Saint Francis and the Wolf - Hardcover

Langton, Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1567923208 ISBN 13: 9781567923209

Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher, 2019

Synopsis

The legendary tale of a saint and his encounter with a ferocious wolf. How the saint tamed the wolf with kindness resonants for families today in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Saint Francis was born in 1182, the son of a wealthy merchant. After a swashbuckling youth in Assisi, he had a change of faith and decided to live the life that he ascribed to Jesus, one of poverty and abstinence. He gave away everything he owned. His father disowned him. But over the years he drew to himself a substantial following of men and women and died revered and beloved in 1225. Three years later he was canonized as Saint Francis of Assisi by Pope Gregory IX.

This lovely retelling of one of the less known of the Saint Francis lessons centers on the legend of the great wolf of Gubbio, a ferocious canine who terrorized the town and was slowly reducing it to penury and starvation. In nearby Assisi, Brother Francis heard of their plight and came to their rescue. Unbelievingly, the villagers watched from the ramparts as Brother Francis called to the wolf, tamed it with his tenderness, and made it pledge that if the people of Gubbio would care for it, he would do them no harm. He took the pledge and lived in harmony with the citizens of the city until his death.

A wonderful collaboration between a Newbery-winning author, Jane Langton, and Caldecott-winning illustrator, Ilse Plume, with a timeless lesson.

About this title

About the Authors

Jane Langton is the author of The Fledgling, a Newbery Honor book and many other award-winning titles for children and adults.

Ilse Plume is a collector and illustrator of children’s songs and folktales from around the world. Her first book, The Bremen-Town Musicians, was a Caldecott Honor book.

Reviews

With a smooth storyteller's pacing and an eye for kid-friendly detail, Langton (The Fledgling) retells the legend of how Saint Francis of Assisi used kindness to negotiate peace between the people of Gubbio and the wolf that was terrorizing their village. Though many tales of Francis's good deeds and selfless service are well known, children especially will gravitate to this story and its elements of suspense. Children stay indoors, warned that The wolf will gobble you up: the farmer, the miller and the baker, suffering their own hardships from the menacing beast, frantically express their concern for Francis. And the hungry wolf licked its chops, dreaming of fat sheep, while the villagers cower. As a complement to the dramatic tension, the young friar's Dr. Dolittle-like communication with animals also holds much appeal. The book's design goes far in capturing the flavor of Saint Francis's Italy. The font suggests, in a more humble style, the sturdy forms of calligraphy and illuminated letters of the day. On each spread, Plume (The Bremen-Town Musicians) alternates spot illustrations of flowers and plants with slightly larger scenes of Gubbio framed in Renaissance-inspired shapes. Her delicate lines and sunny watercolor palette depict the flourishing flora, fauna and stone dwellings of the Italian countryside. A brief biography of Francis is included, and his Canticle of the Sun appears on the end papers. All ages. (Oct.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1567923208
• ISBN 13: 9781567923209
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Plume Ilse
• Number of pages: 32