Pippo the Fool

by Tracey E. Fern, Pau Estrada (Illustrator)

Was Pippo the Fool really Pippo the Genius?

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art, architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a crown--a dome! The city fathers had a to invite the finest masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. "If I can win the contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!"

This book tells the story of the construction of an architectural masterpiece--Brunelleschi's Dome. Tracey E. Fern depicts Pippo's prickly personality with humor and warmth, and Pau Estrada's richly detailed illustrations bring Renaissance Florence to life. An excellent way to introduce kids to an important moment in Western engineering and history.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Architecture, Italy, Childrens, Art, Geography

48 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

When I started my own family, I began to write stories for children’s magazines. One day, I found myself driving to the library to help my daughter search for her own missing Nancy Drews. I suddenly remembered that long ago day when I told my father that, yes, of course I could write a book. I decided to try. I haven’t stopped since.
I now live in Newton, Massachusetts with my husband Doug, my two daughters, Samantha and Alexandra, my enormous pumpkin-colored dog, Ozzie, and my lucky black cat, Cyrus. I live only a short drive from the gentle beach I loved when I was a girl. I still love walking on that deserted stretch of land and dreaming. Now I mostly dream about the books I plan to write.

from http://www.traceyfern.com/author.html

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to my Life Skills class, because the book talked about hard work and building. My students thought this book was only OK and that it was kind of long.

"The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was a marvel of art, architecture, and engineering. But it lacked a finishing ornament, a crown--a dome! The city fathers had a solution: to invite the finest masters to compete for the chance to design a dome. The rumors of this contest reached the ears of Filippo Brunelleschi, better known in Florence as Pippo the Fool. As soon as he heard about the contest, Pippo knew it was the chance he had been waiting for. 'If I can win the contest, I will finally lose that nickname once and for all!'"

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that teaches children to stay true to their beliefs...Pippo is seen by many as a fool - but in the end he shows everyone how foolish it is to judge other people.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was finally finished! All but the dome, that is. With no idea how a chancel forty-two meters across was to be covered, the city fathers of Florence decided to hold a contest, inviting all the great master builders to compete for the honor of designing the dome. Filippo Brunelleschi - known as "Pippo the Fool" because of his many odd inventions - decided to enter, and despite the jeers of some of his competitors (Lorenzo Ghiberti chief amongst them), his design was the winner, producing an artistic and technological wonder well ahead of its time, and proving once and for all that Pippo was no fool...

An engaging picture-book that both entertains and educates, Tracey E. Fern's Pippo the Fool is an ideal choice for young children with an interest in art and architecture, or in the history of the Renaissance. I enjoy stories in which the underdog triumphs, particularly when they are factual, and appreciated Pau Estrada's beautiful watercolor and gouache illustrations. This is one title that elementary school art teachers, as well as children's libraries, will want to obtain.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! And successful, imo. Younger elementary students will likely enjoy this and learn from it. In fact, I learned a bit of architecture from it myself.

I sorta liked one of the losing ideas for making the huge dome: Build it "over a giant mountain of dirt sprinkled with coins.... [expecting then] that the Florentines would dig the dirt away to find the coins."

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although neither the storytelling or illustrations are in a style that especially appealed to me, I still enjoyed this story about Pippo Brunelleschi creating the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence beginning in 1420. I appreciate how the story is able to make such an old, complicated and potentially boring and abstract architectural feat (and the concept of creating it) interesting for young people and how the characters, long passed away, seem so vibrant. Of course, I'm not sure that the grouchy and egotistical Pippo is actually someone I'd want to meet, but the fact that Fern and Estrada made him seem like someone I could bump into in the grocery store made me appreciate their efforts. I also liked the cat that appeared in many of the scenes with Pippo ;-)

