Paul Gallico's The Small Miracle
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Retold in simple sentences, this is the story of a young Italian orphan whose faith is rewarded. When Pepino's beloved donkey falls ill, the boy must travel from his home in Assisi to Rome in order to ask the Pope for special permission to bring the animal into the crypt of Saint Francis, with the hope that she will be cured. The original tale, Gallico's The Small Miracle (Doubleday, 1952; o.p.), has more detailed, descriptive language and a more deeply layered plot. Still, this abridged version succeeds in a quiet way since the journey of faith remains. Done in watercolors and colored pencils, Croll's illustrations nicely convey the emotions of the characters and the events they experience. The colors are soft and details well chosen. Some pictures are full page, while others are sectioned into four panels, making for effective visual variety. While not a first purchase, this is a lovely addition for Christian or spiritual collections.Cris Riedel, Ellis B. Hyde Elementary School, Dansville, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.