Martin de Porres - The Rose in the Desert

2013 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration

As the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, Martin de Porres was born into extreme poverty. Even so, his mother begged the church fathers to allow him into the priesthood. Instead, Martin was accepted as a servant boy. But soon, the young man was performing miracles. Rumors began to fly around the city of a strange mulatto boy with healing hands, who gave first to the people of the barrios. Martin continued to serve in the church, until he was finally received by the Dominican Order, no longer called the worthless son of a slave, but rather a saint and the rose in the desert.

About the author

Gary D. Schmidt is the bestselling author of The Labors of Hercules Beal; Just Like That; National Book Award finalist Okay for Now; Pay Attention, Carter Jones; Orbiting Jupiter; the Newbery Honor and Printz Honor Book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy; and the Newbery Honor Book The Wednesday Wars. He lives in rural Michigan.

Summary

2013 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration

As the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, Martin de Porres was born into extreme poverty. Even so, his mother begged the church fathers to allow him into the priesthood. Instead, Martin was accepted as a servant boy. But soon, the young man was performing miracles. Rumors began to fly around the city of a strange mulatto boy with healing hands, who gave first to the people of the barrios. Martin continued to serve in the church, until he was finally received by the Dominican Order, no longer called the worthless son of a slave, but rather a saint and the rose in the desert.

Additional text

"With images of surpassing beauty and power and a text both simple and lyrical, Diaz and Schmidt tell the life of the first black saint of the Americas . . . A visual--and, it must be said, spiritual--delight."--Kirkus   "Schmidt's telling, touching in its simplicity, is well matched with Diaz's exceptional artwork, which is bold and referential in equal parts."--Booklist, starred review   "An artful and reverent portrait of a lesser-known figure."--School Library Journal   "Diaz's visualization of this story is magnificent."--Horn Book

Product details

• Authors: Schmidt Gary D. Schmidt, Gary D. Schmidt
• Assisted by: Diaz David Diaz (Illustration), David Diaz (Illustration)
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 6 to 9
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 26.06.2012
• EAN: 9780547612188
• ISBN: 978-0-547-61218-8
• No. of pages: 32
• Dimensions: 229 mm x 267 mm x 10 mm
• Weight: 404 g
• Series: Pura Belpre Award Winner - Ill; Pura Belpre Award Winner - Ill
• Subjects: Children's and young people's books > Non-fiction books / Non-fiction picture books > Religion, philosophy, psychology; JUVENILE NONFICTION: Social Topics / Prejudice & Racism, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Biography & Autobiography / Historical, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Animals / Baby Animals, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Diversity & Multicultural, JUVENILE NONFICTION: History / Central & South America, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Hispanic & Latino, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Religion / Christianity / General, JUVENILE NONFICTION: Religious / Christian / Social Issues