Building On Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi

Title: Building On Nature
Author: Rachel Rodriguez
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, 2009
ISBN: 978-0805087451

Building On Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi begins where he grew up in Catelonia, Spain. A sickly child, Gaudi spent much of his time observing the wonderful forms and colors of nature, the jagged mountain peaks, silvery olive leaves, birds and sparkling sea were his companions until grew stronger and was able to play with other children.
He later went to Barcelona to become an architect, where he studied important monuments, read books at the library and learned from other architects before he began to design. His projects echoed the things that inspired him as a child; bright colors, floral motifs, birds, twining vines all dazzled anyone who passed by. Over time, his creations became more elaborately detailed, with whimsical shapes covered in stunning mosaic work, every part functional yet wonderfully fanciful and surreal. From dragon’s head door knockers to walls that undulated like waves, his imagination lead him to build architecture that was very unusual in his time; part poetry, part fantasy, pure art.
Swirling, vividly colored illustrations by Julie Paschkis mimic the design elements of Gaudi’s buildings. The story is an informative, simple and elegant tribute to one of the most artistically minded architects of all time.