Wendy Macdonald

This a beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the story of Galileo dropping weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the perspective of a (fictional) bright farm boy who learns alongside Galileo by asking questions and paying attention. Includes author's note in the back, which acknowledges that "Historians are not sure whether this event actually occurred because no eyewitness accounts exist." Regardless of the original story's authenticity, this is a fun way to introduce the show more historic figure of Galileo while encouraging and inspiring budding experimenters. Highly recommended! show less

Who cares that much of the plot, and the second main character, are invented? There's so much good in the history, the art, the science, and the story that this book is a marvel. Should definitely be shared with every school-age child, and the many adults who still can't tell quackery from science.

An everyday act for Massimo, dropping lunch from a bridge to his uncle in a boat, captures Galileo's attention in this picture book. Do the heavy cheese and lighter bread fall at the same rate? What can observation tell us about the physical world?

Summmary: This story was taken place in 1589. This is about a boy named Massimo and an older man named Galileo a college profesor. It starts off by a bridge when the boy is throwing boxes of food to his relatives and the profesors sees him and realizes that it is odd that the boxes are landing at the same time because Aristole once said all things will go faster or slower depedning on the weight of the object. But in this case because they were both boxes they go at eh same pace. Because show more Massimo figures out like a feather and hammer are different because the feather has the wind go through it because it is not a denser object. The end of the story Massimo gets to go to the university and help Galileo show everyone in Pisa that a small cannon ball and a huge cannonball will both hit the ground at the same time. Therefore when he helps he get to actually go to the school and learn more because he is very interested in learning.

Personal: This book was a great read. It had good knowledge that I was not expecting in a childrens book. I loved the way that Massimo was just so egar to learn about new things and experiement with them. I hope that one day many children can read this and be inspired to learn new concepts or even old ones like Aristoles

Classroom:
I would use this to do the same with my class by doing cause and effect of showing which will land faster or fall faster and then hit the ground first then by making a chart to show cause and effect.
Second would be used for a science theme week.
Lastly as a good picture book the illustrations were very percise and draw well for children's eyes show less