Leonardo da Vinci Crosses the Curriculum into the Modern Age!

    WASHINGTON, DC, December 16, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Crossing the curriculum has never been so much fun than in this clever and engaging story. Leonardo da Vinci Gets A Do-Over is hot off the press!

On a class trip to Italy, three American middle school students encounter a costumed man who introduces himself as the Leonardo da Vinci. The artist, anatomist, engineer and inventor is supposedly back from the dead after nearly 500 years!

In this inventive novel, Leonardo finds out, on his death bed, that his birth was a mistake... because the technology of his day was not commensurate with his genius. He is granted a do-over, but it comes with one condition--he must do something brilliant (no pressure!).

As you can imagine, when he appears in Florence, in the year 2000, he has a lot of catching up to do!

Readers tag along as 7th graders Max, Tad, and Gina become da Vinci's ambassadors to the modern age, all the while being enthralled by Leonardo's tales of Renaissance life.

Girls will connect with Gina, the smart, strong and capable female protagonist. Boys will identify with Tad and Max as they become the time traveler's right-hand men. Educators will appreciate the science and math content as well as the cross-curricular material. School administrators will value how Max transitions from being the bullied outsider to a valued insider. Parents will love how funny it is.

"Readers are treated to an intriguing array of subjects as these cross-cultural characters meet and exchange ideas and explanations that help each other span a five-century-long gap in knowledge," says Daniel Bisaccio, Director of Science Education at Brown University. "It's a fascinating and well-written story!"

The book is filled with science and math... and so much more! "Teachers have a powerful new tool with this clever book. It beautifully blends one story across the entire curriculum," explains Sonya Smith, Curriculum Specialist at the Center for Technology Outreach at Mississippi State University.

"Through Leonardo's time travel and the middle schoolers' teamwork, this book makes social studies, language arts, foreign language, science, technology, engineering and math new and exciting," adds Mary Smigel, teacher of Elementary and Gifted Education at Montessori Academy of Lancaster, PA. Leonardo da Vinci Gets a Do-Over also appeals to science fiction and mystery enthusiasts.

Publisher Science, Naturally anticipates strong demand from parents, educators, librarians, after school programs, museums and homeschoolers. The content aligns with the Common Core State Standards and correlates to the Next Generation Science Standards. Supplemental resources include a glossary, index, biography of Leonardo da Vinci, suggestions for further reading on the Maestro and the Renaissance, and a Teacher's Guide. It's a 61-page interdisciplinary curriculum with a myriad of hands-on activities.

Author Mark P. Friedlander, Jr. was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. metro area. He studied at the University of Virginia before serving as an aviator in the Korean War. Friedlander is an accomplished author of over a dozen non-fiction books on subjects ranging from Shakespeare to contagious diseases. He lives in Falls Church, VA, where he continues to practice law when he is not writing or spending time with his grandchildren. This is his first work of fiction.

Illustrator Worachet Boon Sakprayoonpong was born in Bangkok, Thailand. His family moved to the U.S. when he was quite young. He discovered a passion for drawing as a high school student. Boon is currently studying design at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. This is his first book.

Science, Naturally! is an independent press committed to increas¬ing STEM literacy, with a focus on presenting complex science and math topics in accessible and engaging ways. Our books, eBooks and apps are designed to help readers gain a better understanding of how science and math affect everyday life. All of our titles have earned the coveted "NSTA Recommends" designation by the National Science Teachers Association and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has endorsed all of our math books.

Science Naturally titles are available to the book trade through National Book Network. Catalogs that sell our books include Museum Tour, Educational Innovations, EAI Education, and ETA hand2mind. Children's Plus produces our library bound editions.

Review copies available upon request. Sample content, cover scans, and the articulation of content to the Next Generation Science standards are available at http://www.ScienceNaturally.com.

Leonardo da Vinci Gets a Do-Over is the first book in the Innovators in Action! series that brings alive the contributions of key inventors in history.

Innovators in Action! Leonardo da Vinci Gets a Do-Over
November 2014
Middle Grade Blended Fiction
Ages 10-14, 208 pages
Trade paperback ISBN 13: 978-0-9678020-6-0 $12.95
E-book ISBN 13: 978-0-9700106-4-3 $11.99
Glossary, Index, da Vinci Biography, Teacher's Guide

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