{"id":1757544577,"title":"Pippo the Fool","handle":"pippo-the-fool","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Author Tracey E. Fern\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tracey-e-fern\"\u003eTracey E. Fern\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca title=\"Illustrator Pau Estrada\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/pau-estrada\"\u003ePau Estrada\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e“A contest! A contest!”\u003cbr\u003e The whisper swept across the broad piazzas . . .\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art, architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a crown—a dome! The city fathers had a solution: to invite the finest masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. “If I can win the contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book tells the story of the construction of an architectural masterpiece—Brunelleschi’s Dome. Tracey E. Fern depicts Pippo’s prickly personality with humor and warmth, and Pau Estrada’s richly detailed illustrations bring Renaissance Florence to life. An excellent way to introduce kids to an important moment in Western engineering and history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Absolutely wonderful—Pippo Brunelleschi steps from the pages with color, zest, and charm. Bravissimo!”\u003cbr\u003e      —Ross King, author of \u003ci\u003eBrunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“[B]eautifully told…” \u003cbr\u003e     —David Macaulay, MacArthur Fellow and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Way Things Work\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/pippo-the-fool\/pippo_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003eRead an excerpt\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-ink-garden-of-brother-theophane\" title=\"The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane\"\u003eThe Ink Garden of Brother Theophane\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Stone Giant\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/stone-giant\"\u003eStone Giant\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool-spread.jpg?16652049369566297077\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracey E. Fern, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracey E. Fern first climbed the 463 steps to the top of Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome when she was a student visiting Florence. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eBuffalo Music\u003c\/i\u003e (Clarion). Tracey lives in Boston, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Author Tracey E. Fern\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tracey-e-fern\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Tracey E. Fern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePau Estrada, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePau Estrada is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and has illustrated many books for children in the United States and in Europe, including \u003ci\u003ePicasso and Minou\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSoccer Counts!\u003c\/i\u003e Pau lives in Barcelona, Spain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Illustrator Pau Estrada\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/pau-estrada\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Pau Estrada.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS\/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCBC Choices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eABC Best Books for Children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a great deal of charm and buttressed by understated humor, Fern tells a fictionalized story of Renaissance architect and engineer Filippo Brunellischi and his most magnificent work, the dome of the Cathedral of Florence. When word comes out of a contest to determine who will design the dome, Pippo, a goldsmith known for his beautiful but useless oddities, is determined to win and shed his unwanted nickname. The judges decide upon his visionary design but also decree that he must work in concert with his chief rival and primary heckler, Lorenzo. Pippo is dismayed at the prospect of doing all the work and only receiving half the glory, but his determination to see his plan through to fruition wins out. Throughout, Estrada's timeless art highlights Florence's orange-roofed architecture and colorfully attired citizens. Readers won't realize just how massive a project constructing the dome really was until they arrive at the scale-shifting detail of tiny workers, scaffolds, and cranes, a scene like something from David Macaulay's \u003ci\u003eThe Way Things Work\u003c\/i\u003e (1988). Although the primary drama between Pippo and Lorenzo is played out with grade-school churlishness, it offers a handy morality lesson: take joy in one's accomplishments rather than the accolades to which they might lead. An afterword fleshes out some of the historical and engineering details of the dome for those inquisitive about the Renaissance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA slice of history is served a la Florentine for the delectation of curious minds in this revealing portrait of genius Filippo Brunelleschi. Determined and stubborn, he vies with a more physically and cosmetically advantaged rival in a competition to select the designer and builder of a dome to grace Renaissance Florence's grand cathedral. Estrada's excellent watercolor and gouache illustrations detail 1400s Florence perfectly, from costumes to workshops to construction sites to the soaring towers projecting above the red rooftops