Saint Francis of Assisi: A Life of Joy

RFK Jr did a fantastic job in captivating my children with words and pictures. At first it was hard for them but once it grasped their attention, they loved it.

Children naturally develop a heartwarming embrace for the pure charity that St. Francis showed the poor and the sick, and the animals, insects and plants in nature. The illustrations by Dennis Nolan are colorful and beautiful and frame-worthy. This is an amazing story and it also a story about the other amazing saints that Francis embraced…Saint Clare, Saint Bernard etc. This book should be republished and re-released, as there are only used copies available.

When I visited the Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe, NM, recently, I browsed through the collection of illustrated books on St. Francis, but none could compare to this one by Robert Kennedy, Jr. The illustrations in his book capture the eye immediately with boldness of color and design. While I am familiar with the life of St. Francis, this storyline presents the facts in a new way that children of any age will give rapt attention. Especially charming is the insight Mr. Kennedy gives on his family prayerfully honoring this unique Saint.

This is a delightful book with high quaility art work. It is a book to keep for generations to come.

I teach second grade in a public school in a large Catholic nieghborhood. I get invited to many first communions. I am not Catholic, but growing up in this nieghborhood I know a lot about this deep faith. The story of St.Francis reaches out to everyone no matter thier religion. It has always interested me. So when this book was released I borrowed it from the library. I was taken back by it. I now buy this book for all of my students that receive their first communion, and I personally inscribe each one. My students love this story!

This is a wonderful book for people of all ages. It is full of hope and wonder and teaches us all, as the author's farther did, "to seek a newer world". The protection of our animals, birds and overall environment is more important today then it was in St. Francis' time and his life story is told with wit and grace by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. As one who was an intern in Senator Kennedy's ill fated campaign for the presidency in 1968, I feel a special happiness that RFK's namesake is contributing so very much to make our country and world a much better place.

When I saw Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. talk about his book on Good Morning America, I rushed out to buy a copy. My mom always had a Saint Francis figurine out in the garden and the story about him has always been an inspiration to me. Though this book may be advertised as a child's book, it really is for any one at any age. Each page has exquisite illustrations done by Dennis Nolan; each page has has a verse and an accompanying full page illustration and calligraphic letters. Whether young or old, you should read this book. It will make you think about plants and animals - our most endangered resources - and will give you a different view after you've read it. Lovely work. Beautiful story. Valerie Atkinson Brown Author, International Thomson Publishing