Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the e-arc!

Botticelli's Apprentice follows Mella who is currently known as the chicken girl. Girls can't be an official apprentice to an artist in Florence. This doesn't stop Mella as she decides to teach herself how to paint. One of Botticelli's apprentices steals Mella's work and passes it off as their own. Mella, alongside some allies, decides to take a stand while proving her worth and demanding recognition. From the beginning, I was rooting for Mella and her journey to becoming an artist. These types of stories are important for young readers as it shows that regardless of gender anyone can achieve their dream. The art style in this was a bit distracting at times but overall, I still think the story still shines.

This was a really great historical graphic novel and I loved the illustrations they were great. This was a really fast read and I really liked the interaction between Mella and Datus the official apprentice to the apprentice of Botticelli and how they formed a mutually beneficial arrangement between them where Datus teachs Mella what he is learning as an apprentice and Mella teaches him how to draw since he is really bad at it and lets him use her drawings as inspiration. I really enjoyed the actual art facts in the end of the book that explain renaissance Italy and Botticelli and how Mella finally got the recognition she deserved for her drawing and while she can’t be an apprentice, she ends up painting without having to be an apprentice.

Thanks to Quill Tree Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

3.5/5 stars

I like the glossary at the front of the book with the many art, painting, and Italian words, but I can also see it being a barrier for middle grade readers.

I have to start by saying that the artwork in this graphic novel was a challenge for me. Something did not feel right about it, and as a result, I almost set it aside as a DNR. In the end, though, I figured that I owed a review and should push through the artwork to get to the story. If it had been anything but a graphic novel, I probably would have never picked it up. And I realize that it was also the graphic part that had me hesitating.

I am glad that I persevered. The story starts out a bit slow and confused, but as the characters develop and the relationship between the two younger characters evolves into more of a mutually beneficial one, I felt like things gelled. The way that the author weaves in facts about the times as part of the apprenticeship lessons was well done, and I never found that there was too much information that it overwhelmed the story. There were a few elements that got a bit lost in description, but overall a good story about interesting historical times and the roles women played in art history.

I also appreciated that there was a good section of actual historical information at the end of the book, so there is something teachable in the story as well as in the appendices.

And the artwork did grow on me. Never to the point where I was in love with it, but the "not right" feeling diminished for sure.