Tibaldo and the Hole in the Calendar Book

Tibaldo Bondi, son of the assistant to the great Florentine physician Turisanus, is supposed to celebrate his 12th birthday on October 10, 1582. But 1582 is no ordinary year. Inaccuracies in the calendar established under Julius Caesar have been piling up for over a millennium, the equinoxes are coming earlier and earlier in the year, and Easter is inexorably drifting out of traditional season. When Pope Gregory XII decrees a long-needed calendar reform, part of the correction involves dropping ten days from the year. Social upheaval ensues. Workers will lose ten days' wages, rent payments are due only twenty days apart, and Tibaldo's birthday is lost. Determined to recover his birthday, quick-witted Tibaldo manages an audience with Pope Gregory and speaks his mind. This story cleverly weaves an enjoyable account of the cultural and scientific milieu of 16th century Italy. Through Tibaldo's eyes, we learn of contemporary medical skills as practiced by his sister, a midwife, and his father; from Tibaldo's schoolteachers we learn about Renaissance astronomy and other sciences: and of course we learn the basis of the Gregorian reform that led to the calendar we use, with just minor changes, to this day. Beautifully illustrated with drawings that reflect the style of the era, Tibaldo and the Hole in the Calendar offers a fascinating look at the Renaissance period and a delightful tale that will entertain readers of all ages.Read More