This is Rembrandt ($15.95), by Jorella Andrews, is a lovely presentation of the life and works of Rembrandt van Rijn. The 80-page volume has a sturdy board book type cover and is heavily illustrated both with colorful illustrations of the story and with Rembrandt’s drawings and paintings. 

This biography would appeal primarily to middle school and high school aged students. There is quite a bit of text and it covers more detail on Rembrandt’s life than a younger student would typically be interested in. The artwork would certainly be of interest to a younger student however. (There is some nudity in some of Rembrandt’s pieces as well as mention of his mistresses, so parents might want to preview before giving the book to younger children.)

I found the book very interesting reading and especially enjoyed that the text tied in historical information. I learned quite a bit about life in the seventeenth century Dutch Republic. I was also fascinated to see and read about several works of art by other artists that Rembrandt had imitated or improved upon—this helped me understand his artistic style better. This is a very attractive volume with a mix of large print, smaller print, cursive font, story illustrations, and full-page art reproductions that is engaging to read and look through.

This is Rembrandt would be an excellent resource for an art history course or just as enjoyable extra-curricular reading. This volume is part of a series about famous artists. The collector in me would love to own the whole set!

-Product review by Debbie Lott, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July, 2018