crammed inside the city walls. Fern's humorous text brings Pippo's crabby persona to cranky life as he ponders, sketches, schemes, calculates, and competes his way to a glorious completed dome and lasting fame. Extended author's and illustrator's notes answer questions that may be raised by the simple text, and a short list of resources (adult materials) is appended. This neat blend of fact and fiction is asa seamlessly constructed as the intricate brickwork of the dome on the Duomo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLibrary Sparks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePippo the Fool\u003c\/i\u003e was the derogatory nickname of Filippo Brunelleschi, a Renaissance goldsmith and inventor with big ideas and an unpleasant personality. Despite derision from colleagues and judges alike, Filippo's ingenious plan for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore won the design contest. Never before had a dome so large been commissioned, nor had one that seemed architecturally impossible been so cleverly designed and constructed. Though the book is historical fiction, two pages of notes and resources explain and show the gorgeous Italian church and its inspirational dome—the work of a determine man with big ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian America\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis story is based on the life of Filippo \"Pippo\" Bruselleschi, the man who designed the huge dome of Florence's cathedral, \u003ci\u003eSanta maria del Fiore\u003c\/i\u003e in 1420. His design that created a small inner dome to support the massive outer one, took 16 years to complete but still stands as a marvel of construction. This funny and endearing tale is accompanied by Pau Estrada's beautifully detailed illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool.jpg?16652049369566297077\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool-hires.zip?16652049369566297077\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-793-6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-130-7\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 48\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2015-08-05T20:38:00-04:00","created_at":"2015-08-05T16:37:28-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Art\/Music\/Theater","Browse by Subject_Geography","Browse by Subject_History \u0026 Biography","Browse by Subject_Social Studies\/Cultures"],"price":398,"price_min":398,"price_max":398,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":795,"compare_at_price_min":795,"compare_at_price_max":795,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":5347506497,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"17936","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Pippo the Fool - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":398,"weight":269,"compare_at_price":795,"inventory_quantity":9,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-57091-793-6","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pippo-the-fool-cover.jpg?v=1586801067"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pippo-the-fool-cover.jpg?v=1586801067","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Pippo the Fool book cover","id":2481718100047,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.778,"height":771,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pippo-the-fool-cover.jpg?v=1586801067"},"aspect_ratio":0.778,"height":771,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/pippo-the-fool-cover.jpg?v=1586801067","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Author Tracey E. Fern\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tracey-e-fern\"\u003eTracey E. Fern\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca title=\"Illustrator Pau Estrada\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/pau-estrada\"\u003ePau Estrada\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e“A contest! A contest!”\u003cbr\u003e The whisper swept across the broad piazzas . . .\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art, architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a crown—a dome! The city fathers had a solution: to invite the finest masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. “If I can win the contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book tells the story of the construction of an architectural masterpiece—Brunelleschi’s Dome. Tracey E. Fern depicts Pippo’s prickly personality with humor and warmth, and Pau Estrada’s richly detailed illustrations bring Renaissance Florence to life. An excellent way to introduce kids to an important moment in Western engineering and history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Absolutely wonderful—Pippo Brunelleschi steps from the pages with color, zest, and charm. Bravissimo!”\u003cbr\u003e      —Ross King, author of \u003ci\u003eBrunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“[B]eautifully told…” \u003cbr\u003e     —David Macaulay, MacArthur Fellow and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Way Things Work\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/pippo-the-fool\/pippo_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003eRead an excerpt\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/the-ink-garden-of-brother-theophane\" title=\"The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane\"\u003eThe Ink Garden of Brother Theophane\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Stone Giant\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/stone-giant\"\u003eStone Giant\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool-spread.jpg?16652049369566297077\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTracey E. Fern, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracey E. Fern first climbed the 463 steps to the top of Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome when she was a student visiting Florence. