Brother Sun, Sister Moon : Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the creatures

A beautiful and reverent "reimagining" of St. Francis of Assisi's "Cantincle of the Creaures."

The illustrations in this book are amazing.

Celebrated children's author Katharine Paterson, who was twice awarded the Newbery Medal for her fiction for young readers, "reimagines" St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Creatures (also known as The Canticle of the Sun) in this lovely picture-book. With praise for all of creation - the

Show More

titular Brother Sun and Sister Moon of course, but also Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire, Sister Earth, and even Sister Death - and most of all for the creator, the poetic narrative creates a sense of wonder and awe, while the accompanying artwork by Pamela Dalton provides a visual feast for the reader.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon is an outstanding picture-book! I was moved by the text, which, to judge by the more direct translation of St. Francis' song that is included at the rear, keeps very much to the spirit of the original. I appreciated the balance offered, between the feminine and the masculine in creation, and was interested to see Death described in the feminine, and as a sister - after all, it too is part of creation. The artwork is simply gorgeous, and I found myself marveling at the intricate paper-cuttings (all made from a single piece of paper) that were then so beautifully colored. Apparently this style of illustration, known as "Scherenschnitte" (literally, "scissor cuts"), dates to sixteenth-century Germany and Switzerland. I will have to track down more of Pamela Dalton's work! Recommended to readers looking for children's stories that address the spiritual component of the natural world.

Show Less

I'd never heard of the Canticle of Creatures. The words are pretty, but the illustrations are especially nice!

What an incredible book, written by two-time Newbery Medal winner for The Bridge over Terabithia and Jacob I Have Loved. Based on St. Francis of Assissi's Canticle of the Creatures, this is a book of purpose, of nature, and of the intertwining of the beauty when nature inspires us and calls us to

Show More

travel to a different level of consciousness.

The beautiful illustrations are created by the Germanic art of paper cutting into patterns. The Scherenschnitte images are a feast for the eyes.

Show Less

Summary: The characters in the book display their thankfulness to God for the sun, stars, moon, wind, and "every kind of weather." Throughout the book the characters display their thankfulness all other aspects that are related to the weather and the outdoor conditions.

Evaluation/Argument: This

Show More

book was very different than ones I am use to reading. You do not see writing like this in today's society. There is less praise and thanksgiving to God. The characters in the story are illustrated in a way that other generations dressed and are shown behaving like they did years ago. For example, the women are shown wearing bonnets on their heads and holding buckets of water back to their homes. This dress and behavior is not typical of society today. I did not really like this book, but that may be because of its old-fashioned nature.
The central message of the story is to be thankful for the weather conditions that you have been given. We should be thankful everyday that God has blessed you with the conditions he did and that you are able to continue to provide a living.

Show Less

Paterson adapts St. Francis' hymm to nature for young readers. The illustrations are lush, warm and very child-friendly, with plenty of little scenes for kids to pore over. This would be ideal for themes of Earth Day, Thanksgiving and environmentalism.