Arlene Graston

Summary:

This short and colorful chapter book is a traditional literature collection of folklores. The entire book is comprised of six short stories about saints and their relationships with certain animals. Each story is only a handful of pages and consists of very colorful and simple illustrations. Included in the book are the following stories: Jerome and the Lion, Coleman and the Little Animals, Pretty Germaine and Her Sheep, Ciaran and the Deer, Martin and the Dogs and Cats, and Francis and the Wild Wolf. All of the stories are about particular saints and the animals they encounter and become friends with. In each story, the particular animals help the saints with certain experiences in their lives and the saints learn to cherish and love the animals as their closest friends.

Comments (opinions/arguments):

This collection of short stories was very simple and cute for young children. Although a chapter book, the text is fairly simple and each page only has a few sentences. The majority of the pages are taken up by huge illustrations that I personally really liked. They are very detailed and wonderfully drawn to portray the actual events of the stories. Although it’s not practical that these stories revolve around saints and God, they still offer wise moral messages. Each story is different and unique in its own way and includes different animals, but each one has a central message about the special language between people and animals. It teaches that anyone can have this special language with animals as long as we listen and learn from animal friends and use them as guidance throughout our lives. The saints treat these animals as their friends and are very grateful for the different purposes that the animals have that help them in their daily lives. The stories really teach children to value others and every relationship they make, whether it be with people or animals.… (plus d'informations)