Betsy and Giulio Maestro
Author and Illustrator
Betsy and Giulio Maestro have been creating books together since 1974. They are well know for their nonfiction, which is characterized by their attention to detail and the clarity of both words and pictures. Their books have been well received by both reviewers and educators who have praised them for their simple, uncluttered presentations; clean accurate prose; and colorful, striking illustrations.

The Maestros have more than 100 published titles over 25 years including: The Discovery of the Americas, The New Americans,  The Story of the Statue of Liberty, Ferryboat, How Do Apples Grow, and The Voice of the People  (HarperCollins), The Story of Money and The Story of  Religion  (Clarion), A Seafull of Sharks  and Snowday (Scholastic) Their latest books are The Story of Clocks and Calendars and Struggle For A Continent: The French and Indian Wars (HarperCollins). Many of the Maestro's books have been chosen as Notable Books by the American Library Association and as Pick of the Lists by the American Booksellers association.

Betsy was a kindergarten and first grade teacher before starting her writing career. She has a degree in early childhood education and a master's degree in counseling. Giulio graduated from Cooper Union in New York City with a bachelor's in fine arts. He worked in advertising before turning his hand to book illustration. He is also the author of a number of stories and riddle books.

"Our books and our presentations are very curriculum-related and both have been well received at our school visits over the last ten years. Presentations take the students on a lively trip through our research, the writing process, editing, illustration, printing and publishing."

PUBLISHED BOOKS

Liberty or Death: The American Revolution, 1763-1783 by Betsy Maestro, Giulio Maestro (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 8up Edition: Hardcover Publisher:   HarperCollins Publishers; (November 1, 2004)
ISBN: 0688088023  
It began in Boston, with angry colonists objecting to the tyranny of a king who ruled from an ocean away. It was voiced by patriots such as Sam Adams and Patrick Henry and echoed by citizens from New England all the way to the Carolinas. It was fought by many—colonists and patriots, loyalists and slaves, Frontiersmen and Indians, British and French soldiers. Over more than ten years, sides were taken, guns drawn, lives lost. But through it all, one man—a general from Virginia named George Washington—held the young colonies together and led them to victory beating almost impossible odds. History lovers Betsy and Giulio Maestro tell this true story of extraordinary times, incredible drama, and the birth of a new nation.

Now in Paperback from Harper Collins
The Story of Clocks and Calendars
by Betsy Maestro
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Edition:Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: HarperTrophy;
(November 1, 2004) ISBN: 0060589450
 
Did you know that there is more than one calendar? While the most commonly used calendar was on the year 2000, the Jewish calendar said it was the year 5760, while the Muslim calendar said 1420 and the Chinese calendar said 4698. Why do these differences exist? How did ancient civilizations keep track of time? When and how were clocks first invented?

Find answers to all these questions and more in this incredible trip through history.

The New Americans : Colonial Times: 1620-1689 (The American Story) by Betsy Maestro Reading level: Ages 9-12 Edition: Paperback: 48 pages ; Publisher: HarperTrophy; (June 29, 2004)

ISBN: 0060575727
Published by Lothrop Lee & Shepard, Publication date: March 1998
ISBN: 0688134483    

Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal: An excellent, evenhanded account of European immigration to North America during Colonial times. In clear language, the Maestros explain this often confusing part of American history. They take readers from the French explorers of the early 1600s, to the arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620, to 1689, when the European population here numbered over 200,000. With beautifully rendered full-color illustrations that are well labeled, this book will leave students with a glimpse of how greedy some settlers were, how religious intolerance played an important role in establishing certain settlements, how hostilities were bound to grow between Europeans and natives, and how the struggle for this continent had only just begun. An "Additional Information" page includes historical tidbits (such as information on the first woman lawyer in the colonies and the founding of Harvard College) and is followed by a fact sheet on "Exploration and Explorers: 1634-1685." This is a fine work that will be well used and create a lot of interest. Other titles to be used in conjunction with it include Sarah Howarth's Colonial People and Colonial Places (both Millbrook, 1994) and Lucille Recht Penner's The Pilgrims at Plymouth (Random, 1996).Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI —School Library Journal 

