The Circle of Days - Hardcover

Lindbergh, Reeve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763603570 ISBN 13: 9780763603571

Publisher: Candlewick, 1997

Synopsis

Inspirational and gloriously illustrated, THE CIRCLE OF DAYS honors the beauty of the natural world. (ages 5-12)

In 1225, Saint Francis of Assisi wrote the Canticle of the Sun, a moving hymn of praise for all creation that has been adapted to poetry and song for centuries. Reeve Lindbergh evokes its gentle power once again with THE CIRCLE OF DAYS, quietly blending her words with those of Saint Francis to honor the elements, the animals, the heavens, and the very breath of life. With marvelous, jewel-toned paintings by Cathie Felstead echoing the childlike reverence of the poem, THE CIRCLE OF DAYS reminds children and adults alike to pause, to wonder at, and to give thanks for the beauty of our world.

Now in paperback, this accessible edition features a beautiful new cover.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this title

About the Author

Reeve Lindbergh, daughter of aviator Charles Lindbergh and poet Anne Morrow Lindbergh, says, "I have always loved the simple, strong voice of Saint Francis of Assisi giving thanks for life itself and celebrating everything in existence."

Cathie Felstead was eager to illustrate THE CIRCLE OF DAYS because, she says, "Saint Francis took pleasure in the world with a childlike directness. He is the kind of saint whose words reach out to everyone"


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 3?The Canticle of the Sun, a prayer composed by Francis of Assisi, has been translated and adapted many times since 1225. Lindbergh's version uses a conventional metrical form, but the short tetrameter line sometimes dictates odd phrasing, and too often the accents shift as lines randomly alternate between trochaic and iambic: "Praise for radiant brother sun/Who makes the hours around us run." These verses have a poverty not attributable to the saint of the poor. The pictures, on the other hand, are rich in color, simple in form, yet full of interest. Collage accents add dimension to the flat planes painted in clear primary colors. Compositions are formal, but varied page layout and viewpoints add to the liveliness of the pages. This is a book for the eye, if not the ear.?Patricia Lothrop-Green, St. George's School, Newport,
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4^-9. Almost 800 years after it was first written by St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Sun remains breathtakingly lovely, especially in this translation and adaptation, which fits in with the multitude of environmental books but stands far above them aesthetically. Lindbergh's text, which praises all creation, flows gracefully, and though she enumerates a few things more specifically than St. Francis ("For desert, orchard, rock, and tree, / For forest, meadow, mountain, sea"), she stays faithful to the words, tone, and spirit of the original. She doesn't shy away from including "sister death" ("For brother sleep, and sister death, / Who tend the borders of our breath"), and, as in the rest of the book, the illustrations, which are large enough to be enjoyed by a group, convey the meaning of the words without distracting from their quiet eloquence. The main illustration for "brother sleep and sister death" shows a child solemnly regarding a dead beetle. Underneath is a panel of small pictures depicting the growth cycle of a tree, from an acorn to a tree with bare branches. Felstead's use of both paint and sharply cut paper gives the pictures a 3-D appearance, complete with subtle shading, texture, and a wealth of fascinating detail. An excellent purchase for most religion shelves. Susan Dove Lempke

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0763603570
• ISBN 13: 9780763603571
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Felstead Cathie
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32