Author Molly Blaisdell transports young readers to the city of Amsterdam in the 1650s. It is a time when world-renowned artist Rembrandt van Rijn is at the height of fame among his patrons — and when his young son Titus longs to imitate his father and become a great painter.

At first, Rembrandt rebuffs Titus’s attempts at drawing, telling the boy he is too young to learn art. But gradually, the master painter is won over by his son’s enthusiasm and persistence, and he begins to teach a very happy Titus the basic techniques of drawing from life. Here is a warmhearted story for children, with illustrations that capture the atmosphere of 17th century Holland and suggest some of the genius that radiates from Rembrandt’s own magnificent paintings.

Molly Blaisdell is a freelance writer who has published books for children on a variety of subjects. She lives with her husband, Tim, and their four children in Woodinville, Washington.

Nancy Lane is a freelance illustrator and creator of artwork that ranges from community murals, logos, and courtroom drawings to licensed T-shirt designs and children’s books. She is also the illustrator of the children’s book, Renoir and the Boy with the Long Hair. Lane has illustrated children’s books for 20 years. Her art training, at the Maryland Institute College of Art, included a semester studying in Rome and seeing Europe’s great collections. She lives in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York with her husband and children.

Appropriate for children ages 4–8.

Author — Molly Blaisdell.
Illustrator — Nancy Lane.

Hardcover. 32 pages. 10¾" × 8½" (27 cm × 22 cm).