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The Legend of Saint Nicholas
From his very first day of life, when he rises from his bath to pray to God, it is clear that Nicholas is a miraculous child with a spiritual destiny. As he grows he is deeply saddened by the sickness, suffering, and death that he witnesses every day. Looking to use his special gifts to affect change in the often desperate world around him, Nicholas dedicates his life to worshiping the Lord and helping those in need. Through his good works, Nicholas becomes the youngest man to ever become a bishop and the patron saint of seafarers, children, and prisoners. He performs more than twenty miracles, including bringing those wrongly killed back to life and going to people in need as an apparition, providing solace and inspiration.
In The Legend of Saint Nicholas, Demi describes pivotal events in the history and life of the saint, weaving a rich tapestry of luminous imagery into the story of his connection with Christmas and our modern-day Santa Claus. Demi's gilded artwork brings Nicholas to life in a way sure to mesmerize readers new to the story of this fascinating and important historical figure.
In The Legend of Saint Nicholas, Demi describes pivotal events in the history and life of the saint, weaving a rich tapestry of luminous imagery into the story of his connection with Christmas and our modern-day Santa Claus. Demi's gilded artwork brings Nicholas to life in a way sure to mesmerize readers new to the story of this fascinating and important historical figure.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Demi
179 books179 followersDemi (September 2, 1942) born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt, is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. During her career she has published over 300 titles.
Demi was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the great-grand daughter of the American painter William Morris Hunt, and the great-grand niece of architect Richard Morris Hunt. Demi earned her nickname as a young child when her father started calling her demi because she was half the size of her sister.
She studied art at Instituto Allende, Mexico, and with Sister Corita at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright scholar at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India where she received her Master’s degree.
Demi is known for her biographies for spiritual figures including Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Mary (mother of Jesus), Muhammad, Rumi, Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama.
In 1990, Demi and her husband Tze-si “Jesse” Huang represented the United States at the First Children’s International Book Conference in Beijing.
Source: Wikipedia
Demi was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the great-grand daughter of the American painter William Morris Hunt, and the great-grand niece of architect Richard Morris Hunt. Demi earned her nickname as a young child when her father started calling her demi because she was half the size of her sister.
She studied art at Instituto Allende, Mexico, and with Sister Corita at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright scholar at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India where she received her Master’s degree.
Demi is known for her biographies for spiritual figures including Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Mary (mother of Jesus), Muhammad, Rumi, Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama.
In 1990, Demi and her husband Tze-si “Jesse” Huang represented the United States at the First Children’s International Book Conference in Beijing.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 22, 2022
Demi's The Legend of Saint Nicholas takes all the legends of Saint Nicholas as true--even the pickled children and the coercive stories of how holy Nicholas was from birth. Yet, there's a charm to Demi's iconographically influenced art, and the simple honesty with which she presents the legends, spurious as some of them may be. If you are looking for a more mystical presentation of Nicholas, this book may satisfy you more than some others, certainly more than the heinous goody-two-shoes-Santa presentations. I liked the final pages about how the Nicholas tradition has grown in different parts of the world, and the inclusion of an abbreviated version of the Nicholas collect.
April 26, 2017
This has got to be one of my least favorite Demi books. The story was interesting enough, but her pictures were too small, confusing, and just not as stunning as I've seen in her other books. Disappointing.
March 18, 2016
12/10: I love books by Demi. And I love books on the saints. But I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped. The art is stunning, as always. But, I did not buy the story of St. Nicholas standing in the tub, one day old to pray. Nor did I buy the story of his fasting even as a nursing toddler. I do not appreciate overly pious, almost mythical, portrayals of saints. Then, when there are true miracles, like Cupertino levitating, one tends to discard them in the same camp as all these other claims. I did not appreciate the stark telling of the story of the three boys butchered and picked for food, whom God restored through the intercession of St. Nicholas. For that reason alone I would never consider this book appropriate for younger children.
