Pascual and the Kitchen Angels

Brilliant! We love the story & it has been read to our boys every single night for the last year as the ending night time story!

This is a beautiful book. Both the artwork and the story will keep the interest of children for many readings. All of Tomie DePaola's books are treasures to keep for generations of children to enjoy, and this one is no exception. The story about Pascual, who is the patron saint of cooks and kitchens, will teach children about putting our trust in God who is always there for us. I also recommend "The Clown of God" by DePaola, another great story for children.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read many of Tomie de Paola's books and bought a few of them especially the ones with religious themes. They are simple but with a great story and message. I started this book with even knowing it was based on a real saint St Pascual Baylon and liked it very much.

Children's books can be so wonderful... but are often void of any real substance. DePaola is able to integrate a lovely story with lovely pictures and lovely morals all at once. We got this book at the library and are now going to buy it. It's so nice to have your faith boosted by everyday stories read to a child.

Few can match author/artist Tomie DePaola's gift for combining mirth and a moral to create an enchanting story for young readers. He has focused on the lives of saints in the past and he does so once more in this imagined tale of Pascual, the patron saint of cooks and the kitchen. Beginning with Pascual's birth when angels sang his mother and father regarded their son with both pride and awe. At first, his father thought the boy might grow up to be a shepherd because of the tender care he took of sheep. But when he reached young manhood Pascual announced that he wanted "to be a friar and help feed people who are hungry." So, his parents sent him to the monastery of Saint Francis. Imagine Pascual's surprise when the friars asked him to prepare dinner. Why, he didn't even know how to boil water! One thing Pascual did know how to do was pray. Amazing things began to happen when Pascual closed his eyes and knelt on the kitchen floor. Young readers will relate to Pascual and to the cheery art panels that bring the tale to life. - Gail Cooke