Ursula Murray Husted lives in a small house with a big garden in Minneapolis with her partner, their daughter, three cats, and many, many books. She received her PhD from the University of Minnesota, MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and BFA from Marshall University. She is the author of A Cat Story and Botticelli’s Apprentice. Ursula Murray Husted lives in a small house with a big garden in Minneapolis with her partner, their daughter, three cats, and many, many books. She received her PhD from the University of Minnesota, MFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and BFA from Marshall University. She is the author of A Cat Story and Botticelli’s Apprentice.

Delightful for fans of art, artists, and historical fiction. — BooklistCharming and inspiring: an empowering feminist story enlivened by historically accurate artistic techniques.  — Kirkus ReviewsA charming, clever, and deeply heartfelt story about a young artist’s struggles for opportunity and recognition! This is a delightfully warm-hearted tale of ambition, heartbreak and friendship in a Renaissance art studio that’s also astoundingly relatable. — Sarah Becan, artist of Let’s Make Dumplings, Let’s Make Bread, and Let’s Make RamenI’ve never seen Renaissance Italy glow so real and relatable! Mella’s work grinding pigment and cooking glue may seem so 500 years ago. But her sensitive struggle with those who steal credit for her work is very familiar today. — Rachel Elliott, author of The Real Riley MayesA moving and very funny love letter to the craft of painting, and to the forgotten assistants, apprentices, and women who helped make the great works of the Renaissance. — Hope Larson, author of Salt MagicA delightful story about having faith in yourself, and believing in your art. — Michael Rex, author of the Your Pal Fred seriesThe characters—including the book’s plentiful feathered and furry chorus—the setting, and the story radiate humor, humanity, and history. While some readers may be content to follow Mella’s story, others will appreciate the visual bounty of everyday life in Renaissance Florence as well as the depiction of artistic practices. Botticelli’s Apprentice is pure lapis lazuli, no smalt. — Carol Tilley, comics scholar, librarian, 2016 Eisner Judge, and Associate Professor in Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignThis graphic novel is a must-have, blending history, ­artistic ­passion, and a timeless message of ­determination. — School Library JournalBrimming with charm and historical detail, Botticelli’s Apprentice will transport you back in time to Renaissance Italy with a tale of following your dreams despite the odds. — Tim Probert, The Lightfall SeriesTruly, it is a fabulous book! — Koo Schadler, master painter of the Copley Society of Boston and author of Egg Tempera Painting, A Comprehensive GuideA perfect graphic novel for creative kids. I absolutely LOVED this book! — Aron Nels Stenke, creator of the Mr. Wolf's Class seriesAn utterly engaging and entertaining graphic novel. Well-researched, with a light touch. A delightful introduction to the craft of painting in Renaissance Florence. — Dr. Kathleen Walker-Meikle, author of Medieval Pets and The Dog Book: Dogs of Historical DistinctionThere is so much life in Botticelli's Apprentice. Everywhere you look, there's something beautiful and lively to gaze upon. This is a beautiful meditation on artists and artisans, families and comrades, and the importance of nurturing the talent of overlooked girls. — Charlie Jane Anders, winner of the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awards and author of All The Birds in the Sky and the Unstoppable trilogyBotticelli’s Apprentice is a sumptuously illustrated ode to being an artist. Ursula Murray Husted tells us a brilliant tale of Mella, a young girl in Renaissance Italy doggedly trying to navigate the social barriers of a male dominated art world. Mella’s frustrations and triumphs will resonate deeply with anyone who has had to fight to be seen and her grace, fortitude, and talent are truly inspiring! — Jay Hosler, creator of The Way of the Hive and Ant StoryHistorical fiction at its mightiest. A masterpiece! — Betsy Bird, author of Long Road to the CircusUrsula Murray Husted's engaging and impressive new book, Botticelli's Apprentice, imagines a young would-be female artist named Mella who struggles to contend with the dauntingly male-exclusive artworld of fifteenth-century Florence. If only all early modern women artists had been able to achieve the same happy ending that Mella does! Husted's vivid images and well-informed engagement with many aspects of fifteenth-century Florentine painting make this book a fun and fascinating read. I enjoyed every page. — Dr. Babette Bohn, author of Women Artists, Their Patrons, and Their Publics in Early Modern BolognaA highly entertaining and instructive imagining of how, against all odds, a young girl in Renaissance Florence realises her dream of becoming an artist. — Rosalind Brown-Grant, translator of Christine de Pizan’s Book of the City of LadiesOh, what a delightful book! I loved this charming and informative tale of a girl who desperately wants to become an artist in 15th century Italy. Ursula's funny and lovely drawings illustrate a timeless story of friendship and determination. Can't wait to give it to the young artists (and graphic novel lovers) in my life! — Tina Connolly, Hugo-nominated author of Seriously WickedWith deeply researched detail, witty dialogue and humor, Ursula Murray Husted's beautifully drawn and colored Botticelli's Apprentice invites us into an immersive world of Renaissance Florence, and the story of young Mella's determination to become a painter. Expect to close this book with a new understanding of 15th century painting techniques-- how to gesso a panel and paint in egg tempera—as well as a renewed sense of how ingenuity, friendships, and one licky blue dog help to persevere in what makes you feel most alive. — Glynnis Fawkes, comic illustrator of 1177 B.C. A Graphic History of the Year Civilization CollapsedBotticelli’s Apprentice is a feast for the eyes and the heart. I laughed and cried reading it, and I will think about it for a long time. — Scott McCloud, creator of Understanding Comics