Amazon: From School Library Journal: Grade 1-4
This richly illustrated biography focuses on St. Nicholas, born around the year A.D. 280 in what is now Turkey. His active life of spirituality, good works, and miracles, especially concerning children, made him a popular saint after his death. The eventual melding of the December 6 feast day of St. Nicholas, which was celebrated with gift giving and merriment, with Christmas is explained clearly, giving children an understanding of how this man morphed into the Santa Claus they know today. The gilded paintings are full of absorbing, though sometimes anachronistic, details. In an illustration accompanying a story of Nicholas tossing coins into a girl's stocking, the stocking is bright red with a white top, very Christmas-y but not exactly third-century attire. The greatest strength of this book is its straightforward, affectionate depiction of a person who, by his deep love for the young and the needy, embodies the spirit of Christmas.-E. M.
From Booklist: Gr. 2-5.
Children who think Santa Claus when they hear the name St. Nicholas will be surprised to hear the true story of the man who became the church's youngest bishop and the patron saint of butchers and prisoners as well as children. Born with spiritual gifts (at one day old, he stood in his bath and prayed to God!), Nicholas, in Buddhalike fashion, was distressed by the sorrow in the world and made it his mission to relieve suffering. Often he did this using miraculous means, saving sailors as an apparition and resurrecting three children who had been killed and pickled in brine to be served as food. Even middle-grade readers, the best audience for this, may be confused by some of the church-laden intricacies of the narrative, but the pictures are delightfully Demi. Representative scenes, set against buff-colored pages, burst through their gilded frames, and careful design work is evident right through to the endpapers, which show how Santa Claus is represented in various countries. Lovely and informative. Ilene Cooper
Amazon: From School Library Journal: Grade 1-4
This richly illustrated biography focuses on St. Nicholas, born around the year A.D. 280 in what is now Turkey. His active life of spirituality, good works, and miracles, especially concerning children, made him a popular saint after his death. The eventual melding of the December 6 feast day of St. Nicholas, which was celebrated with gift giving and merriment, with Christmas is explained clearly, giving children an understanding of how this man morphed into the Santa Claus they know today. The gilded paintings are full of absorbing, though sometimes anachronistic, details. In an illustration accompanying a story of Nicholas tossing coins into a girl's stocking, the stocking is bright red with a white top, very Christmas-y but not exactly third-century attire. The greatest strength of this book is its straightforward, affectionate depiction of a person who, by his deep love for the young and the needy, embodies the spirit of Christmas.-E. M.
From Booklist: Gr. 2-5.
Children who think Santa Claus when they hear the name St. Nicholas will be surprised to hear the true story of the man who became the church's youngest bishop and the patron saint of butchers and prisoners as well as children. Born with spiritual gifts (at one day old, he stood in his bath and prayed to God!), Nicholas, in Buddhalike fashion, was distressed by the sorrow in the world and made it his mission to relieve suffering. Often he did this using miraculous means, saving sailors as an apparition and resurrecting three children who had been killed and pickled in brine to be served as food. Even middle-grade readers, the best audience for this, may be confused by some of the church-laden intricacies of the narrative, but the pictures are delightfully Demi. Representative scenes, set against buff-colored pages, burst through their gilded frames, and careful design work is evident right through to the endpapers, which show how Santa Claus is represented in various countries. Lovely and informative. Ilene Cooper
December 9, 2011
Now that Logan knows there's no jolly, fat, Coca-Cola-style Santa, he is interested in how the myth of Santa came about. I can't say that I liked this version and L wasn't taken by the medieval-style illustrations, which were mostly small, underwhelming, and not the quality I expected from Demi. It presents the life of Saint Nicholas (who was a real-life Bishop during the middle ages) as though the mythology that sprung up around him (that at one day old he stood and prayed to god; that he refused to nurse and prayed all day; that he brought the dead back to life) were true and it mixes those events with real events (his parents died during a plague, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he was the youngest man ever to become bishop) without distinguishing them from the myths. Still, once I pointed out which things were likely true and which were myths, he found the story mildly interesting and it did the job. I think we may look for more interesting and clearer versions. Personally, I prefer the story of King Wenceslas to this.
