The Master Violinmaker

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-An interesting and well-presented step-by-step account of how a violin is constructed, from the selection of the wood to the finished product. Each page has at least two full-color photographs showing how the wood is measured, carved, shaped, fitted, glued, and varnished. The text is placed near each illustration, explaining the technique readers are viewing. The syntax is simple and the descriptions are short, making the book accessible to reluctant readers. The format and colorful, attractive presentation will entice browsers as well. Basic information about the instrument is woven into the text, and a curriculum connection is evident. A full-page diagram of the violin is included; the absence of an index and table of contents is hardly noticed. Great for reports or recreational reading, this title will enhance the shelves of any music collection.-Linda Zoppa, Pablo Casals Intermediate School, Bronx, NY

Julie Corsaro

The exacting and time-consuming craft of violin making deserves better visual treatment than it receives in this otherwise informative book. Starting with the careful selection of pieces of aged maple and spruce, the text, straightforward yet reverential in tone, chronicles the various aspects of the instrument's creation (tools included) as executed by master violin maker John Larrimore. The many color photographs could have illuminated the writing, but they are as shady as the tree-lined street on which Larrimore's shop is located. They are also crowded on the page, making it sometimes difficult to identify the part of the instrument on which Larrimore is working (although kids can refer to the labeled picture of the completed violin on the back page). A book that may appeal to school-aged musicians and artisans as well as their teachers.