The Life of St. Brigid by Jane G. Meyer is back in print! I’m so glad this gorgeous book is available again, and I’m grateful that Meyer gave me a copy so that I could share a review.
The Life of St. Brigid is not a conventional storybook. It is, as the title says, the life of a saint. In the Orthodox Church, lives of saints are stylized accounts, just like icons are stylized images. The conventions of the story, or the image, are intended to make the saint more accessible.
Specifically, Meyer’s Life of St. Brigid is intended to make St. Brigid accessible to children. And to Meyer’s everlasting credit, she doesn’t confuse accessible with patronizing. Her language is rich, full of interesting words and complex sentences. And she doesn’t shy away from aspects of St. Brigid’s story that are dark or difficult.
Meyer starts by informing the reader that St. Brigid’s father was a chieftain, and her mother was the chieftain’s Christian slave. Her father sold her mother when he heard the prophecies about her.
Meyer goes on to recount many of the best known and most loved events from St. Brigid’s life briefly and simply. Including the tale of St. Brigid’s cloak, which is one of my favorites.
What is most striking in all the accounts is St. Brigid’s generosity and her compassion for the poor. When someone is in need, she gives to them. If she has nothing, she finds something to give, even if that something is the chieftain’s sword!
The illustrations
The illustrations by Zachary Lynch are perfect for the story. He uses a blend of Celtic-inspired designs and the conventions of Orthodox iconography. It’s a really cool mix. The Celtic knotwork is glorious. And the stylized animals – especially the sheep and the cow – are a delight.
Children with a keen eye will notice that the people in the story almost always have flat faces, shown in profile. Except for St. Brigid, whose face looks like the face of an icon. So do the angels that show up in some of the illustrations, and Christ, and the Theotokos.
As much as I love the illustrations, the text is set in a font the is beautiful and evocative and problematic. The font is clearly intended to suggest an Irish manuscript from centuries past. And, in all honesty I truly love it. I suspect, though, that newly independent readers will find it difficult to read.
Read More
St. Brigid’s Cloak and Blueberry Jam: This is my favorite story from the life of St. Brigid.
The Lenten Feast of St. Patrick: St. Patrick’s Day falls during Great Lent. But for the Irish, it’s a day of celebration. So how does that work out in practice?
17 essential picture books for Orthodox Christian kids: If you’re looking for picture books that include stories about Orthodox Christian people and traditions, you’ll find them on this list.
Buy the Books!
These delightful books will diversify your bookshelves with disability representation. Elizabeth, one of the main characters, is an ambulatory wheelchair user.
Catherine’s Pascha
FINALIST IN THE 2015 USA BEST BOOK AWARDS
Catherine doesn’t like vegetables. She doesn’t like naps, and she doesn’t like it when her mom combs her hair. She loves hot dogs, chocolate cake, and her best friend, Elizabeth. Most of all, she loves Pascha! Pascha, the Orthodox Christian Easter, is celebrated in the middle of the night, with processions and candles and bells and singing. And Catherine insists that she’s not a bit sleepy.
Celebrate the joy of Pascha through the magic of a book: Catherine’s Pascha. Available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, and my webstore.
The Saint Nicholas Day Snow
Shoes or stockings? Horse or sleigh? Does St. Nicholas visit on December 6 or on Christmas Eve? Will a little girl’s prayer be answered? When Elizabeth has to stay at Catherine’s house, she’s worried about her grandmother, and worried that St. Nicholas won’t find her. The grownups, though, are worried about snow.
Celebrate the wonder of St. Nicholas Day through the magic of a book: The Saint Nicholas Day Snow. Available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, or my webstore.