December 10, 2018
This book is shockingly horrible. Who is it written for? Not children, that's for sure. Why would I want to tell children a story with some lie about a child standing up when he is one day old to pray? Who can believe that a baby would refuse to nurse, preferring to pray instead? This is ridiculous. Why tell children at storytime that St. Nicholas refused to play with other children, instead going to church to pray all day. Is this behavior we want other kids to emulate?
Why would we want to share with children a story about some man having to sell his daughters? YUK! Why would I want to share a book with children that tells a story about an evil innkeeper who kidnaps children, saves them in brine, to serve them as food? Is that useful for helping children get in the Christmas spirit?
I had hoped to share this book with Turkish children so they could be proud of Asia Minor cultural heritage. This book stinks. I wish I had never purchased it for my library. Save your money!
Why would we want to share with children a story about some man having to sell his daughters? YUK! Why would I want to share a book with children that tells a story about an evil innkeeper who kidnaps children, saves them in brine, to serve them as food? Is that useful for helping children get in the Christmas spirit?
I had hoped to share this book with Turkish children so they could be proud of Asia Minor cultural heritage. This book stinks. I wish I had never purchased it for my library. Save your money!
July 6, 2017
While I greatly enjoyed this picture book biography of St. Nicholas, it seems to be a mixture of fact and folklore. Also, the prayer of Saint Nicholas, on the last page and back of the book, ascribes to Nicholas the role of intercessor, whereas that role is the role of the Savior, Jesus Christ alone.
May 2, 2021
Beautiful illustrations, easy to read, and had great stories of St. Nicholas a few I had never heard of before. I'm definitely starting a Saint books by Demi collection.
October 26, 2015
This is not - as one might be expecting - the true story behind jolly St. Nick who would one day be transformed and reiterated as Santa Claus. It's more of the myth behind the myth. Which at first frustrated me, as I had read with genuine curiosity about the historical Saint Nicholas. But upon reflection, I like the idea of there being myths within myths. A true hall of mirrors, this.
"As soon as he was born, Nicholas showed amazing and miraculous powers. On his very first day, he stood up in his bath and prayed to God!" Demi writes, and there he is, a newborn babe, standing with his head bowed and his hands folded. Was baby Jesus himself as pious as this? I think not.
As a toddler, Nicholas fasted on every holy saint's say. He refused to nurse, preferring to pray all day.
There's an absurdity to the premise which brings to mind Oskar Matzerath from Grass' The Tin Drum (who in turn serves as the literary ancestor of The Family Guy's Stewie Griffin), the baby who is born with complete cognition and maturity intact. Demi goes on to chronicle several other miraculous events in your Nicholas' life, illustrating them in her gorgeous, gilded style, which culminate in story of a nobleman who had fallen upon hard times, and was forced to sell each of his three daughters so that he could collect the dowry. St. Nicholas, learning of the man's troubles, anonymously sends him bags of coins at night, tossing them in through open windows. On the third night, the bag falls into the youngest girl's open stockings. Aha! Thus is born the long-lasting Christmas tradition.
From there, Nicholas travels the world, performing miracles and dispensing wisdom and piety, calming stormy seas, rescuing the unjustly imprisoned. Perhaps the greatest of all miracles comes when he learns that "a wicked innkeeper kidnapped three little boys, killed them, and salted them in a tub of brine, intending to serve them as food." Yikes. Nicholas, praying to the Lord, raises the bodies of the dead children from the brine and brings them back to life.
So, not only does Santa Claus see you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake, but he can raise the dead as well.
It is only in the last several pages that Demi shows his transformation into Santa, as he mingles with the Dutch character Sinter Klass and we see him flying in his sleigh packed with goodies, led by his team of reindeer. It's an image which seems rather incongruous with the preceding pages of formal beauty and religiousness.
