New from Emmaus Road Publishing, The Attic Saint by Tim Drake is a wonderfully cozy story, perfect for family read-alouds or for newly independent readers.
Leo and his family have just moved to a big old house in a new city. As the old-fashioned charm of Leo’s new home (a former convent) begins to grow on him, the reflection from a stained-glass window leads him to explore the attic, where he discovers an unusual piece of art: an icon of St. Ambrose.
When the icon seems to speak to Leo, explaining how icons are created and what they mean, the little boy learns about this religious art form and the story of the saint depicted in the icon in his attic. Leo’s insistence on hanging the icon in a special place in his new home begins a transformation for the whole family.
Charming illustrations by Theodore Schluenderfritz bring the story to life. The depiction of a small boy in a large, nearly-empty home underscores Leo’s loneliness in his new city. Just as the story is quiet with a touch of suspense, the art is not garish or harsh. The story’s gentle message of openness to God is underscored when Leo’s parents follow his lead in opening the door to faith.
An article in The Central Minnesota Catholic tells how both the story itself and the illustrations were inspired. Schluenderfritz, the creative director at Today’s Catholic Teacher (where I work), told me that Leo’s house in the story was based on an actual home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. I lived in Scranton for four years during college, so that was a fun connection for me.
Don’t miss this cozy Catholic read-aloud: The Attic Saint is a charming picture book featuring a lonely child, an old convent, and a mysterious icon.
Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I was given a free review copy of this book, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.