With the approach of Lent, I am focusing on Catholic books. Two books are non-fiction, one is an illustrated prayer, and two are comic books in a series we are wild about. I've mentioned before that I will be sharing faith-oriented books throughout 2020. While not specific to a holy day, each of these provides insight into Catholic beliefs and values and also a prominent saint. They are selected because of their beauty and their message,
Today's post is Francis-themed... with the start of Lent, it seems a perfect fit to focus on a saint who lived out the tenets of almsgiving, praying, and fasting.
Francis of Assisi
By Géraldine Elschner
Published in English by Minedition*, 2017
This picture book biography of Saint Francis of Assisi is like none I've seen (and he's a pretty popular saint). The narration pulls the reader in, regardless of age, and tells the compelling story of Francis's life – his renunciation of wealth, his effort to follow Christ's teachings, and his kindness to animals. But it is the Renaissance art and the quotations from current Pope Francis on every page that really set it apart. Stunning beauty accompanies the captivating story.
Elschner has created a treasure that asks to be read and paged through again and again.
*A review copy was provided upon request, in exchange for an honest review.
The Prayer of St. Francis
Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri
Published by Paulist Press, 2013
This is literally the Prayer of St. Francis, illustrated. Each line of the prayer gets its own page and illustration. Ferri has drawn a wolf acting out each part of Francis's iconic prayer – he is bringing light in the darkness, joy to the sad, and consolation to a tiny hedgehog. Appropriate, as it is the changed heart of the wolf at Gubbio that the saint is so well known for. The pictures also have prompted T to ask what each line of the prayer means and why the wolf is doing all those things. I don't think we would have such valuable conversations if not for The Prayer of Saint Francis
The Adventures of Loupio
Volume 1: The Encounter
Volume 2: The Hunters
By Jean-François Kieffer
Loupio is an orphan boy who befriends Brother Francis. When Francis tames the wolf, he asks it to look after Loupio. These comic books (each a 43-page, bound paperback) are the stories of Loupio and the wolf's adventures as they travel about Italy and as they learn why Francis lives the life he does. The direct instruction of Loupio is minimal, but when he runs into different problems, such as the imprisonment of a poacher trying to feed his family, Loupio reflects on what Francis has taught him. Spoiler Alert: He gets the lord of the castle to free the poacher.
The stories are exciting. T repeatedly asks to have these read, and he has told me that he wants me to buy the next installments. I'm more than happy to oblige, as they are authentic depictions of Catholic teaching and tradition, they are highly entertaining, and I am hoping that he will read this format to himself soon enough.
The English editions are available through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Loupio-Encounter-other-Stories/dp/1586175262
Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World
By Pope Francis
Published by Loyola Press, 2016
Background: The current pope has taken Saint Francis of Assisi as his namesake.
This is a collection of letters from children to the current pope and his responses. Each letter is accompanied by a drawing from the child and a photograph of that child. What I love about Dear Pope Francis is how understandable the pope's answers are. He explains doctrine and personal practices, from the salvation of non-Catholic souls to why he now wears "that tall hat" and why he loved to dance as a young man. Readers will likely see answers to questions they themselves have/had (like, Can our deceased loved ones still see us/hear from us?), and will appreciate the pope's forthright and compassionate responses. Back matter includes an explanation by the journalist who compiled the letters, relating how he shared the letters with the pope and recorded his responses. At his first glance, Pope Francis's reaction was: "But these are tough questions!" And that's what makes it so worth reading. Current, honest, and instructive, Dear Pope Francis helps any reader better understand Catholicism, the pope himself, and possibly one's own beliefs.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Today's post is Francis-themed... with the start of Lent, it seems a perfect fit to focus on a saint who lived out the tenets of almsgiving, praying, and fasting.
Francis of Assisi
By Géraldine Elschner
Published in English by Minedition*, 2017
This picture book biography of Saint Francis of Assisi is like none I've seen (and he's a pretty popular saint). The narration pulls the reader in, regardless of age, and tells the compelling story of Francis's life – his renunciation of wealth, his effort to follow Christ's teachings, and his kindness to animals. But it is the Renaissance art and the quotations from current Pope Francis on every page that really set it apart. Stunning beauty accompanies the captivating story.Elschner has created a treasure that asks to be read and paged through again and again.
*A review copy was provided upon request, in exchange for an honest review.
The Prayer of St. Francis
Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri
Published by Paulist Press, 2013
This is literally the Prayer of St. Francis, illustrated. Each line of the prayer gets its own page and illustration. Ferri has drawn a wolf acting out each part of Francis's iconic prayer – he is bringing light in the darkness, joy to the sad, and consolation to a tiny hedgehog. Appropriate, as it is the changed heart of the wolf at Gubbio that the saint is so well known for. The pictures also have prompted T to ask what each line of the prayer means and why the wolf is doing all those things. I don't think we would have such valuable conversations if not for The Prayer of Saint FrancisThe Adventures of Loupio
Volume 1: The Encounter
Volume 2: The Hunters
By Jean-François Kieffer
Loupio is an orphan boy who befriends Brother Francis. When Francis tames the wolf, he asks it to look after Loupio. These comic books (each a 43-page, bound paperback) are the stories of Loupio and the wolf's adventures as they travel about Italy and as they learn why Francis lives the life he does. The direct instruction of Loupio is minimal, but when he runs into different problems, such as the imprisonment of a poacher trying to feed his family, Loupio reflects on what Francis has taught him. Spoiler Alert: He gets the lord of the castle to free the poacher.The stories are exciting. T repeatedly asks to have these read, and he has told me that he wants me to buy the next installments. I'm more than happy to oblige, as they are authentic depictions of Catholic teaching and tradition, they are highly entertaining, and I am hoping that he will read this format to himself soon enough.
The English editions are available through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Loupio-Encounter-other-Stories/dp/1586175262
Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World
By Pope Francis
Published by Loyola Press, 2016
Background: The current pope has taken Saint Francis of Assisi as his namesake.
This is a collection of letters from children to the current pope and his responses. Each letter is accompanied by a drawing from the child and a photograph of that child. What I love about Dear Pope Francis is how understandable the pope's answers are. He explains doctrine and personal practices, from the salvation of non-Catholic souls to why he now wears "that tall hat" and why he loved to dance as a young man. Readers will likely see answers to questions they themselves have/had (like, Can our deceased loved ones still see us/hear from us?), and will appreciate the pope's forthright and compassionate responses. Back matter includes an explanation by the journalist who compiled the letters, relating how he shared the letters with the pope and recorded his responses. At his first glance, Pope Francis's reaction was: "But these are tough questions!" And that's what makes it so worth reading. Current, honest, and instructive, Dear Pope Francis helps any reader better understand Catholicism, the pope himself, and possibly one's own beliefs.
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