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"As soon as he was born, Nicholas showed amazing and miraculous powers. On his very first day, he stood up in his bath and prayed to God!" Demi writes, and there he is, a newborn babe, standing with his head bowed and his hands folded. Was baby Jesus himself as pious as this? I think not.
As a toddler, Nicholas fasted on every holy saint's say. He refused to nurse, preferring to pray all day.
There's an absurdity to the premise which brings to mind Oskar Matzerath from Grass' The Tin Drum (who in turn serves as the literary ancestor of The Family Guy's Stewie Griffin), the baby who is born with complete cognition and maturity intact. Demi goes on to chronicle several other miraculous events in your Nicholas' life, illustrating them in her gorgeous, gilded style, which culminate in story of a nobleman who had fallen upon hard times, and was forced to sell each of his three daughters so that he could collect the dowry. St. Nicholas, learning of the man's troubles, anonymously sends him bags of coins at night, tossing them in through open windows. On the third night, the bag falls into the youngest girl's open stockings. Aha! Thus is born the long-lasting Christmas tradition.
From there, Nicholas travels the world, performing miracles and dispensing wisdom and piety, calming stormy seas, rescuing the unjustly imprisoned. Perhaps the greatest of all miracles comes when he learns that "a wicked innkeeper kidnapped three little boys, killed them, and salted them in a tub of brine, intending to serve them as food." Yikes. Nicholas, praying to the Lord, raises the bodies of the dead children from the brine and brings them back to life.
So, not only does Santa Claus see you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake, but he can raise the dead as well.
It is only in the last several pages that Demi shows his transformation into Santa, as he mingles with the Dutch character Sinter Klass and we see him flying in his sleigh packed with goodies, led by his team of reindeer. It's an image which seems rather incongruous with the preceding pages of formal beauty and religiousness.
http://www.picturebooksreview.com/201...
https://www.facebook.com/picturebooks...
December 29, 2021
This picture book presents the life story of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bishop of Myra in Lycia, recounts his most well known miracles, and describes how he evolved into the character of Santa Claus.
"Throughout the world today, whether he goes by the name of St. Nicholas, Sinter Klaas, or Santa Claus, this figure who shows enormous generosity, a love of children, deep care for the poor and needy, and a completely selfless nature is considered to embody the spirit of Christmas and the true spirit of the Lord."
This book is intended for older readers. The illustrations are clearly inspired by Byzantine artwork and iconography. The narrative follows the Church’s tradition / folklore about St. Nicholas as well as the few available verifiable facts (e.g., St. Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in an area that was then part of the Roman Empire, which later became Byzantium). The book ends by showing how the traditions of St. Nicholas migrated across time and culture, transforming him into Santa Claus.
Personally, I would have completely omitted the part about the man 'having to sell' his daughters from the tale in which St. Nicholas provides a dowry for three sisters. (This is one of his most famous acts of generosity.) Since the intended audience is children, it is enough to say that St. Nicholas provided a man who had fallen on hard times with a dowry for each of his daughters without having to allude to prostitution and slavery. But, besides that, this is good picture book on the subject of St. Nicholas.
Books about St. Nicholas better suited for younger readers are And Now We Call Him Santa Claus and The Life of Saint Nicholas.
"Throughout the world today, whether he goes by the name of St. Nicholas, Sinter Klaas, or Santa Claus, this figure who shows enormous generosity, a love of children, deep care for the poor and needy, and a completely selfless nature is considered to embody the spirit of Christmas and the true spirit of the Lord."
This book is intended for older readers. The illustrations are clearly inspired by Byzantine artwork and iconography. The narrative follows the Church’s tradition / folklore about St. Nicholas as well as the few available verifiable facts (e.g., St. Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in an area that was then part of the Roman Empire, which later became Byzantium). The book ends by showing how the traditions of St. Nicholas migrated across time and culture, transforming him into Santa Claus.
