Francis Woke Up Early (Gingerbread House)

Francis Woke Up Early is written by Josephine Nobisso, the author of my favorite Catholic children's book ever - The Weight of a Mass. In this book, the author imagines what St. Francis of Assisi would have been like as a little boy? Probably inspired by the tale of Wolf of Gubbio, Francis Woke Up Early tells the tale of a young Francis encountering a she-wolf that had been prowling around and threatening the village. Using his gifts of love, generosity, and the special bond he has with animals, Francis is able to subdue the wolf.

Unlike Ms. Nobisso's other works, there isn't deep and hidden symbolism dripping on every page. It is merely an imagined story of a young saint-to-be. What really caught my attention with this book was the illustrations. Ms. Hyde's work is outstanding and will be sure to captivate you and your young readers! It has been a while since the website for Ms. Nobisso's works has been up and running. I hope she continues to write, especially since we are still waiting for her "tale of love," to complete her trilogy of faith (The Weight of a Mass), hope (Take it to the Queen), and love.

This book was provided to me for free by the author. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!