Francis Woke Up Early
*Starred Review
“This exquisite book will make peaceful family reading.”
-Publishers Weekly
An Imagined Moment in The Boyhood of Saint Francis of Assisi
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Francis takes off for the barnyard to collect some breakfast, but the wild she-wolf who has been threatening his town shadows the boy. What is Francis to do?
An magnificent work that amounts to a cause célèbré, since it marks the fine artist's rousing return to picture books—after 25 years—providing a stirring new masterpiece to the annals of children’s literature.
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Author: Josephine Nobisso
Illustrator: Maureen Hyde
Publisher: Gingerbread House
Trim Size: w 8.75" × h 12.25" Hardcover w/ Dust Jacket; Paperback w/ Printed Flaps.
Pages: 32, Full Color, with Illustrated Ends
Ages: All (A "Cross-over" Picture Book for Both Children and Adults)
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-940112-20-9
Hardcover Price: USA $17.95 / Canada $19.95
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-940112-22-3
Paperback Price: USA $9.95 / Canada $10.95
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Awards
ForeWord Book of the Year Award Finalist
National Indie Excellence Gold Book Award
Storytelling World Honor Award
Citations
*Starred Review “A beautiful marriage of author, illustrator, and subject is celebrated in this story... Hyde’s work... perfectly captures early morning light in 13th century Assisi... The bordered paintings are filled with tender detail...This exquisite book will make peaceful family reading.” -Publishers Weekly
“...beautiful...heartfelt...” -Kirkus Reviews
"...pictures are indeed compelling. A nicely done addition to collections that emphasize Catholic saints." -School Library Journal
“Hyde’s lovely, soft-edged oil paintings lend a suitably dignified tone to the story, and the tension created by only seeing the wolf’s shadow until the climatic confrontation add an element of excitement to this ultimately calming and peaceful read.” -Booklist
“Gorgeous illustrations offer a window onto a sweeter world...”
-ForeWord Reviews
“An astonishing, beautifully illuminated book…a very believable rendering…The author has inhabited both the outward space and the child-saint's mind to come up with an ordinary, extraordinary tale. The narrative and the delicate, honey-shadowed, soft-hued illustrations complement each other seamlessly. Both the hunger of the wolf and the hunger of the boy are very real experiences. Do they lead to a hunger for grace and compassion? A light is shed over all of Francis Woke Up Early that all children will perceive completely, with all their senses…a stunning book meant to be shared with beloved children and treasured all their lives like a nugget of faith and hope.” -Children’s Bookwatch in The Midwest Book Review
“This adventure is whimsically illustrated... All ages will enjoy this story... will be a welcome addition to any children’s library.” -Catholic Library World
“...enchanting book... Dramatic storytelling paired with brilliant illustrations fires imaginations both young and old, and will lead to many a discussion of the life of St. Francis... Each painting is a work of art worthy of framing...Francis Woke up Early will become a family favorite...” -Catholic Media Review
Read what “Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast,” a blog about books, has to say about Francis Woke Up Early