Personally, I would have completely omitted the part about the man 'having to sell' his daughters from the tale in which St. Nicholas provides a dowry for three sisters. (This is one of his most famous acts of generosity.) Since the intended audience is children, it is enough to say that St. Nicholas provided a man who had fallen on hard times with a dowry for each of his daughters without having to allude to prostitution and slavery. But, besides that, this is good picture book on the subject of St. Nicholas.
Books about St. Nicholas better suited for younger readers are And Now We Call Him Santa Claus and The Life of Saint Nicholas.
Read
December 6, 2014The feast day for Nicholas is December 6. What is actually known about Nicholas is that he was a Bishop in Myra, a seaport town in southwest Turkey in the fourth century. From the fact rise numerous legends. This picture book tells those legends. The picture on the page match the text. The legends include Nicholas placing bags of money in the shoes of a poor man who had no dowry money for his three daughters; saving sailors from a storm; and, reconstituting the bodies of boys who had been sliced up by a butcher and placed in Brine to be sold as pork. The butcher went to prison and the boys got to live again. The only legend missing is the one saying that he attended the Council of Nicea in 325 and personally boxed Arius' ears.
The images are enjoyable and the stories are inspiring.
Our modern day Santa Claus has its roots in the legends of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.
The images are enjoyable and the stories are inspiring.
Our modern day Santa Claus has its roots in the legends of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.
October 30, 2013
Demi always provides an interesting read, and always educational, just sometimes a little bit long for my 5 yr old. He's an advanced reader, but Demi uses some words that are a little big, and sometimes clutters up the story with names and dates, I'm not sure any kid will remember. Overall, though, still very enjoyable and the illustrations are superb. A great addition to any lesson on their topic, Demi's books are probably for older children, perhaps 2nd grade and up. Definitely a stand alone reader as well. Still, great educational information.
December 4, 2017
Fall 2015 - the stories work well with kindergarten Sunday School, but are beyond Ben. Read maybe half of the text, looked at the pictures.
December 2016 - Ben grasped more of the story this year, especially the coins and the stocking as well as St. Nicholas' childhood, but I didn't read all of the stories and edited others a bit.
December 2017 - used for Sunday School (I skipped the kids about to get eaten story) and they were fascinated.
December 2016 - Ben grasped more of the story this year, especially the coins and the stocking as well as St. Nicholas' childhood, but I didn't read all of the stories and edited others a bit.
December 2017 - used for Sunday School (I skipped the kids about to get eaten story) and they were fascinated.
Read
November 14, 2009This is a terrible book -- it is full of exaggerations and lies. Example: he stood up when he was one day old and prayed to God in his bathtub, he preferred to pray instead of being nursed, when older he flew in the sky to help soldiers and was able to calm a storm. (hey, wasn't that Jesus who calmed a storm?) Again, my advice...skip this book.
December 23, 2011
It is hard to categorize this as strictly non-fiction, when I found some descriptions of Saint Nicholas's childhood too fantastical to be believed. However, it probably is very similar to other stories of saints written by believers. The pictures are pretty, in a very Catholic sort of way with gold inlay and halos.
March 22, 2013
In conjunction with Story of the World, Vol II
and read with St. Nicholas by Ann Tompert
Nice to read both and the see the similarities and differences to underline the fuzzy boundaries between historical facts and legends.
(Even after reading these books B. does not seem to show any doubts about Santa...)
I liked the illuminated/mosiac style of art in this book.
and read with St. Nicholas by Ann Tompert
Nice to read both and the see the similarities and differences to underline the fuzzy boundaries between historical facts and legends.
(Even after reading these books B. does not seem to show any doubts about Santa...)
I liked the illuminated/mosiac style of art in this book.
December 24, 2014
I think this is a nice starter book for those who wish to learn about Saint Nicholas. It has the basic details of his life and things he had done. I like that the author doesn't separate Santa Claus from Saint Nicholas. Santa is Saint Nicholas after all, just known by a different name and a bit more fantasy/magical bit added to his story.
It was a nice book.
It was a nice book.
