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  • Published: 14 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9781580892964
  • Imprint: Charlesbridge Children
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 32
  • RRP: $21.00

Stone Giant

Michelangelo's David and How He Came to Be




Michelangelo saw something—someone—special in the stone.

No one wanted the “giant.” The hulking block of marble lay in the work yard, rained on, hacked at, and abandoned—until a young Michelangelo saw his David in it.

Night and day, Michelangelo worked in secret, lovingly coaxing statue out of the stone. Its majesty endures even today.

This is the story of how a neglected, discarded stone became a masterpiece for all time. It is also a story of how humans see themselves reflected in art.

Back matter includes further information about David and a selected bibliography

  • Published: 14 October 2026
  • ISBN: 9781580892964
  • Imprint: Charlesbridge Children
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 32
  • RRP: $21.00

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Praise for Stone Giant

Praise for Stone Giant

  • An NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 
  • "Highly recommended for all public and school libraries and especially recommended for units on the Italian Renaissance and in art classes in the middle to upper-elementary grades."—School Library Journal
  • "A handsome offering that helps youngsters understand both an artist’s process and how this stunning statue became the enduring symbol of a city and its people."—Kirkus Reviews
  • "Art teachers especially would do well to seek this out."—Booklist