Audacious Ignatius

by Paul Mitchell, Katie Mitchell Broussard (Illustrator)

​Battle of Pamplona, May 20th, 1521 Ignatius of Loyola, a valiant soldier, is struck by a cannonball and gravely wounded. His military career is finished. Ignatius responds to this misfortune by listening for and responding to God's call. Follow him through his conversion, the development of the "Spiritual Exercises," and the growth of the Society of Jesus. This playful rendition of the biography of St. Ignatius invites readers to encounter Ignatian spirituality and the wisdom of a Catholic spiritual master. 

Genres: Picture Books

Hardcover

Published December 1, 2018

Reviews

[Carolyn]

Who would've thought so many words rhymed with Ignatius? This brightly illustrated, rhyming picture book is a fun biography of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. It's a great introduction to the saint for young children - and a vocabulary-building book as well!

[Sheila]

I received a free copy of, Audacious Ignatius, by Paul Mitchell, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a great rhyming story about Saint Ignatius. This is a great book for kids to learn about St. Ignatius, how he found God, and changed the lives of many people.

[cherry]

Audacious Ignatius is a charming children’s book about about St. Ignatius and his adventurous life.

This was a sweet story that my three-year old and I both enjoyed. The rhymes were fun, the illustrations were vibrant and interesting to look at, and the book overall was enjoyable and informative for both me and my son.

[Aimee]

This book is so cute! It holds lessons for kids on:

- vocabulary
- rhyming
- the life of St. Ignatius
- how to pray
- living a life for Christ

I can't wait to read this to my kiddos, I can already hear their giggles.

[Harry]

It's about time that rhyme
was used to opine
on a Basque sublime
and a subject divine!

Congratulations to Paul Mitchell and Katie Mitchell Broussard on a wonderful addition to the Ignatian Athenaeum!

An enjoyable read for any age. "A love most capacious" is my favorite page!

[Robin]

Such a fun book of someone we should all know more about.

[Amanda Rogozinski]

I loved the idea about a book making Ignatius and his teachings accessible to children. I was a little disappointed, however, as I found the story difficult to follow. I think this was because of the poetic form which made it difficult to include many details and transitional elements in the text. Though my almost 6 year old enjoyed the lyrical story and the illustrations, she could not explain to me what the story was about (which she generally can do quite easily). The big vocabulary words would make it more appropriate for an older reader, but the simplistic nature of the story and it being a picture book gears it towards younger readers, so it was hard to see what the right group for this book is. No harm in reading it though! It is always a plus to get to introduce children to historical figures that they can model and learn from. The illustrations alone have made her curious, so we will build on that as we talk about Ignatius again in the future.

*Review copy via Netgalley

[Margaret Closs]

The pictures were cute and it was an interesting biography about St. Ignatius. It was a little hard for me to tell who this book was targeted to. The pictures were consistent with a children's book but the vocabulary was quite advanced. The rhyming nature of the book was rhythmic and enjoyable, but in my family, where my 10 year old son will use million dollar words instead of 50 cent words for vocabulary, some of the words that were used were very advanced and maybe not necessary. I guess that's great if you are really trying to introduce a wide variety of vocabulary words, but I can see younger kids getting frustrated and not understanding.

[Jessica Bellemore]

A cute book that helps introduce children to St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The rhyming nature is engaging, and though this saint's life wasn't always pretty, the book does a good job of making it palatable for children.

The book makes it fun for children to learn about a saint, and to hopefully get them interested in learning more when hearing this.

Sure to be a great addition to any Catholic school's bookshelf.

Thank you to Net Galley for this opportunity to read this book and provide my honest opinion.

[Maureen]

Fabulous! Wow, I am in awe of this book; I love everything about it. The illustrations are beautiful, with excellent use of color, simplicity, and images to tell the story. The beginning pulls you right in with so many words rhyming with Ignatius. Very fun! The story is clear and concise for young readers/listeners. I love that it is a simple story of his life while also inviting the reader to join in. It's a book that you won't forget soon, will be fun to reference with children, and has a message that speaks to everyone.

[Cherry London]

Ignatius was a brave and reckless soul. Who figured there was nothing he couldn’t do until he was shot and laid up in bed. While laid-up books became his solace, they entertained, enlightened, and introduced him to a new path to champion. He became immersed in the word, the gospel, which propelled him into a new direction. It was an ingenious and compelling way of introducing the gospel to young ears.

[Jessica Bellemore]

A cute book that helps introduce children to St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The rhyming nature is engaging, and though this saint's life wasn't always pretty, the book does a good job of making it palatable for children.

The book makes it fun for children to learn about a saint, and to hopefully get them interested in learning more when hearing this.

Sure to be a great addition to any Catholic school's bookshelf.

[Kim Novak (The Reading Rx)]

I liked learning about St. Ignatius and enjoyed the rhyming sections but wished they rhymed more consistently throughout. The real star of the book though are the illustrations. I loved the folksy watercolor scenes and found them to be more interesting than the written story.

3.5 stars (5 for the art)

Thank you to NetGalley and Loyola Press for the opportunity to read and review a complimentary copy.

[Bee]

Such a charming book, with a simple but poignant message. I loved the sweet illustrations. The highlight is the use of words. If your child is a logophile, they are going to really enjoy this book. The book has a great rhythm and rhyme. It is written in a quirky, fun tone. Unexpectedly, I was touched and challenged by this quick read.

[Melissa Motes]

Audacious Ignatius is a informative children's book about Ignatius of Loyola and his journey to founding the Jesuit order with his companions. The book provides a wide range of vocabulary. Audacious Ignatius gives insights to the Reformation and Counter-Reformation in an accessible way to readers of all ages.

[Jennifer]

This was so cute. The rhyming is wonderful. I love how this breaks down a part of church history in a way that's easy and fun for kids.