FICTION

Just for Today

by SAINT JOHN
XXIII. tr. from Italian by Laura Watkinson. illus. by Bimba Landmann. revised ed. 34p. Eerdmans. Apr. 2015. Tr $16. ISBN 9780802854612.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—Based on the Daily Decalogues of Pope John XXIII, who was known as the Good Pope and who was recently canonized, this picture book is attractive, though of limited use to most readers. These 10 commandments offer suggestions for living a peaceful and purposeful life: dress simply, be polite and kind to others, refrain from criticism, be happy and know that God loves you, do a good deed without bragging, and perform an unpleasant task without complaining. Oddly, although the original states that reading for 10 minutes a day is as necessary to the soul as food is for the body, this version instead encourages communing with God. Chagall-esque watercolor illustrations in muted tones of blues, yellows, and greens make for a dreamlike accompaniment to the text.
VERDICT A potential read-aloud option for younger children in schools and libraries serving a religion-based curriculum.
Reviewed by Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY
Pope John XXIII's prayer of living each day to the fullest and with intention is published in picture book format. The abstract concepts are illustrated with images of a child leaving his room and living a life of the imagination. Landmann's whimsical, stylized paintings suit the language, but this book has more to offer adults than young children.
, Apr 01, 2015

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