Thursday, October 4, 2007

Teasures on our book shelf


The Blackbird’s Nest, by Jenny Schroedel and illustrated by Doug Montross, has become a family favorite at our house. I’ve started a children’s library on Christian themes, including several titles on the saints.

The Blackbird’s Nest is about St. Kevin of Ireland who was born to a royal family in AD 498. Even though his life was first recorded some 400 years after his death, the fragments and legends are worth the telling. Lessons on patience and spiritual renewal are timeless. The historical note, along with icon and other notes of interest, on the last pages of the book are informative and inspirational for the Christian reader.

Jenny Schroedel does an excellent job writing for a young audience, using a rhythm and keen descriptions to make every page a discovery. The artist does an equally beautiful job in making the illustrations something you could frame and hang on the wall. The colors are dark and earthy, with a smooth texture which lends me to think it’s probably originally created in oils.

This book is suitable for kids aged 6-12, and makes a rich addition to a church or home library.



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