Pope Francis

September 10, 2018
This clear-eyed account of the life of Pope Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, begins with his early years in Buenos Aires. Otheguy offers intimate glimpses into Bergoglio’s early efforts to assist communities within the villas miserias, or slums, of Buenos Aires. After Bergoglio becomes pope, he continues reaching out to the ostracized: “On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis broke with tradition. Instead of celebrating in a church, he celebrated in a prison.” Otheguy uses the word pontiff to describe Francis: “a person who builds bridges for everyone.” In chalky, restrained artwork, Dominguez captures public appearances from Francis’s life as well as quiet, reflective moments. An illuminating look at a pivotal contemporary figure. Ages 4–8.

August 15, 2018
Otheguy presents a succinct chronicle of Pope Francis' trajectory from his childhood in Buenos Aires to his papacy in Rome. Straightforward storytelling reveals Jorge Bergoglio as a prayerful boy who loved soccer and learned about the goodness of all people from his grandma Rosa. As an adult, he became a Jesuit priest as part of his search to help people and eventually became the first South American and Jesuit pope in 2013. Otheguy successfully weaves Catholic concepts into the historical narrative, such as the election process for a new pope, and defines such potentially unfamiliar terms as "pontiff" while she underscores his care for prisoners, refugees, the planet, and children. Extensive backmatter, including a moving and personal author's note and citations for the primary source quotations, elevates the historical content further. While the book succeeds in narration, it struggles in illustration. Depictions of Pope Francis are strong and realistic, but supporting characters, such as the cardinals, lack refinement. The book's design is predictable: one or more paragraphs of text paired with Dominguez's literal illustrations in acrylic, gouache, watercolor, ink, and pastel that bleed across the gutter. The overuse of jagged lines to represent sounds (think: ZAP! and POW! from 1960s TV Batman) is slightly tiresome; the figures' gestures are enough to connote action. In spite of the shortfalls in illustration, this is an uplifting and solidly researched book about a significant world leader.It's not perfect, but it deserves solid consideration. (timeline, glossary, selected bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 15, 2018
Grades 1-3 Pope Francis has carved a unique place for himself as a man of the people and as a bridge builder. This picture book does a good job of introducing the man who started life as Jorge Bergoglio, growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A boy who prayed with his grandmother, played soccer with his friends, and whose thoughts turned to helping others, he eventually realized his path would be through the church. Though the rise of Father Bergoglio through the priesthood may not have much inherent interest for children, Otheguy keeps the text neatly trimmed, moving on pace to his ascension to the papacy, always reminding readers of his inherent goodness. All of the art is presented in two-page spreads and varies between the mundane (the pope writing an encyclical about the environment) to the more dramatic (speaking to crowds in St. Peter's Square). The most joyous are those that show Pope Francis with children. An author's note links her own life as a Catholic to the pope's. A glossary and time line help frame the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)