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About Hildegard's Gift
Product Description Hildegard's Gift was not wrapped in shimmering paper and tied with gold ribbons. It was not a special package left under a beautiful, fragrant Christmas tree by old St. Nicholas. Hildegard's Gift was much more special than that. It took a lifetime for Hildegard to completely understand her gift, but when she finally did, she changed her entire world. This beautiful children's picture book not only celebrates the life and work of Hildegard von Bingen; it also shows children that they, too, have gifts and talents hidden within, just waiting to be released. From Booklist The gifts of Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179 CE) are not easily translatable into a book for young children. She was a theologian, visionary, poet, and scientist and was renowned for her chants. This picture book serves as a good introduction by bringing the phenomenon down to a child’s level: Hildegard’s gift was this: When she closed her eyes she saw pictures . . . she heard music . . . she wrote poems, songs, and stories. But this was not a gift without strings attached. Hildegard had headaches and was often tired, and while she was a nun, she was overpowered by all that she was experiencing and became incapacitated. A helpful visit from the monk Bernard of Clairvaux reminded her that her writings and music were her gifts to the world. The accessible text is highlighted by lines from Hildegard’s writings, most of which will be understood by the target audience. Child-friendly line-and-watercolor artwork brings Hildegard’s stories close. The last spread, which directly addresses readers and listeners, is bumpy, but it gets across the story’s message about each person having an individual gift. Grades 1-3. --Ilene Cooper Review “Hoyt offers young readers a glimpse into the life of Hildegard of Bingen in the newest in a series of picture books about saints. The text is enlivened by former portrait artist Hill's bright and whimsical illustrations depicting Hildegard's imaginative life. As a young child, Hildegard discovers her gifts—writing, painting and singing. She finds great joy in sharing her gifts with others, but suffers under the strain they bring. With tutelage from a nun, Jutta, and a monk, Volmar, she learns to read and write Latin and to produce plays. After a while, exhausted by the constant work, she becomes seriously ill. A visit from the monk Bernard of Clairvaux restores Hildegard's health. She then finds that her gift has grown even stronger and spends the rest of her life sharing her work with the world. Hoyt believes that every child has a gift, and her book serves as a prompt to talk with children about how to discover their own.” — Publishers Weekly “As a father of three, I love when I find a good children’s book to read with my kids. A compelling story with imaginative illustrations engages my kids and keeps them returning to that book again and again. Hildegard’s Gift was one such compelling read for my children. My oldest daughter (age six) was interested in the truthfulness of the story that Megan Hoyt tells; there really was a Hildegard whose imagination was set a flame by God. My younger children (ages four and three) were captivated by David Hill’s illustrations—a little girl, medieval monastics and colorful visions. This book is about Hildegard’s gift but it is also about the gift every child has (and all us adults too). Hoyt’s words and Hill’s illustrations explore the specialness of each of our calls and helps kids think about what their gift to the world may be. I am not sure that my children get all that, but the beauty and substance of the story entices them.” — James Matichuk , Thoughts, Prayers & Songs “This twelfth-century German nun was a Renaissance woman several centuries before the Renaissance. She was not just a composer; she was also a playwright, a theologian, an abbess, a pharmacist, and a mystic. She was quite a gal, in other words, a great example of a woman who u
