Leonardo da Vinci (Write Your Own History Book 4) by T.D. Clairmont

Editorial Review - Voices of Excellence

Author T.D. Clairmont

5 Star Review

2nd Place Young Adult

Spring Edition 2026

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What if learning about Leonardo da Vinci did not begin with memorizing dates, but with standing in his workshop and deciding what to do next?

That is the inviting premise behind Leonardo da Vinci, Book 4 in T. D. Clairmont’s Write Your Own History series. Designed for readers ages seven to fifteen, this interactive historical adventure places young people in the role of Leonardo himself—not as the celebrated genius preserved in textbooks, but as a curious apprentice in Renaissance Florence, still testing his talents and discovering what might be possible.

The concept offers an appealing way into history. Rather than observing Leonardo from a distance, readers are encouraged to imagine how it might feel to navigate his world: completing an artistic commission, investigating a mysterious map, encountering influential figures, and choosing which path to follow. This shift from spectator to participant has considerable potential. Leonardo becomes more than a famous name attached to paintings and inventions; he becomes an active point of identification for readers who are still discovering their own interests, abilities, and appetite for experimentation.

Clairmont’s premise appears particularly well suited to Leonardo, whose legacy naturally connects art, observation, engineering, and imaginative thinking. The adventure-driven structure can introduce Renaissance Florence as a place of movement and possibility rather than a static historical backdrop. Meanwhile, the story’s unusual elements—including a fortune teller’s hourglass, a hidden machine, and a sinister wizard—add mystery and playfulness. Based on the description, these fantastical touches are not presented as substitutes for history, but as narrative invitations into a world shaped by discovery, rivalry, creativity, and unanswered questions.

Reader choice is central to the book’s appeal. Allowing children to influence the direction of the journey can strengthen engagement while quietly exercising useful skills. Each decision asks readers to consider possibilities, accept consequences, solve problems, and continue exploring without being told that there is only one correct route. Branching paths may also encourage rereading, as young adventurers return to earlier moments to test different choices or uncover scenes they previously missed. That sense of personal agency can be especially valuable for reluctant readers, who may respond more readily to a book that feels like an experience they control rather than an assignment they must complete.

The broad intended age range presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Younger readers may be most attracted to the action, humor, danger, and freedom to choose, while older readers may engage more deeply with Leonardo’s developing identity and the intersection of artistic and inventive thought. The book’s success across that full range will ultimately depend on the manuscript’s vocabulary, pacing, historical context, and complexity—elements that cannot be conclusively assessed from the description alone. Nevertheless, the interactive premise provides several levels of entry, making it plausible for the book to work as independent reading for some children and as a shared read-aloud or guided activity for others.

For families, the adventure could open conversations about creativity, persistence, and the difference between historical record and imaginative storytelling. In classrooms and libraries, it may serve as a lively companion to lessons on Leonardo, Renaissance art, inventions, or Florence, particularly when adults help readers distinguish the historical foundation from the story’s fictional embellishments. Its format also invites follow-up exploration: a child intrigued by an artwork, machine, person, or setting may be motivated to investigate the real history behind the adventure.

On the strength of its concept, Write Your Own History: Leonardo da Vinci promises an energetic meeting point between biography, historical imagination, and participatory storytelling. It is most likely to appeal to curious young readers who enjoy puzzles, unpredictable adventures, creative experiments, and the freedom to wonder, “What would happen if I chose differently?” For those readers, history may feel less like something already written—and more like a door waiting to be opened.