Art, Science, and Adventure: ‘Leo Da Vinci’ | News
Today we’ve got news of an intriguing new graphic novel coming from Papercutz next spring: Leo Da Vinci: Renaissance Kid, by How to Train Your Dragon 2 screenwriter Richard Ashley Hamilton and artist Marco Matrone; the two previously collaborated on Fearbook Club. Here’s the publisher’s summary:
Most people think of Leonardo Da Vinci as some old guy painting stuff hundreds of years ago…yet even Da Vinci was once a bold, troublemaking kid who craved adventure—this is his story! Young Leo has spent his childhood exploring art and engineering (and creepy caves) in the freedom of his hometown. But when his long-lost dad drags Leo to an apprenticeship far away, our boy genius soon finds himself out of his depth…and in a city on the brink of war! Fortunately, Leo also finds two new friends who change his life forever: Tano, a charmingly clumsy chum from Africa, and Filomena, a pre-teen patron who funds Leo’s latest inventions and always wears a mysterious smile—the smile which will inspire Da Vinci’s most famous portrait. Together, Leo, Filomena, and Tano uncover a deadly conspiracy that threatens the entire world…only nobody believes them, since they’re “just kids.” So Leo and his pals must grab everyone’s attention the only way they know how—with elaborate pranks that harness the true power of Art to open eyes and change minds. Equal parts Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones, Leo Da Vinci leaps out of history and into our hearts in an epic tale full of action, comedy, and full-color fun!
Clearly, this is not a graphic biography but an action/adventure tale that works in a lot of the actual Leonardo’s accomplishments. Sounds like fun! Papercutz rates the book for ages 7-12 and will release it in both paperback and hardcover formats on April 14, 2026.
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Filed under: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, News
About Brigid Alverson
Brigid Alverson, the editor of the Good Comics for Kids blog, has been reading comics since she was 4. She has an MFA in printmaking and has worked as a book editor, a newspaper reporter, and assistant to the mayor of a small city. In addition to editing GC4K, she is a regular columnist for SLJ, a contributing editor at ICv2, an editor at Smash Pages, and a writer for Publishers Weekly. Brigid is married to a physicist and has two daughters. She was a judge for the 2012 Eisner Awards.
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