Verdi for Kids

April 1, 2013

Gr 5-8-Verdi, considered by many to be one of the world's preeminent operatic composers, lived during a particularly turbulent time in Italy, which heavily influenced his music and his personal life. The focus here is primarily on his life as a composer, but because his work was so entwined with the political events of the time, quite a bit of historical context is also provided. The narrative is occasionally dense with descriptions of world events and political figures but is broken up nicely by lengthy sidebars and full spreads that offer some different avenues of information to explore. This could be an excellent resource for students doing research on Verdi, opera, or even the political upheaval in Italy at this time. Period photographs and related artwork are included throughout the text. Activities range from the artistic to the scientific, some with more kid-appeal than others. Ideas such as creating a simple water purifier or making a "stained glass" window could be fun for students, whereas others such as writing a letter to someone they admire or making a clay map of Italy, perhaps less so. There's not a lot out there for children about opera, and Verdi in particular, so this is a solid choice for libraries looking to beef up their music collections.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2013
Grades 5-8 Giuseppe Verdi, one of the great composers of the nineteenth century, lived in a turbulent time in Italy. He frequently injected his operas with political commentaries, but these often met resistance from political leaders. Reluctantly, Verdi would then revise the works to comply with demands so his compositions could be performed. Verdi became quite involved in local and national politicsalthough his preference was to live and work quietly in his home. Bauer competently ties together Verdi's life and the development of Italy into a unified country in a way that helps readers (both youth and adult) understand the complexity of each. Photographs and informational text boxes enhance the text. As with previous books in the series, 21 related creative activities are included. Back matter is highlighted by recommended recordings of Verdi's operas. Of particular interest to budding musicians and music educators.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)