Mary

Who doesn't love Demi's books?  They are beautiful, reverent, extraordinary.

This one tells the story of Mary, the Mother of God.  Each page has a small section, taken from The Book of Mary, the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John (an added bonus:  Jesus' words are in RED, just like in some Bibles!), The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics... the story continues on after Jesus' Resurrection, on through the Pentecost, Mary's Dormition, Assumption and her Coronation, with more selections from Pseudo-Melito.  (If the extra-canonical sources bother you, you may want to click on the links provided in this post for a discussion of them.)  The illustrations are detailed and colorful, always accented with Demi's signature gold.  The Florentine touches are my favorite because Florentine art always manages to strike a chord deep inside me... something about elevating art to the divine.  On both end papers appear a selection of Mary's titles from the Litany of Loreto.

The Little Boy's Christmas Gift

I say that this book is a keeper because it is a beautiful one. - Yena, 8

This is, indeed, a beautiful book -- inspired by the illuminated artwork of the 15th and 16th centuries.  It would be a great addition for a study of artwork created in these time periods.  The story itself is simple but conveys the truth that our gifts are most pleasing to God when we put our heart into them.  It also speaks of the creativity that results when you don't have a lot of resources.  A little fun element is the "I Spy" game you can play while finding the boy "in the dust and shadows" on every page.  

Young Mary of Nazareth

What an absolutely beautiful book!!  Marianna Mayer is one of my favorite authors and this is another winner.  From Anne and Joachim's faith, to Mary's own, and then Joseph's, it is page after page of classic artwork and an invitation to trust in God's plan and providence.  I do have a few quibbles with Mary's story (e.g., that she was in pain on the journey to Bethlehem), but this is a book that we proudly keep on our shelves and read often, especially around Mary's feast days throughout the year.

This book would also be an excellent springboard for a study of religious art.

For a discussion of Marianna Mayer and this book, click here.  For discussion on the birth of Jesus, specifically whether Mary experienced pain or not, click here.  Also a related thread.

Eyewitness Books: Money

This book is about money over the ages.  The pictures are somewhat boring.  The most interesting part is about Fort Knox and the gold. It showed how they minted stuff -- that was cool.  - Paco, 13

The Milliner

Chock-full of illustrations and pictures telling you about the milliner's art, especially the way it was in the 18th century.

Flower Fairies of the Summer

Here you'll find:  the Buttercup Fairy, the Herb Robert Fairy (new to me!), the Forget-me-not Fairy, the Poppy Fairy, the Foxglove Fairy (a favorite), and loads more, several of which I had never heard of before.  Use this book when planning your flower gardens!

Flower Fairies of the Autumn

Another Cicely Mary Barker winner.  See my post on the winter compilation.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips

Lovely artwork in the style of Rembrandt, by Deborah Noyes.  Explains a (to me) little-known phenomenon that happened in Holland in the 17th century:  tulipomania.  A good book for parents to read to their kids, esp. in light of the economic concerns of our times.  Brings attention to parents' natural desire to provide material security for their family -- but helps us remember that doing this should not happen at the expense of our personal relationships, esp. wth our children.  Excellent reminder for all.

Love Is...

Wonderful selection for Valentine's Day, or for a study of St. Paul, or to accompany a Bible study of Paul's letters to the Corinthians.  Reminiscent of stained glass artwork.  Wendy Halperin is an amazing artist!  So much, so much is woven into these pages, that just this book itself could be used to begin rabbit trails into so many more stories and events.  Excellent gift for engaged couples, or young families.... anyone really.  But first get one for yourself :)

I Have A Dream

Beautiful, beautiful book.  Text from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, partnered with illustrations from Coretta Scott King Award winners and Coretta Scott King Book artists.  Includes a foreword from Coretta Scott King herself. 

Great addition to a history unit study, with lots of vocabulary for copywork or language arts.