The Voice of the People: American Democracy in Action by Betsy Maestro, Giulio Maestro Reading level: Ages 8up Edition: Library Binding: ; Publisher: Sagebrush Bound; (October 1, 1999)
ISBN: 0788748289    
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly With election time drawing near, curious readers can turn to this handy primer for a better understanding of the electoral process, and of the origins and workings of American democracy. Distilling the broad and complex nature of their subject to its essence, this proficient author-illustrator team (A More Perfect Union) shows how the government has had to "grow and change to keep up with both the population and modern thinking." Among the topics explored in the detailed, anecdote-studded narrative are the responsibilities of the three branches of the federal government and the function of political parties. Versatile watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations capture a measure of the theatrics involved in a contemporary election. They also offer a balanced range of images from across the political and historical spectrum: impressive likenesses of a number of past and present political figures; postcard-like images of key government buildings; dramatic renderings of the aftermath of the Supreme Court's 1954 decision to integrate public schools; facsimiles of government documents; even whimsical campaign memorabilia (the Carter peanut coin bank) and a snowy scene on primary day in New Hampshire. Elementary teachers will find this an engaging supplement to American history textbooks. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --

From School Library Journal   The vivid, exquisitely detailed watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations have a great deal of appeal. They have the realistic detail of photographs, but are warmer and more inviting. ILucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 5/96  Well-timed to find its way into schools and libraries before November 5th, this is a steady illustrated overview of the election process, with a particularly close eye on the race for president. As with their previous volumes, such as A More Perfect Union and The Discovery of the Americas, the Maestros here don't provide any more information than does a well-organized encyclopedia article; it's the large format and even tone that win the ticket. --

Booklist, 4/1/96 Colorful, amply detailed scenes will lure readers into this fact-filled book, which makes a good companion to the author/illustrator's A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution (1987). In fact, this book starts with information about the Constitution as the backbone of our government. The text, straightforward without being stiff, does a masterful job of distilling a complicated subject. --

Geese Find the Missing Piece: School Time Riddle Rhymes by Marco Maestro, Giulio Maestro (Illustrator) Reading level: Baby-Preschool   Hardcover: 48 pages ; Publisher: Harpercollins Juvenile Books; (August 1999)
ISBN: 0060262206  
Where do polar hears learn their ABCs.
The chilly students go to a cool school! Beginning readers will have a ton of fun guessing the rhyming answers to these twenty-two original riddles about school.
Marco and Giulio Maestro's first I Can Read Book, What Do You Hear When Cows Sing?: and Other Silly Riddles, won this praise from Booklist: "Puns and wordplay are a great way to show new readers that books can be joyful nonsense. The questions are as entertaining as the answers, and the overblown pictures pick up the playful connections. These jokes need sharing."

Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal  The simple text and structure of the riddles are just right for the target audience. The book is populated by a colorful assortment of birds and animals that provide visual clues. Used just for fun or in a more formal classroom lesson on rhyming patterns, this book will produce miles of...smiles. Maura Bresnahan, Shawsheen School, Andover, MA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc

From Booklist  Twenty-one humorous riddles, each featuring a rhyme in the punch line, make this I Can Read Book a good choice for new readers. ... Colorful illustrations give lots of contextual clues to help struggling readers, and all the drawings and riddles revolve around school-type activities. Kathy Broderick

From Kirkus Reviews  The use of an uncomplicated vocabulary enhances the accessibility of this I Can Read, while bold type for the rhyming words successfully aids readers in experiencing the creativity of language. Brightly hued, whimsical illustrations playfully complement the text. A lighthearted exploration of word games; the puns are refreshingly original and the humor is genuine. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Struggle for a Continent : The French and Indian Wars 1689-1763 (Maestro, Betsy. American Story Series.) by Giulio Maestro (Illustrator), Betsy C. Maestro, Reading level: Ages 9-12, Hardcover - 48 pages 1 Ed edition (September 5, 2000) HarperCollins Juvenile Books;

      ISBN: 0688134505  
   Struggle for a Continent tells the riveting story of the French and Indian Wars seventy-four years of fighting that determined the destiny of the future United States.
    As early as 1630, Spain, France, England, and the Netherlands had settlements or colonies in North America. Always looking for ways to expand their territory, these European nations were constantly at war with one another over trade, borders, and religious differences. Beginning in 1689, their conflicts in Europe spread across the Atlantic to America. Over the next seventy years, competing European powers would battle for control of the New World. The winner would take the prize--all of North America.