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eBuffalo Music\u003c\/i\u003e (Clarion). Tracey lives in Boston, Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Author Tracey E. Fern\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tracey-e-fern\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Tracey E. Fern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePau Estrada, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePau Estrada is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and has illustrated many books for children in the United States and in Europe, including \u003ci\u003ePicasso and Minou\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSoccer Counts!\u003c\/i\u003e Pau lives in Barcelona, Spain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Illustrator Pau Estrada\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/pau-estrada\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Pau Estrada.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS\/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCBC Choices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eABC Best Books for Children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a great deal of charm and buttressed by understated humor, Fern tells a fictionalized story of Renaissance architect and engineer Filippo Brunellischi and his most magnificent work, the dome of the Cathedral of Florence. When word comes out of a contest to determine who will design the dome, Pippo, a goldsmith known for his beautiful but useless oddities, is determined to win and shed his unwanted nickname. The judges decide upon his visionary design but also decree that he must work in concert with his chief rival and primary heckler, Lorenzo. Pippo is dismayed at the prospect of doing all the work and only receiving half the glory, but his determination to see his plan through to fruition wins out. Throughout, Estrada's timeless art highlights Florence's orange-roofed architecture and colorfully attired citizens. Readers won't realize just how massive a project constructing the dome really was until they arrive at the scale-shifting detail of tiny workers, scaffolds, and cranes, a scene like something from David Macaulay's \u003ci\u003eThe Way Things Work\u003c\/i\u003e (1988). Although the primary drama between Pippo and Lorenzo is played out with grade-school churlishness, it offers a handy morality lesson: take joy in one's accomplishments rather than the accolades to which they might lead. An afterword fleshes out some of the historical and engineering details of the dome for those inquisitive about the Renaissance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA slice of history is served a la Florentine for the delectation of curious minds in this revealing portrait of genius Filippo Brunelleschi. Determined and stubborn, he vies with a more physically and cosmetically advantaged rival in a competition to select the designer and builder of a dome to grace Renaissance Florence's grand cathedral. Estrada's excellent watercolor and gouache illustrations detail 1400s Florence perfectly, from costumes to workshops to construction sites to the soaring towers projecting above the red rooftops crammed inside the city walls. Fern's humorous text brings Pippo's crabby persona to cranky life as he ponders, sketches, schemes, calculates, and competes his way to a glorious completed dome and lasting fame. Extended author's and illustrator's notes answer questions that may be raised by the simple text, and a short list of resources (adult materials) is appended. This neat blend of fact and fiction is asa seamlessly constructed as the intricate brickwork of the dome on the Duomo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLibrary Sparks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePippo the Fool\u003c\/i\u003e was the derogatory nickname of Filippo Brunelleschi, a Renaissance goldsmith and inventor with big ideas and an unpleasant personality. Despite derision from colleagues and judges alike, Filippo's ingenious plan for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore won the design contest. Never before had a dome so large been commissioned, nor had one that seemed architecturally impossible been so cleverly designed and constructed. Though the book is historical fiction, two pages of notes and resources explain and show the gorgeous Italian church and its inspirational dome—the work of a determine man with big ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian America\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis story is based on the life of Filippo \"Pippo\" Bruselleschi, the man who designed the huge dome of Florence's cathedral, \u003ci\u003eSanta maria del Fiore\u003c\/i\u003e in 1420. His design that created a small inner dome to support the massive outer one, took 16 years to complete but still stands as a marvel of construction. This funny and endearing tale is accompanied by Pau Estrada's beautifully detailed illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool.jpg?16652049369566297077\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/pippo-the-fool-hires.zip?16652049369566297077\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-57091-793-6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-130-7\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 48\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