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pippo the Fool, is a story about a contest to build a dome for The Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence, Italy during the 1400s. The main character, Filippo Brunelleschi, was known throughout Florence as “Pippo the Fool” because he was always trying to invent or design odd machines and buildings that people saw as crazy. When Pippo hears of the contest he is determined to win, and gain the respect of his peers. He works diligently to solve the many problems involved with designing a dome that will be beautiful and sturdy. He also figures out how it will be built. Throughout the story Pippo has to deal with taunts from the most famous sculptor in Florence, Lorenzo Ghiberti. Lorenzo makes fun of Pippo, but also tries to find out his plans for the dome. The judges like Pippo’s plans the best, but he refuses to tell them how he will construct the dome because Lorenzo is in the room. The judges throw him out, but instead of giving up he decides to construct a model of the dome. They love the model and hire Pippo immediately, but say that he must work with Lorenzo. Pippo stews over working with someone who has been mean to him, but decides that he has to go for it. It takes sixteen years to complete, but Pippo does it, and Lorenzo is fired during the construction because all he does is loaf around and gossip about Pippo.
The pictures, by Pau Estrada, are full of detail, and truly help tell the story. On the first page the author describes the news of the contest spreading throughout the piazzas and markets, and Estrada paints beautiful pictures of people in authentic clothes talking and pointing to the cathedral without a dome. In Pippo’s workroom there are many tools and he is sitting working on an invention. The architecture of Florence and an aerial view of the city are shown as well. At the end of the story there is an Illustrator’s Note. Here Pau Estrada explains the research he conducted to create the artwork for this story.
I would recommend this book for students in third through sixth grades. The themes that are expressed are problem-solving, work ethic, and belief in oneself. Students who are studying Italy and the architecture and life during the 1400s would find this book to be useful.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about how Filippo Brunelleschi came to built his famous dome in Florence, Italy. It's a gratifying story of an underdog who wins the day. He truly must have been brilliant to have thought up such an innovative design. I love Pau Estrada's illustrations, especially where he inserts little elements from famous paintings of the period. This would make a wonderful addition to a unit on the Renaissance. Recommended!

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story, based on true events about an Italian inventor who creates bizarre items and architectural designs. He wins a contest to build a dome for The Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence, Italy during the 1400s.

It is a brief tale about ingenuity, creativity and following your dreams despite adversity. Our girls enjoyed watching the story on the Tumblebooks website. (http://www.tumblebooks.com)

[Capn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice find at The Paperback Exchange* tucked away a half block from the Duomo in Firenze (Florence) next to the marble statuary repair/workshop.
I've been hoping to find the out-of-print Filippo's Dome by Anne Rockwell for ages, but when I can, it is unjustifiably priced. This was a good consolation read, and I'm glad Fern & Estrada revisited this story. The illustrations are great (lots of cats and other animals in the background to keep the easily-bored toddler engaged), and some nice views of Firenze before, during and after the construction of Bruneschelli's dome.
EDIT: Filippo's Dome can be read FOR FREE on OpenLibrary! It's basically this book but with much more backstory and architectural and engineering details (maybe for kids 7 to 12ish (and up), whereas Pippo the Fool is maybe 4 to 7ish?).

*a nice selection (very tempting choices!) of new books, a small but useful kid's section (complete with toys, floor cushions and scaled-down chairs), and lots of new and used paperbacks IN ENGLISH, in the middle of Firenze. It's even got "under 3€" bins on the floor to rummage through.
It's also just across the street from a toy shop (Citta del Sol/Sole, I forget), so you can abandon the family (and maddening touring mobs) for a few brief moments of sanctuary..

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

_Pippo the Fool_ was the despised nickname of Filippo Brunelleschi of Florence, 1377-1446. Brunelleschi's greatest achievement was the design and construction of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. It was the largest dome constructed to that time, but did not include the external buttresses which were usually a part of cathedral design, but a small strong interior inner dome which supported the weaker outer octagonal dome. He also designed the hoists necessary to lift the large stones needed for construction. The book brings to life not only the dome's construction, but also Pippo's competition with Lorenzo Ghiberti, who had bested him in an earlier competition. The book tells this historic tale in a compelling way accessible to children (Lexile 770). The illustrations, watercolor and gouache, by Spanish artist Pau Estrada are simple and vivid (reminiscent of Tomie de Paola), but contain plenty of detail to keep youngsters absorbed. He is also the illustrator of _Picasso and Minou_.