Editorial Reviews
From Booklist With text by Betsy and artwork by Giulio, the Maestros bring history to life in a new entry in the picture-book American Story series. The French and Indian Wars, called by several names during a 70-year period, were a struggle between the French and the Algonquian tribes on one hand and the English and the Iroquois tribes on the other. The French saw America as a vast resource for the lucrative fur trade; the English saw it as a place to send a troublesome populace and to build settlements. The indigenous groups allied themselves with the Europeans for a variety of reasons, including weaponry. The text is a model of clarity, balance, and nuance: European alliances, massacres on both sides, slavery, and double dealing are all noted, along with descriptions of strategy, tactics, and the conflicting needs of divergent groups. A wide variety of beautifully delineated pictures--maps, townscapes, seascapes, battlefields, and portraits--add to the spirited sweep of the text. A fine resource. GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved

A More Perfect Union : The Story of Our Constitution by Giulio Maestro, Betsy C. Maestro, 1987, Lothrop, Reading level: Ages 8up
Paperback ISBN 0688101925  

Library Binding:
Publisher: Econo-Clad Books; ISBN: 0833560557  

An ALA Notable Book 
An American Bookseller Pick Of The Lists

Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal
Once again the Maestros have produced a simple, attractive, and informative book about a milestone on American history. The simplest and most accessible history of the Constitution to date.

 
The Story of Religion by Giulio Maestro (Illustrator), Betsy C. Maestro Reading level: Ages 8-up Hardcover (August 1996) Clarion Books;
ISBN: 0395623642 ;          
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews , June 15, 1996
An illustrated synopsis of the genesis and basic ideas of each of the world's major religions, as well as of some minor ones. Among the back matter is a list of sacred books, another of major festivals, and an interesting compilation of the various renderings of the Golden Rule, a form of which exists in almost all systems of belief. Betsy Maestro (with Giulio Maestro, The Discovery of the Americas, 1991, etc.) begins carefully, earnestly preaching the importance of diversity and balance, and taking for granted that religions are not handed down by deities but evolve from a people's own need to find meaning in life. She gallops through primitive religions, and hits her stride when she begins telling about the actual beliefs and histories of various cultures, beginning with the Chinese. Given the space limitations of the picture-book format, these are elegant and precise pieces. Giulio Maestro's beautiful illustrations are done in an array of styles, often reflecting the motifs and palettes of the culture under discussion. ... this is, in many ways, a revelatory work and a provocative introduction to a complicated subject.   -- Copyright 1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Some Favorites

Other Books Written By Betsy and Illustrated by Giulio Maestro

Other Books Written By Betsy Maestro

COMING TO AMERICA: The Story of Immigration, Scholastic, 1996

WHY DO LEAVES CHANGE COLOR?, Harper Collins, 1994 (Book and Cassette Tape published 1996)

Other Books Written and Illustrated By Giulio Maestro

Other Books Illustrated By Giulio Maestro (Author: Marvin Terban)

SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS

Programs Available: A motivational program that takes young readers through the process of creating a nonfiction book. A lively and informative presentation covering research, writing and editing, illustrating, printing and publishing with many visuals. Stress is on editing as a positive process. Ends with Betsy reading and Giulio drawing from one of their many books (his pictures are yours to keep) and a Q&A. Up close and personal / no slides.

• Age appropriate programs for Pre-K though Adult
• Fifty to sixty minute program, except 30 minutes for K-1
• Group size limited to 150 per program
• Three to Four presentations per day
• Teacher and Parent workshops, Career Day events, and Conferences
• Book selling and autographing encouraged
• Multi-day visits to one or more schools or districts can be arranged, up to three weeks in length

A Word from the Maestros: "Our programs focus on nonfiction and the importance of accurate research and extensive editing. We try to inspire and encourage students to think of themselves as potential researchers, writers and artists, and to help them view editing as a positive and necessary process.Students and teachers are amazed at the amount of time and work that goes into each book. Our books cover topics that are important parts of the science and social studies curriculum - particularly American History. With each book, our goal is to help kids make the essential connections that enable them to understand the world they live in, and at the same time, open their minds to new ideas and ways of looking at things. Our presentations have the same goal. Our books often bring complicated subjects to young readers for the first time - our Constitution, the workings of government, religion, or the history of money. Each subject presents a unique challenge which is what makes our work  so  interesting. We greatly enjoy sharing our experiences and enthusiasm with our readers." (Note Betsy was a classroom teacher for 11 years)

PROFESSIONAL FEES:

$1,450 per day for three and $1,650 for four presentations in one day. These prices are for two people for a full day visit and include hotel, meals and autographing. Expenses for airfare or mileage is additional, but may be FREE or shared if we are visiting other schools in your area, in route to or from your area, or you book us for ten days of visits. Lower fees within Connecticut.

CONTACT:

Email: BCMAES@AOL.COM  

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