The Day the Animals Came: A Story of Saint Francis Day
Grade 2-4-This story is based on Weller's and others' reminiscences of an annual October event at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Life in the crowded city makes Ria long for the Caribbean island that she and her parents recently left to seek "a better life." Knowing that the child misses the animals she left behind, Mrs. Blum, the neighbor who cares for Ria while her parents work, takes her to a large cathedral on the Feast of St. Francis for the blessing of the animals. Awed by the number and variety of tame and exotic creatures and people of all nationalities, Ria still feels left out until she befriends a white duck and is invited to carry it in the procession. The resulting sense of belonging leads her to feel that "-maybe all the world was home." While the story may be a bit too deep to reach its intended audience, Long's acrylic paintings on canvas in subdued hues are quite appropriate to the setting. Upward and downward perspectives of many scenes and careful use of shadow reveal the massive size of the building and add depth to the art. An author's note tells about both the feast day and the cathedral.Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.