[Terry]

Bravo! This is an exceptional book. Although the tale is fictional, the story is built on historical fact. Together, the author and illustrator have done a masterful job presenting the Renaissance in a way that has meaning to young readers. The interaction among the characters - particularly Lorenzo and Pippo - layer this period piece with timeless themes of jealousy, fairness, and integrity.

A great candidate for reluctant and remedial readers who want/need more sophisticated content.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was rather surprised that my niece and nephew connected with, and liked this story as well as they did! This story, which was based in fact, was well fleshed out and it didn't talk down to kids. There was a lot of vocabulary that needed to be defined for the kids, but that was a good thing. The kids hung on to every word of this story, and they were captivated by Pippo' s determination and success.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pippo the Fool is a fantastic portrayal of Brunelleschi's quest to create the Duomo. The illustrations are clever as well as beautiful, yet the language Fern uses to describe the Rennaissance artist and his rival make the story exquisite. I enjoyed reading this story on my own and to my children. As a former teacher it is a book suitable for the classroom.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mom rates 5 stars, kids 4 stars. Historically true story and fascinating to read about a place Ben and I have seen with our own eyes. Remarkable how it was built..krb 6/30/16

[Miranda Parker]

This book is about a man who was in a competition to build the best top for a new Cathedral in Florence, Italy. I would teach this to my kids to help them be confident

[Lizzie Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pippo the Fool is definitely a picture book that is meant for older readers. Younger readers might understand general concepts or ideas in this book, but there is a lot of complex language in this book that they would not fully understand. A lot of the language is specific to architecture because of the character's wanted profession in the book. This could also make it more challenging for older readers in that they would need to know some background before reading this book. I would probably recommend this book for fourth and fifth graders, but I would not limit it to those grades. Pippo the Fool is a well-rounded character in this book. He has been made fun of his whole life just because he has tried to do something with his life. You can tell that he feels sadness because of this. Pippo does not give up though. He continues to try and be something more than a label, and that is a great lesson for children who are about to enter middle school and high school where some kids can be really mean and try to define a child with a label. This lesson is so important not just for that age group, it is important for every age. Pippo is more than a label and that is such a great lesson. Pippo also ends up succeeding in what he tries to do. In doing this, he ends up showing that he is capable of great things which proves to the people that made fun of him that he is not a fool, but a very smart individual. This is a hopeful ending for a children's book and that is what makes it a "good" children's book by American standards. It gives children hope that they can be something more just like Pippo which is a nice idea and one that will hopefully push children to persevere in what they want to do or be.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first attracted to this book because of the setting and historical nature. It takes place in Florence, Italy during the Italian Renaissance, somewhere around the year 1420. I found the story of this unlikely architectural hero very interesting. It is based on a real man named Filippo Brunelleschi who ended up figuring out a way to make the huge dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This was a major feat, the likes of which had not been seen before.
The element of architecture is key to this story, which the illustrator commanded well in this story. Likewise the color and style choices were well-employed. as well. Through out the pictures there is a great use of perspective, giving the buildings dimension. Pau Estrada included lines and textures that show high arches, stately columns and beautiful inlaid floors. To capture the feel of the era, he used colors and styles of art reminiscent of the painters at the time. There are vivid reds, deep mustard-colored yellows, and greens with a touch of yellow to them. The people look as if they have been captured in time in a portrait, showing emotion and having a sense of depth, yet appearing somewhat posed.

This book would be an excellent inclusion to a sixth grade or middle school unit on the architecture and history of the Middle Ages. This can be carried over into math and art classes figuring out how to draw perspective and what mathematical equations would be necessary for an architect to use when drawing buildings to scale.