By: Tracey E. Fern / Illustrated by: Pau Estrada

“A contest! A contest!”
The whisper swept across the broad piazzas . . .

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art, architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a crown—a dome! The city fathers had a solution: to invite the finest masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. “If I can win the contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!”

This book tells the story of the construction of an architectural masterpiece—Brunelleschi’s Dome. Tracey E. Fern depicts Pippo’s prickly personality with humor and warmth, and Pau Estrada’s richly detailed illustrations bring Renaissance Florence to life. An excellent way to introduce kids to an important moment in Western engineering and history.

“Absolutely wonderful—Pippo Brunelleschi steps from the pages with color, zest, and charm. Bravissimo!”
     —Ross King, author of Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture

“[B]eautifully told…”
     —David Macaulay, MacArthur Fellow and author of The Way Things Work

Read an excerpt!

$ 7.95
Maximum quantity available reached.

Tracey E. Fern, author

Tracey E. Fern first climbed the 463 steps to the top of Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome when she was a student visiting Florence. She is the author of Buffalo Music (Clarion). Tracey lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Read more about Tracey E. Fern.


Pau Estrada, illustrator

Pau Estrada is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and has illustrated many books for children in the United States and in Europe, including Picasso and Minou and Soccer Counts! Pau lives in Barcelona, Spain.

Read more about Pau Estrada.

  • Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award
  • NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
  • CCBC Choices
  • ABC Best Books for Children
  • A Junior Library Guild Selection
  • Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year
  • Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth

Booklist, starred review

With a great deal of charm and buttressed by understated humor, Fern tells a fictionalized story of Renaissance architect and engineer Filippo Brunellischi and his most magnificent work, the dome of the Cathedral of Florence. When word comes out of a contest to determine who will design the dome, Pippo, a goldsmith known for his beautiful but useless oddities, is determined to win and shed his unwanted nickname. The judges decide upon his visionary design but also decree that he must work in concert with his chief rival and primary heckler, Lorenzo. Pippo is dismayed at the prospect of doing all the work and only receiving half the glory, but his determination to see his plan through to fruition wins out. Throughout, Estrada's timeless art highlights Florence's orange-roofed architecture and colorfully attired citizens. Readers won't realize just how massive a project constructing the dome really was until they arrive at the scale-shifting detail of tiny workers, scaffolds, and cranes, a scene like something from David Macaulay's The Way Things Work (1988). Although the primary drama between Pippo and Lorenzo is played out with grade-school churlishness, it offers a handy morality lesson: take joy in one's accomplishments rather than the accolades to which they might lead. An afterword fleshes out some of the historical and engineering details of the dome for those inquisitive about the Renaissance.

School Library Journal, starred review

A slice of history is served a la Florentine for the delectation of curious minds in this revealing portrait of genius Filippo Brunelleschi. Determined and stubborn, he vies with a more physically and cosmetically advantaged rival in a competition to select the designer and builder of a dome to grace Renaissance Florence's grand cathedral. Estrada's excellent watercolor and gouache illustrations detail 1400s Florence perfectly, from costumes to workshops to construction sites to the soaring towers projecting above the red rooftops crammed inside the city walls. Fern's humorous text brings Pippo's crabby persona to cranky life as he ponders, sketches, schemes, calculates, and competes his way to a glorious completed dome and lasting fame. Extended author's and illustrator's notes answer questions that may be raised by the simple text, and a short list of resources (adult materials) is appended. This neat blend of fact and fiction is asa seamlessly constructed as the intricate brickwork of the dome on the Duomo.

Library Sparks

Pippo the Fool was the derogatory nickname of Filippo Brunelleschi, a Renaissance goldsmith and inventor with big ideas and an unpleasant personality. Despite derision from colleagues and judges alike, Filippo's ingenious plan for the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore won the design contest. Never before had a dome so large been commissioned, nor had one that seemed architecturally impossible been so cleverly designed and constructed. Though the book is historical fiction, two pages of notes and resources explain and show the gorgeous Italian church and its inspirational dome—the work of a determine man with big ideas.

Italian America

This story is based on the life of Filippo "Pippo" Bruselleschi, the man who designed the huge dome of Florence's cathedral, Santa maria del Fiore in 1420. His design that created a small inner dome to support the massive outer one, took 16 years to complete but still stands as a marvel of construction. This funny and endearing tale is accompanied by Pau Estrada's beautifully detailed illustrations.

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57091-793-6

E-book PDF
ISBN: 978-1-60734-130-7

Ages: 5-8
Page count: 48
8 1/2 x 11