Saint Patrick

by Ann Tompert, Michael Garland (Illustrator)

The patron saint of Ireland is brought to life through his own words in this stunning picture-book biography, available just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Christian, History, Religion

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Ann Tompert is an award-winning children's book author who has written more than 20 books, including Harry's Hats, Just a Little Bit, and Little Fox Goes to the End of the World.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now with regard to her presented text, I very warmly and openly consider Ann Tompert’s 1998 biographical picture book Saint Patrick educational, enlightening and first and foremost as wonderfully and delightfully readable. And importantly, I equally very much do believe that the verbal denseness (and length) of Tompert’s presented text actually and in fact does not at all, does in no way render Saint Patrick as unsuitable even for younger children (and with me thus claiming that narrationally speaking, Saint Patrick would actually also be completely suitable for three to five year olds if the book, if Saint Patrick were being read aloud). Because and certainly, Ann Tompert’s featured vocabulary and her syntax are simple enough for younger children even with there being a fair amount of narrative encountered in Saint Patrick, and yes, that while violence and faced dangers are not ignored, Ann Tompert also does not ever pen any gruesome scenarios in Saint Patrick and simply and matter-of-factly demonstrates that as a young man, Patrick was abducted from what is now England by Irish pirates and that during his career as a Bishop and a missionary in Ireland, Saint Patrick did face and had to deal with multiple threats (after he was released from Irish slavery, had returned to England and then decided to convert the Irish to Christianity). So yes, certainly and in my humble opinion, Saint Patrick thus provides a solidly informational and historically authentic feeling child-friendly biography of and for the Patron Saint of Ireland.

And furthermore, I also and personally much appreciate that Ann Tompert has (and according to the author’s note) used primarily Saint Patrick’s own writings, his letters and confessions and not the folklore and legends surrounding him for her account of Patrick’s life (but that in the author’s note, Tompert does mention the legend of how Saint Patrick is supposed to have used the shamrock with its three leaves to explain the holy trinity and of course that there is also that story about how Saint Patrick chased all snakes out of Ireland). Therefore and textually speaking, Saint Patrick ranks with a solid four stars for me. And indeed, the only reason why my rating for the combination of Ann Tompert’s text and Michael Garland’s accompanying artwork is still only three stars is that I just do not find Garland’s illustrations all that aesthetically appealing, that while his pictures of landscapes and seascapes are fine, for and to my eyes, how Michael Garland has drawn and coloured his human and animal figures for Saint Patrick, this tends to physically appear as rather strange and stylised, and with in particular the striped skin tones feeling both visually annoying and more than a bit distracting.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using Saint Patrick's "Confession" - one of two letters he is known to have written - as her source, Ann Tompert tells the story of the man who is credited with converting Ireland to Christianity, and who became the patron saint of that country. From Patrick's youth in late 4th-century Roman Britain, through his enslavement in Ireland; from his escape from captivity through his return to the country of his bondage - Tompert covers all of the major events of her subject's life, discussing the hardship and persecution he faced, when trying to spread the word of Christianity. She concludes with his death on March 17th, sometime around the year 461 AD - from this date comes the modern holiday of St. Patrick's Day - and includes a discussion of some of the folklore associated with him, in her brief afterword...

Picking up Ann Tompert and Michael Garland's Saint Patrick, I had Tomie dePaola's Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland at the back of my mind, and it was difficult not to compare the two, when reading. I think that Tompert does an excellent job with her narrative, and I liked that she used St. Patrick's own writing, of which there is very little, in crafting her story. Unlike the dePaola, she pays less attention to the folklore associated with this saint, relegating it to a mention in her afterword and concentrating on the story of Patrick's life instead. Unfortunately, I wasn't as enamored with the artwork, as I was with the text. I did like the decorative Celtic knotwork borders that Garland used, but the mixed media paintings themselves left me mostly cold. The color palette sometimes struck me as odd, there was a flat quality to some of the images that put me off, and I didn't like the streaky effect of the human faces. This last was clearly a deliberate choice - all of the skin had a textured quality, with alternating pink and grayish stripes, giving almost the effect of having been painted over wood - and I found it distracting. It's difficult to describe the effect it had on me, but it was almost as if the characters were fading in and out. Tastes vary of course, and other readers seem to have really enjoyed these illustrations, so take that as you will. I myself have a back-and-forth relationship with Garland's art - this is my eighth picture-book from him - sometimes loving it and sometimes disliking it. In any case, despite not loving the visuals here, I still enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to any picture-book readers looking for stories about Saint Patrick. It could be paired very nicely with the dePaola, or with a telling of one of the famous legends about the saint, such as Sheila MacGill-Callahan's The Last Snake in Ireland: A Story about St. Patrick .

[Shecki B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been on a quest to find a St Patrick book that talks about the man, versus the holiday. One that’s fact based, without all the myths. This one is pretty close to what I’m after. I do wish she hadn’t chosen the word “heathens” when Patrick talks about returning to Ireland to share the Gospel with the Celtic people. This may end up being the book I choose to read to my students at a Christian school.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought my 4 year old would prefer Tomie DePaola's more folksy version of this famous saint but she actually likes this one a lot better. She asks to hear it almost every night, and is fascinated by details about Irish warlords and slavery and false imprisonment. The illustrations are really pretty but not overbearing, also. A good addition to your library of either saints or Irish themes.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice little book about the life of Saint Patrick. It had a simplified story that wasn't too long. I read it to my 5-year-old and the vocabulary was only a little above her head, which is just right, in my opinion.

[David Freudenburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent picture book/biography of Saint Patrick based entirely on the few primary sources available.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The content was good, as it was basically paraphrasing the Confessions of St. Patrick. However, I’m not a fan of the artwork. Rating it at 3.5.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice illustrations and life story of St. Patrick. Read aloud to the kids.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic storytelling, the drawings good in the biblical pamphlet look.

[Deidra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Ann Tompert, illustrated by Michael Garland. Published by Caroline House, copyright 1998.

Grade level: 2nd and up

This story starts with Patrick as a young boy living at home. He enjoyed his life, but was not particularly religious. He then is captured and taken to be a slave. It is during this time that Patrick starts praying to God and increases his faith. He eventually escapes slavery, and follows his calling to bring Christianity to Ireland. He established many churches in the land and eventually converted the people. He was later made a Bishop and is still known as the Patron Saint of Ireland.

I think this book is a great way to briefly explain the life and times of St. Patrick. The illustrations are wonderful, and the story is told well.

Possible themes/units: religion, Ireland, St. Patricks day

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

We grabbed this one from the library for St. Patrick's day. To my surprise, my four year old really enjoyed it, and we've read it several times. He really paid attention to the story and asked lots of questions about Patrick. The illustrations are lovely as well. Great find!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story. illustrations seem forced, almost computer generated? one of the pages has words over pictures of the sea which makes the words hard to read. simple clear text, some goldleaf-ish-ness.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written introduction to St. Patrick for children based on the 2 extant letters he wrote w/colorful illustrations by Michael Garland.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

good picts

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written, I liked that it drew on the writings of St. Patrick, himself. It felt very biographical with the "quotes" from St. Patrick.
The pictures were nicely done.
Includes mostly facts and a few legends in the Author's Note at the end.