This is a Caldecott Honor Book and deserves all the accolades it has earned. Through words and pictures, the reader is told the complex story of how a Gothic cathedral was conceived, created and used in the Middle Ages. The example used is fictitious but relies on the author's extensive knowledge of Gothic cathedrals. One of the most amazing things I learned from this book was the fact that these churches often took one or two hundred years to complete.
The story takes place in Chutreaux, France, in the 1200s. There are no plagues, people have jobs and money and they want to thank God with a church. They have some of the remains of St. Germain, who was a knight in the First Crusade. For those not aware, a church/cathedral is named after a saint and they retain some fragment of that saint's body, perhaps in the sacristy or some other holy place.
Through tight text and awesome drawings, youngsters and adults can learn about the construction of a cathedral. In this telling, it takes 86 years to complete the church; in time for the grandchildren of the original workers to enjoy the beauty of the completed church. There is also a glossary on the last page to help with architectural terms. Beautiful.
The story takes place in Chutreaux, France, in the 1200s. There are no plagues, people have jobs and money and they want to thank God with a church. They have some of the remains of St. Germain, who was a knight in the First Crusade. For those not aware, a church/cathedral is named after a saint and they retain some fragment of that saint's body, perhaps in the sacristy or some other holy place.
Through tight text and awesome drawings, youngsters and adults can learn about the construction of a cathedral. In this telling, it takes 86 years to complete the church; in time for the grandchildren of the original workers to enjoy the beauty of the completed church. There is also a glossary on the last page to help with architectural terms. Beautiful.
