artist and his world , including the many pieces of art that contributed to his legacy. This and many of the other titles of the series are always a hit amongst the Grades 3 & 4.
December 29, 2022
The Who Was…? biography series are perfect for elementary or intermediate age students interested in learning about the featured person for an assignment or just for an exciting read. The afterward portion in this edition has a timeline on one side showing key events in Michelangelo's life and the opposite page shows worldwide key events during the same time period. Making for an interesting comparison and will help readers get a better feel for what else was happening at those times; a cool extra feature I haven't seen in many books.
September 26, 2023
Another great book in this series. I love that the book focused on many of Michelangelo’s artistic masterpieces rather than a very detailed narrative of his life. The narrative is simple and clear. Since some of the pictures are of nude sculptures, parents and teachers of younger children should be aware but it is good for children to know that was a normal style at that time. Very interesting reading.
December 1, 2023
I thought the book was nice. A short summary of Michelangelo where I learned a few interesting things, since my knowledge of him wasn't much to begin with. A short read if you don't really want an in depth biography.
February 17, 2024
Very abbreviated book about Michelangelo and the Renaissance. Definitely wish we had some color pictures to get a better idea of some of the things he created. Wish there were more anecdotes. Read out lout do the kids.
September 21, 2024
I’ve read several books in the ‘Who Was’ series, and none of the art compares to the one in this book. Amazing illustrations; very detailed and precise.
I learned a LOT from this book, and for the most part it was easy to follow.
I learned a LOT from this book, and for the most part it was easy to follow.
December 9, 2025
I love how you these books give you a chance to understand a little about many artists and authors in such a short amount of time. Great books for kids. These books are also great for adults who don't have time to read longer works about famous people.
December 30, 2022
Loved this one!
However, considering they mentioned Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo all together in one book, I feel like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remark was sorely missing...
However, considering they mentioned Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo all together in one book, I feel like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remark was sorely missing...
January 1, 2024
Loved this. Did not know M. lived as long as he did.. Such a talented artist. Hurt his body doing the work he did. Very enlightening. CathyR
January 25, 2024
I bought a couple of books in this series for our 10 year old son as we prepared for a trip to Italy. It is a good refresher for adults, too.
February 1, 2024
Nice little intro for younger readers.
March 8, 2024
The illustrations are beautiful.
July 3, 2024
Bought and read in Florence, Italy. Great to learn more about Michelangelo while resting at the hotel. Also great to use with ESL students.
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February 17, 2025Boring
Don't like it could not handle it never will read this book again not for me see you later JJgamercrew
Don't like it could not handle it never will read this book again not for me see you later JJgamercrew
April 10, 2023
Michelangelo was a very busy man during his lifetime. He sculpted many statues and painted several frescoes including the Sisteen Chapel. This is a good overview of his life and a good beginning to understanding his artistry.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews