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

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

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Overview

An award winning children’s author adapts the Canticle of the Creatures “in crystalline language. Grace and joy for all ages and almost any faith” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

In Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Newbery Medal and National Book Award–winning author Katherine Paterson re-imagines a hymn of praise originally written by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1224. Illuminated with the exquisite illustrations of cut-paper artist Pamela Dalton, this picture book offers a stunningly beautiful tribute to nature.

“The combination of her polished poetic text and Ms. Dalton’s glorious illustrations reach a sublime height.” —New York Journal of Books

“Gorgeous.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

“An inspiring modern classic.” —Booklist (starred review)

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452105796
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	03/22/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	18
Sales rank:	722,431
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Katherine Paterson is a two-time Newbery Medal winner, a two-time National Book Award winner, and the 2010-11 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. She lives in Barre, Vermont.
Pamela Dalton is a master of scherenschnitte, the art of papercutting. Her artwork has enthralled collectors worldwide for more than two decades. She lives in Ghent, New York, where her home and studio overlook a biodynamic farm and a school community. This is her first book.

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Artwork and verse alike give a nod toward the Europe of centuries past in this reimagining of Saint Francis's song of thankfulness and praise, which dates to the 1220s. An editor's note mentions that Francis composed the canticle "in his local Umbrian dialect... so that his words could be understood by all." Similarly, Paterson, the current national ambassador for young people's literature, does a fine job of making the canticle more catholic than Catholic (no mention of mortal sin), while maintaining a traditional tone and hewing to the structure of the original, which appears at book's end. As Paterson expresses thankfulness to God for various forces of creation ("We praise you for our Sister Earth, who declares your mother love for us"), debut artist Dalton offers delicately detailed, loosely symmetrical cut-paper tableaus, set against black backdrops and framed by birds' nests, willow trees, vines, and branches. Young Germanic peasants work and play, harvesting, baking, and, in a solemn spread dedicated to Sister Death, mourning a deceased woodland animal. It's only the absence of a more multicultural cast that keeps this from being a truly global paean to God's creation. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"An inspiring modern classic." - Booklist Starred Review

"The combination of her polished poetic text and Ms. Dalton’s glorious illustrations reach a sublime height." - New York Journal of Books

"Gorgeous" - School Library Journal Starred Review

From the Publisher

A gorgeous visual paean to the natural world that reflects and echoes the prayer it accompanies.
Beloved author Paterson "reimagines" Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Creatures" in crystalline language. "For this life and the life to come, we sing our praise to you, / O Lord, the Father and Mother of all creation." The song starts with Brother Sun and Sister Moon, Brother Air and Sister Water, and leads on to thanksgiving for Sister Earth and Brother Fire, through praise for those who can forgive, comfort for those who suffer, courage for those who make peace.There is praise for Sister Death, acknowledging fear but recognizing her as part of love "for this life and the life to come." Dalton's extraordinary images, made with papercuts and watercolor lain on a black background, have the same stately rhythm, repetition and beauty as the text. Borders of fruit branches, flowers and leaves set off the text and the center frame, which is in two or three lines of images like a medieval panel painting or a contemporary sequential tale. A farmer plows and reaps, children play and work. Exquisitely rendered butterflies and oxen, sunflowers and apples, wheat and bread make the world vivid, present and lovely.
Grace and joy for all ages and almost any faith. (author's, editor's and illustrator's notes, "Canticle" translated by Bill Barrett) (Picture book/religion. 5-10)

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