[Jennifer Parrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pippo the Fool is a humorous, confident version of the true Renaissance story of a man named Filippo Brunelleschi who designed and built the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The protagonist, Pippo, is a lonely blacksmith who makes machines no one wants and outlandish ideas no one has thought of. The whole town sees him as a joke and refuses to take him seriously. They dislike him so much, they nicknamed him "Pippo the Fool." There was one man in particular who gave Pippo a rough time. Lorenzo always makes fun of his clothes and his job. Once the residents hear of the Contest of who can come up with the best design for the dome, all of the architects and artists all over Europe come to town to show off their works. Pippo joins them in proving to the town they're the best designer. As it turns out, Pippo's design is the best and gets chosen for the job under one condition - he must work with Lorenzo on the project. Not long after, Pippo gets sick to his stomach and Lorenzo must work on the project alone. When he refuses to continue, he gets fired and Pippo is no longer sick. He is so happy and can say he did it on his own! Now his new nickname is "Pippo the Genius." The plot, characters and setting are fairly common and easy to comprehend but the vocabulary and cultural references are a bit confusing for the Lexile range of this book. I would recommend 6th graders to read this book or a 5th grade teacher to read it aloud. The illustrations are vivid and cartoonish but depict the mood/tone of the story tying it all together.

[Gwen Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book with great illustrations and a story that will encourage every reader. It is based on a true story, which is one of the things that makes me like it so much. I love history and learning about things that happened a long time ago. I also love architecture, especially when it is huge and beautiful and lasts for years and years. This book covers both of those subjects, and in a very good way.
Each page had an illustration on it that showed what was going on in the words. I loved the way it showed the characters, really bringing out their defining characteristics and personalities. The reader can pretty much tell who the bad guy in the story is just by the illustrations. The front cover is also fantastic in that it hints at what the book will be about, but does not give it away. The illustrations do a great job of showing the magnitude of the dome that Pippo builds, making all the people working on it very tiny. The colors are also very good and make you think of Italy.
The content of the book was excellent and appropriate for the grade level. There were a lot of words, but the words were fairly easy and descriptive. I loved this book and definitely recommend it for individual reading and for read alouds.

[JUNE BENGOETXEA · Rating 4 out of 5]

PIPPO THE FOOL is a picture book for older readers written by Tracey E. Fern and illustrated by Paul Estrada. This book is based on a true story happened in Florence; the people of Florence wanted their cathedral to be complete, to be crowned with a beautiful dome. They initiated a dispute. Many tried to design a dome, but all were failures until Pippo the Fool appeared. First they didn’t accept his idea, but finally yes and it was a spectacular dome when was finished.

It is a nice story of how with perseverance you can achieve your goals; I think that this book sends a very important message. And at the same time is entertaining. The information of the last pages is interesting too, when he talks about the true story. It is a way of making to think students.

Pau Estrada made a wonderful job with this book, his illustrations are fantastic. They have a lot of details and the colors are bright, I love them. Especially I liked the illustration that takes two pages, where the reader can see all Florence. In the last pages we can read the illustrator´s note too, and is nice too.

I would like to have this book in my class, I think that children of 5-6 years and above could interpret the meaning easily.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

The people of Florence wanted their cathedral to be complete, to be crowned with a beautiful dome. They initiated a contest. Many tried to design a dome, but all were failures until Pippo the Fool appeared. Pippo was the object of derision to many, but his design was flawless. It took Pippo many years to complete his work, but it was spectacular when finished.

This is the kind of story that we adult nonfiction readers crave these days, what we call a piece of nonfiction that reads like a story. Children crave it, too, I think.

Pippo the Fool is a lovely story, with excellent complementary illustrations.

A bit:

'Finally the judges turned to Pippo's plans. They could not believe their eyes. Surely this was the craziest idea yet! Pippo's dome seemed to float over the cathedral like a great balloon. It had no columns, no earth, no scaffolding to support it.

"How do you plan to build such a dome?" the judges asked. "What will hold it up?"

Pippo would not tell. He was worried that Lorenzo would steal his idea.'

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I am very interested in the actual history and will try to read the book recommended to me by my Goodreads friend Chrissie: Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture .

