by Katherine Bolger Hyde, illustrated by Daria Fisher.
• Reading level: Ages 4-8
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Conciliar Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2009)
What is my criteria for a good saint biography?
- The story should be captivating and well-written.
- The illustrations should be appealing and beautiful.
- The saint is depicted accurately as a true historical figure canonized by the Catholic Church.
- The humanity of the saint is depicted.
- The saint’s love for Jesus Christ and His teachings is shown through the story with examples of prayer, virtue, and love for his/her neighbor. There is also an evidence of cooperation with God’s grace.
- The story should inspire my child to imitation. It should help him see what is meant by the term "saint", and instill a desire to become a saint.
When a story depicts or explains some historical legends, symbols, patronage, and/or cultural customs still with a focus on the Christian roots of them all, I find this an extra bonus.
This doesn’t mean I limit myself to only those books that fit my criteria. I just find that if we read stories about customs or traditions that are derived from saints, but if they are written for children it takes a little more discussion to bring the point that this is a fictionalized story and not really about the saint.
Lately, it is getting harder to find picture books on saints that fill my wish list. That's why I was so excited when I read Lucia, Saint of Light by Katherine Bolger Hyde, illustrated by Daria Fisher. This book fulfills all my desires in a saint biography and is the perfect book to read for the Memorial of St. Lucy.
I was drawn immediately by the title, as Lucia is referred to as a "saint". After reading the first sentence, "Today is my nameday!" I knew this book was a keeper.
The story revolves around Lucy and her family, an American family of Swedish descent. The family celebrates the Swedish customs of the Lucia Bride and all the baked treats on the feast of St. Lucia on December 13, also sharing their customs with other families. Lucy's mother discusses with Lucy the true St. Lucia and her life and martyrdom, and also ties in the explanation and connection of the Swedish customs with the saint.
The illustrations and story really paint a living picture of St. Lucia (or St. Lucy), helping a child understand how heroic she was, and that she was an actual historical figure. While this book was written by an Orthodox writer, Catholics and Orthodox both honor St. Lucia and this book bears that commonality. The main item a Catholic reader might notice missing is the connection of St. Lucia and her eyes. The Catholic tradition invokes St. Lucia's intercession against eye afflictions, but this is not the same in the Orthodox tradition. The author presents St. Lucia's heroic death for love of Christ, but also does spare gory details, like her eye removal.
The recipe for Lussekatter (Lucia Cat Buns) is included. I had never noticed before that the buns were in a shape of cross!
Also included is the sheet music to Santa Lucia, with original lyrics based on the traditional Swedish lyrics. I really like the author's interpretation, which has more of a Christian view of St. Lucia. There are also quite a few web links provided as resources. For more information, see the author's website.
Lucia, Saint of Light (alternative source for the book is Conciliar Press) by Katherine Bolger Hyde is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. If you're looking for a book for a nameday celebration, or just need to decide on one title for the Feast of St. Lucy on December 13, this would be my pick.
Disclaimer: I received a copy to review, and the links to Amazon will provide me a few cents to apply to another book to review if you decide to buy this book.
I am so excited to hear about this book !
Posted by: MaryM | November 21, 2009 at 11:06 PM