Hildegard's Gift
The gifts of Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179 CE) are not easily translatable into a book for young children. She was a theologian, visionary, poet, and scientist and was renowned for her chants. This picture book serves as a good introduction by bringing the phenomenon down to a child’s level: Hildegard’s gift was this: When she closed her eyes she saw pictures . . . she heard music . . . she wrote poems, songs, and stories. But this was not a gift without strings attached. Hildegard had headaches and was often tired, and while she was a nun, she was overpowered by all that she was experiencing and became incapacitated. A helpful visit from the monk Bernard of Clairvaux reminded her that her writings and music were her gifts to the world. The accessible text is highlighted by lines from Hildegard’s writings, most of which will be understood by the target audience. Child-friendly line-and-watercolor artwork brings Hildegard’s stories close. The last spread, which directly addresses readers and listeners, is bumpy, but it gets across the story’s message about each person having an individual gift. Grades 1-3. --Ilene Cooper