I wanted to like this more than I did. I appreciate the illustrations more than I actually enjoyed them. I loved the historical story more than the telling of it here. I did like the book though, and I’m glad that I read it, and I’m eager to learn more about the sixteen year long building of the dome. I’ve never been to Florence but this is one of its landmarks I’d love to see. Off on a web search as this book has made me very curious.

[Alyssa Teator · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: "Pippo the Fool"
Author: Tracey E. Fern
Illustrator: Pau Estrada
Published: February 1st 2009 by Charlesbridge
Genre: Historical Fiction
Set during the Italian Renaissance, Pippo the Fool (as he has been nicknamed), has entered a contest to help the leaders of Florence build a dome over the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. To Pippo, winning the contest would mean that he could lose his nickname once and for all, and that he would no longer be looked down upon in the city of Florence. As the author and illustrate worked together to create a beautiful masterpiece of a book, the reader is able to learn about an important time in Western engineering and history. There is alot of detail that is incorporated into this book, yet it is pleasing and fun to read. It is a great book to use to introduce students to a significant part of history.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture book for older readers

I loved this book, it teaches children to go after what you want. If you think you can do something don't let anybody else tell you different. Pippo was so determined despite what everybody the judges thought. The architects couldn't even come up with anything but Pippo tried and tried until he succeeded. He never gave up and perservered through it all. This is a great message for kids especially in middle school when they're trying to "find themselves" and don't always think they can reach a goal of theirs. The illustrations are amazing. Full page paintings help us really get a feel for the renaissance and Estrada did a great job with them, especially with all the bold, bright, beautiful colors.

[Chelsea Sweet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the building of a dome on a famous church. The church originally has no dome and a contest is held to see who can come up with the best design for the dome. Pippo, nick named Pippo the fool, hears about the contest and wants to win so he will no longer be called a fool. He ends up winning the contest and having to work with someone who has been very mean to him. Eventually his dome gets built after 16 years.

The illustrations in this book are wonderful and reflect the Renaissance vibe. They add life and color to the story. I thought this book had a good message to it without being overly forceful. I like that it introduces the Renaissance to the audience in a fun way. I could absolutely see myself using this book as a prelude to a Renaissance lesson.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually add my kiddo reads, but I'm reading a beast very slowly so I haven't updated in awhile. This is a really great book we read today. It is based on a true story about a very famous building in Florence, Italy. I'm sad to report, I didn't go to the church when I was there, but I plan on making it back there someday. The main character is a bit of a Renaissance type man. People think he is dumb, but he knows he can contribute to society and try to be somebody important. He is successful in a big way.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because of a visit to the Duomo in Florence, Italy a couple of years ago. This picture book is a good introduction to architect and inventor,Filipo Brunelleschi and the dome he designed for the Cathedral of Santa maria del Fiore in Florence. It would be good for those traveling or for budding architects, engineers or those who want to know how things work. The illustrations help to bring to life Florence of the 1400's.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pippo the Fool is a historical fiction book about the building of the first dome in Florence. A man named Pippo is always mocked by the people in the city and never taken seriously, to prove he is not a joke, he spends lots of time designing an amazing dome in order to win the contest. In the end, he does win and the beautiful dome is built and the credit is given to Pippo. I liked this book and it could teach kids about the value in hard work.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming story of the misunderstood genius, Filippo Brunelleschi and the remarkable, ingenious dome that he invented for a cathedral in Florence, Italy. Even though others called him Pippo the Fool, he never stopped dreaming of a way to build the dome.
Pau Estrada's lovely watercolor and gouache paintings have all the delightful charm of the characters, while also showing Brunelleschi's brilliant architecture. Great for ages 6-9.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! The illustrations are gorgeous, realistic, and, so far as I can tell, fairly historically accurate. This story excellently pairs biography and a little bit of history with character education, exhorting readers to dream big and work hard. It's a more advanced picture book, more appropriate for intermediate readers or as a read aloud.