December 26, 2009
The artwork isn't as impressive in this tale as others I have read (although the bar has been set very high), and I can't say that I'm extremely interested in the lives of saints. Interesting background to Santa Claus, though, and settled some questions Boyfriendly and I had.
February 8, 2008
Children's book about the historical saint. Pretty fun and simple, nice drawings by the author.
December 5, 2012
Interesting pictures with almost a gold leaf over some of them. Touches on quite a few miracles that St. Nicholas did. Neat images of all nationalities of Saint Nicholas on the end papers.
April 7, 2013
The illustrations were not good and the text felt ultra zealous--
December 7, 2015
Includes the birth to death of St. Nicholas, including several of his miracles. Also has the prayer of St. Nicholas. Very informative but too dry for my very young children.
Read
February 17, 2016This book really tells you how we got a Santa Claus. It was interesting learning what the person Saint Nicholas did for us to celebrate his thing on or around Christmas time.
April 5, 2018
Think you know 🎅 Santa Claus? Read this biography of Saint Nicholas to get the backstory that had nothing to do with reindeer!
December 19, 2018
This book is definitely not child friendly! Do not read to your kids unless you wanna give them nightmares!!
February 4, 2019
I suppose one of the best illustrated books about the saint.
November 20, 2019
Usually love Demi’s writing, but this one was a tough one. Wouldn’t read to my elementary school students.
January 2, 2020
Interesting and informative about this legend and the connection to Santa Claus, but best save for older readers.
March 8, 2020
Gorgeous, richly colored Byzantine/Eastern Orthodox inspired art with very Holy stories and a great history lesson and moral inspiration for children.
December 6, 2023
This is the story of Saint Nicholas, who morphed much later into Santa Claus. I believe this is the Catholic's view of the man and the miracles he performed. He is recorded as performing over 20 miracles. I grew up Baptist and so all of this is new to me.
Honestly, I didn't know the story behind Nicholas and how he became the inspiration for Santa Claus.
There are facts mixed with myths of the man venerated as a saint in this story. He was born in Patara, Lycia, now Turkey in 280 AD. So, the church hasn't really been established at this point. It's still people persecuted for their beliefs in Jesus. Immediately, they make this boy out to be different. First miracle. He's just born and on a holy saint's day, he refused to nurse so he could pray. Clearly, the story is setting him apart from the rest of mankind.
He gave money to people to help out. This story about him helping a father so he didn't have to sell his daughters in marriage is where the whole stocking stuffer stuff comes from.
He became a bishop in Myra where he was tortured at one point for his beliefs in 305 AD. In 325 the emperor Constantine I was about to be tormented at the council of Nicaea (where they decided the books to be included in the bible) when Constantine had a dream about Nicholas and he freed the man.
He's the Patron saint of seafarers after saving a ship in the storm. Three boys were kidnapped and killed to eat during a famine and Nicholas saved their bodies and brought them back to life. He became patron saint of Children with this miracle. Interesting, he also brought people back from the dead. This story is rather grisley. It's from this that Santa Claus arises. He loves children and protects them. There are many stories of him saving children's lives. It was the middle ages when his popularity was at it's height. He was know for his gift giving and protection of children and Dec 6 was his day. It morphed over time. He was known as Sinta Klaas in those upper countries like Germany, Holland, etc. That's why Santa Claus is associated with Christmas.
Very interesting. Now, I want to know more stories about saints. They are very mythological in how they work. This is fascinating to me.
I thought the artwork was very similar to medieval European pictures of saints from long ago. The color isn't so bright and things are sort of dark and out of perspective at times. I think it works. It's a book for older kids.
It really fills in understanding of how the modern Santa Claus came to be. It has taken 1600 years to really bring this character into focus. How the character started and where it ended up are so interesting and it's nice that there is more to Santa Claus's story than I thought.
Great book.
Honestly, I didn't know the story behind Nicholas and how he became the inspiration for Santa Claus.
