Botticelli's Apprentice - by Ursula Murray Husted

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This funny, empowering graphic novel from rising star Ursula Murray Husted is a gorgeously illustrated glimpse into the forgotten history of Renaissance Italy, following an ambitious young girl's quest to become an apprentice to the famous Sandro Botticelli.

Life as a chicken girl isn't so bad, but Mella wants more. Though girls can't be official apprentices to artists in Florence, Mella has been secretly teaching herself to paint while tending to artist Sandro Botticelli's chickens.

When one of Botticelli's actual apprentices discovers Mella's work, he threatens to take full credit for it. Why does it matter who drew it if it's good?

With the help of unexpected allies, an important patron, and a tenacious stray dog named Blue, Mella must summon all her courage, smarts, and skills to prove her worth and demand the recognition she deserves.

Review Quotes

There is so much life in Botticelli's Apprentice. Everywhere you look, there's something beautiful and lively to gaze upon. This is a beautiful meditation on artists and artisans, families and comrades, and the importance of nurturing the talent of overlooked girls. -- Charlie Jane Anders, winner of the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awards and author of All The Birds in the Sky and the Unstoppable trilogy

A charming, clever, and deeply heartfelt story about a young artist's struggles for opportunity and recognition! This is a delightfully warm-hearted tale of ambition, heartbreak and friendship in a Renaissance art studio that's also astoundingly relatable. -- Sarah Becan, artist of Let's Make Dumplings, Let's Make Bread, and Let's Make Ramen

Historical fiction at its mightiest. A masterpiece! -- Betsy Bird, author of Long Road to the Circus

Ursula Murray Husted's engaging and impressive new book, Botticelli's Apprentice, imagines a young would-be female artist named Mella who struggles to contend with the dauntingly male-exclusive artworld of fifteenth-century Florence. If only all early modern women artists had been able to achieve the same happy ending that Mella does! Husted's vivid images and well-informed engagement with many aspects of fifteenth-century Florentine painting make this book a fun and fascinating read. I enjoyed every page. -- Dr. Babette Bohn, author of Women Artists, Their Patrons, and Their Publics in Early Modern Bologna

A highly entertaining and instructive imagining of how, against all odds, a young girl in Renaissance Florence realises her dream of becoming an artist. -- Rosalind Brown-Grant, translator of Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies

Oh, what a delightful book! I loved this charming and informative tale of a girl who desperately wants to become an artist in 15th century Italy. Ursula's funny and lovely drawings illustrate a timeless story of friendship and determination. Can't wait to give it to the young artists (and graphic novel lovers) in my life! -- Tina Connolly, Hugo-nominated author of Seriously Wicked

I've never seen Renaissance Italy glow so real and relatable! Mella's work grinding pigment and cooking glue may seem so 500 years ago. But her sensitive struggle with those who steal credit for her work is very familiar today. -- Rachel Elliott, author of The Real Riley Mayes

With deeply researched detail, witty dialogue and humor, Ursula Murray Husted's beautifully drawn and colored Botticelli's Apprentice invites us into an immersive world of Renaissance Florence, and the story of young Mella's determination to become a painter. Expect to close this book with a new understanding of 15th century painting techniques-- how to gesso a panel and paint in egg tempera--as well as a renewed sense of how ingenuity, friendships, and one licky blue dog help to persevere in what makes you feel most alive. -- Glynnis Fawkes, comic illustrator of 1177 B.C. A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed

Botticelli's Apprentice is a sumptuously illustrated ode to being an artist. Ursula Murray Husted tells us a brilliant tale of Mella, a young girl in Renaissance Italy doggedly trying to navigate the social barriers of a male dominated art world. Mella's frustrations and triumphs will resonate deeply with anyone who has had to fight to be seen and her grace, fortitude, and talent are truly inspiring! -- Jay Hosler, creator of The Way of the Hive and Ant Story

A moving and very funny love letter to the craft of painting, and to the forgotten assistants, apprentices, and women who helped make the great works of the Renaissance. -- Hope Larson, author of Salt Magic

Botticelli's Apprentice is a feast for the eyes and the heart. I laughed and cried reading it, and I will think about it for a long time. -- Scott McCloud, creator of Understanding Comics

Brimming with charm and historical detail, Botticelli's Apprentice will transport you back in time to Renaissance Italy with a tale of following your dreams despite the odds. -- Tim Probert, The Lightfall Series

A delightful story about having faith in yourself, and believing in your art. -- Michael Rex, author of the Your Pal Fred series

Truly, it is a fabulous book! -- Koo Schadler, master painter of the Copley Society of Boston and author of Egg Tempera Painting, A Comprehensive Guide

A perfect graphic novel for creative kids. I absolutely LOVED this book! -- Aron Nels Stenke, creator of the Mr. Wolf's Class series

The characters--including the book's plentiful feathered and furry chorus--the setting, and the story radiate humor, humanity, and history. While some readers may be content to follow Mella's story, others will appreciate the visual bounty of everyday life in Renaissance Florence as well as the depiction of artistic practices. Botticelli's Apprentice is pure lapis lazuli, no smalt. -- Carol Tilley, comics scholar, librarian, 2016 Eisner Judge, and Associate Professor in Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

An utterly engaging and entertaining graphic novel. Well-researched, with a light touch. A delightful introduction to the craft of painting in Renaissance Florence. -- Dr. Kathleen Walker-Meikle, author of Medieval Pets and The Dog Book: Dogs of Historical Distinction

Charming and inspiring: an empowering feminist story enlivened by historically accurate artistic techniques. -- Kirkus Reviews

This graphic novel is a must-have, blending history, -artistic -passion, and a timeless message of -determination. -- School Library Journal

Delightful for fans of art, artists, and historical fiction. -- Booklist