Custodians of Beauty

Fast or slow, high or low, saints are always on the go! This brightly colored book, "Saints on the Go", by Chantal Baros from Shining Light Dolls company, is filled with stories of the saints and their modes of transportation. Short rhymes retell the stories of thirteen saints. From horse drawn carriages and buckboard wagons to trolleys and steam engines, the saints sure did know how to get around! This book has a fun "easter egg"-- hidden on each page is an ichthus (Jesus fish symbol). Our kids try to race each other to be the first to find the fish. I was excited to see that this book included saints, such as St. Katharine Drexel, St. Maximillian Kolbe, and St. Josemaria Escriva who are written about less frequently in children's books. Also published by Shining Light Dolls, is the delightful board book, " The Virgin Mary Around the World ".  Just like " Saints on the Go ", this book is vibrant with color and explains our faith in a...

The plan was to write this book review after Easter, but I just couldn't resist. As soon as it arrived in my mailbox, I eagerly revealed the "quiet time surprise" to my four year old and we found a warm, sunny spot on the couch and read the story together. It's a challenge to find good, solid, children's books that are rich with the traditions of our faith. Unfortunately, a large majority of material out there is watered down, the content simplified or vague, and the artwork is terrible. How can we expect our kids to get excited about the Communion of Saints and the Mysteries of our faith if all they see is hippie Jesus walking with the butterflies? The good news is that, in the past eights years, there's been a revival of catholic picture books. These books portray the Church in all it's beauty and wonder. This book, John Mary Vianney: The Holy Curé of Ars is from the series "The Life of a Saint" published by Ignatius Press. We have ano...

The Little Drummer Boy , illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats is by far, the most anticipated Advent/Christmas board book in our household. Each page is illuminated with Keats's majestic artwork. The combination of both mediums, paint and collage, bring an exotic flair to the familiar narrative.  For those unaccustomed to the story, it is about a boy who notices kings traveling from distant lands and follows them to the stable. He watches the kings lay precious gifts beside the baby. The poor little drummer boy  has no present to give. S o he plays from his heart, a simple song for the King.  The Little Drummer Boy song is broken up line by line in the book, which makes it easy for young readers to follow along. My 3 year old can read this book from memory! It's one of her favorite books to bring into bed for "quiet time." One of Keats's beautiful illustrations from the book. The kings are depicted looking exceptionally regal in t...

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of our King, the girls and I have been reading some fun stories.  I've collected Christmas/advent books throughout the year when I spot them at garage sales or St. Vinney's. It's great to have a stash of "new" books to bring out during this time of waiting. The Crippled Lamb , by Max Lucado was passed down to us by my husband's grandmother. It's a story about a little lamb named Joshua who has a limp leg. He feels left out because he can't run and jump around with the other lambs. S ince he is too weak to make the journey to the new meadow, he  is sent to the stable for the night. God had a special plan for Joshua that night. It's a tender-loving story with beautiful oil painting illustrations by Liz Bonham. The illustrations of baby Jesus are adorable. A cute, bright-eyed little infant nestled in the hay. My three year old just loves this book. Parts of the book are repetitive , (...

The first time I saw this book, it was featured on Shower of Roses . I've found so many good books through this blog. Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes is a book in the series, The Life of a Saint. It is the story of a young girl who encounters the Blessed Mother in a grotto and discovers a miraculous spring. The book is a narrative on the life of St. Bernadette. The watercolor illustrations by Adeline Avril are lovely. The characters in her story are sweet and endearing. I was captivated by her use of unusual perspectives and angles. You feel as though you are watching from afar or from up above as the story unfolds. The cave where she sees the Blessed Mother is covered in leafy green fauna. I love the detail in her illustrations and they way her watercolor scenery bleeds out onto the white space of the page.  Bernadette with her rosy cheeked friends. Although my little ones are a bit young (and impatient) to sit through a r...

I have been following Fabiola's blog for some time. She is an amazingly talented young artist. I am impressed by her experienced drawing style and her good eye for backdrop scenery and landscapes as well as her characterization. I can't wait to see what God has planned for her. She inspires me to use my talents to glorify Him. The Story of Saint John Paul II: A Boy Who Became Pope is Fabiola's first book for children. It was released to the public following St. John Paul's canonization. This is, by far the best children's book on the life of St. John Paul that I have read. I love the fact that catholic sacramentals can be spotted all through the book. I noticed that one of her illustrations was based on a photo of Karol at work wearing a cap and scapular. She does a magnificent job helping us call to mind those old photos of our beloved pope. Her whimsical drawing style reminds me of the concept art for movies such as Tangled and Frozen. Her artwork is burs...

I distinctly remember certain books from childhood. Mom collected children's books of her favorite illustrators. She kept a great stack in the living room. Rotating the books every few months, we'd never get tired of them. It was exciting to see which books she would bring down from the attic. There's something special about reading a familiar story. The illustrations come to life; the imaginary smells and feels come back to you. My favorite rainy day book is Thunder Cake , by Patricia Polacco . It's the story of girl who overcomes her fear of thunderstorms with the help of her grandmother, "Babushka." They gather the ingredients for a special cake as the dark and gloomy storm approaches. The warm, rustic color scheme and whimsical illustrations bring you right in to Babushka's farmhouse. Polacco did an excellent job characterizing Babuska's "grandma traits". Russian floral prints cover her sweater and head scarf. Her home is simple with ...