There are facts mixed with myths of the man venerated as a saint in this story. He was born in Patara, Lycia, now Turkey in 280 AD. So, the church hasn't really been established at this point. It's still people persecuted for their beliefs in Jesus. Immediately, they make this boy out to be different. First miracle. He's just born and on a holy saint's day, he refused to nurse so he could pray. Clearly, the story is setting him apart from the rest of mankind.
He gave money to people to help out. This story about him helping a father so he didn't have to sell his daughters in marriage is where the whole stocking stuffer stuff comes from.
He became a bishop in Myra where he was tortured at one point for his beliefs in 305 AD. In 325 the emperor Constantine I was about to be tormented at the council of Nicaea (where they decided the books to be included in the bible) when Constantine had a dream about Nicholas and he freed the man.
He's the Patron saint of seafarers after saving a ship in the storm. Three boys were kidnapped and killed to eat during a famine and Nicholas saved their bodies and brought them back to life. He became patron saint of Children with this miracle. Interesting, he also brought people back from the dead. This story is rather grisley. It's from this that Santa Claus arises. He loves children and protects them. There are many stories of him saving children's lives. It was the middle ages when his popularity was at it's height. He was know for his gift giving and protection of children and Dec 6 was his day. It morphed over time. He was known as Sinta Klaas in those upper countries like Germany, Holland, etc. That's why Santa Claus is associated with Christmas.
Very interesting. Now, I want to know more stories about saints. They are very mythological in how they work. This is fascinating to me.
I thought the artwork was very similar to medieval European pictures of saints from long ago. The color isn't so bright and things are sort of dark and out of perspective at times. I think it works. It's a book for older kids.
It really fills in understanding of how the modern Santa Claus came to be. It has taken 1600 years to really bring this character into focus. How the character started and where it ended up are so interesting and it's nice that there is more to Santa Claus's story than I thought.
Great book.
December 29, 2025
The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi is a beautiful and reverent book that does an excellent job reclaiming Saint Nicholas as a real man of deep faith rather than a purely secular figure. What stood out to me most was how clearly the book centers Nicholas’s love for Christ and his radical charity, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. This is not a “Santa story” that borrows vaguely from Christianity. It is a saint’s life first, and the cultural traditions flow naturally from that holiness.
Demi’s artwork is striking and intentional. The icon-like style reinforces the sacred nature of the story and helps frame Saint Nicholas as someone worthy of veneration, not just admiration. The illustrations invite reflection rather than distraction, which I appreciated. They pair well with the tone of the text, which treats the miraculous elements of Nicholas’s life seriously and without apology.
I also appreciated how the book connects the historical Saint Nicholas to modern Christmas traditions without collapsing the two into each other. It helps children and adults alike understand that generosity, sacrifice, and joy did not originate with Santa Claus, but with a bishop who gave everything he had for love of God and neighbor.
This is a book I would feel very comfortable reading to my children, especially as a way to teach them about the communion of saints and the real meaning behind Christmas gift-giving. It reinforces the idea that holiness is active, costly, and joyful. For Catholic families, or anyone who wants to recover the spiritual roots of Saint Nicholas, this book is well worth reading.
Demi’s artwork is striking and intentional. The icon-like style reinforces the sacred nature of the story and helps frame Saint Nicholas as someone worthy of veneration, not just admiration. The illustrations invite reflection rather than distraction, which I appreciated. They pair well with the tone of the text, which treats the miraculous elements of Nicholas’s life seriously and without apology.
I also appreciated how the book connects the historical Saint Nicholas to modern Christmas traditions without collapsing the two into each other. It helps children and adults alike understand that generosity, sacrifice, and joy did not originate with Santa Claus, but with a bishop who gave everything he had for love of God and neighbor.
This is a book I would feel very comfortable reading to my children, especially as a way to teach them about the communion of saints and the real meaning behind Christmas gift-giving. It reinforces the idea that holiness is active, costly, and joyful. For Catholic families, or anyone who wants to recover the spiritual roots of Saint Nicholas, this book is well worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews