The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith [Hardcover]

Josephine Nobisso (Author), Katalin Szegedi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2002 | Age Range: 5 and up

When a poor devout widow begs for a scrap of bread from a rich faithless baker, she promises to participate in the king s wedding mass as payment for the baker s generosity. The baker writes One Mass on a scrap of paper and places it on his scale to determine how much bread it is worth. To his and the entire town s surprise, nothing in the shop, not even the gigantic wedding cakes made for the king, outweighs the simple piece of paper representing the true worth of a mass. Luminous old-world watercolor paintings grace the interior of the book and gold foil artwork lends an air of solemnity and sacred beauty to the story.
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-This gentle tale celebrates the power of the Mass in the Roman Catholic faith. A shabby, penniless old woman enters the baker's shop as he is preparing luscious creations for the king's wedding, which is about to take place in the city cathedral. Few are expected to attend, however, because the populace has grown cold and neglectful about their faith. When the baker refuses to give the old woman even a crust of stale bread, she offers to say a Mass for him, in exchange for food. Scoffing, he writes "One Mass" on a tiny piece of paper, places it on his scale, and tries to overbalance it with heaps of his finest pastries, but to no avail. The Mass outweighs them all. Chastened, he and his customers hurry to the cathedral to renew the practice of their beliefs at their monarch's marriage. The text, which was inspired by an actual event recounted by a priest in Luxembourg, is written in a lilting, storytelling style and teaches its lesson sweetly. Double-page spreads of warm-toned watercolors are filled with swirling action and show charming, doll-like people in Victorian dress.
Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Review

"A lovely Catholic parable . . . that can be read with pleasure and understanding by those of any religious background—or none." -- Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2002

"Unfolds its message with solemn grace and purpose . . . woven together with a lilting text and warm, romantic illustrations." --Christian Library Journal, February 2003

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Gingerbread House (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081462930X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814629307
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 11.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Josephine Nobisso's first story appeared in a national magazine when she was 18. Since then, she has published over fifty books, mostly for children.

Each year, to rave evaluations, Miss Nobisso conducts about 100 workshops in "The Nobisso Recommendations: Guiding Students to Write in Their Authentic Voices," part of which comes to life in her book, Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing. a book for which she received "The Global Learning Initiative Award" for "The Best Trade Book with Educational Application"-- a singular citation jointly administered by the Association of Education Publishers and the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

The National Catholic Educational Association named her "Distinguished Graduate," and Delta Kappa Gamma--the international society of honored teachers-- named her "Friend of Education," for "someone outside the profession who has worked significantly toward improving the educational opportunities of others, and who has given outstanding service to promoting quality education."

Among the very many honors that Miss Nobisso books have received are five other awards for Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing: the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council "Children's Choice Award," an American Booksellers Association BookSense "Pick of the Lists" citation, a Parents' Choice Award, a National Parenting Publications Award, and was a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Finalist.

Born February 9, 1953, in the Bronx, Miss Nobisso homeschooled her daughter, Maria Nicotra, the Art Director of Gingerbread House, the press they founded together. Miss Nobisso and her family live on the East End of Long Island.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, beautiful, luminous story and illustrations! January 3, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Want to give your children or other children whom you love a precious gift? Give them this book! It's one they'll read as children and they'll read 40 years from now to their own children. It's not only a beautiful story, but one that will strengthen their faith.

Wonderfully written by Josephine Nobisso and luminously illustrated by Katalin Szegedi, The Weight of a Mass, is an original cultural folk tale based upon a true story. The story reads and looks like a fairy tale.

A ragged, destitute widow arrives at the kingdom's prosperous bakery and begs only a crust of bread in exchange for offering a royal wedding Mass for the baker.

The baker scoffs and tears off a tiny piece of tissue paper on which he writes the words: One Mass, intending to place them it on the scale to find out the value of a Mass.

Much to his surprise, when he drops a piece of old bread on the other side of the scale, it does not tip. So, he enlists his son to stack more and more baked goods on top of the scale. Out come cherry topped cupcakes, marzipan apple, filled chocolates, poppy seed cakes, rolls, donuts, fruitcakes, cream cakes, berry tarts, poached pears, plum pudding, candied fruits, almond confetti, crsuhed walnuts, and eventually the royal wedding cake.

The father, his son, the old woman, and others in the kingdom come to learn the weight of a Mass.

The story includes an author's postscript recounting the original story as told by Father Stanislaus from Luxembourg who tells of a conversation between a butcher and a Captain of the Forest Guards that was interrupted by an old woman begging a morsel of meat in exchange for a Holy Mass intention. As a result of the miracle, the Captian began attending Mass daily and one of his sons later received a calling to the priesthood.

I cannot say praise this book enough. It's a genre that is sorely needed in children's literature. Not only is it a beautiful book, but it teaches about the richness of the Mass and the priceless presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The paintings are wonderful, particularly those of an arched interior of the Cathedral and the bishop holding up the Eucharist at the wedding Mass.

Do yourself a favor. Purchase this book for your children, your grandchildren, and any other children whom you love.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Every catholic family needs this book! September 21, 2004

By Lori Hogan

Format:Hardcover

This is a really special book, one that helps teach children the value of attending mass. How often have you found yourself trying to convince your children how important it is to go to mass? Well, this beautiful book will help you share your faith and love of the mass. The story has a lovely fairy tale quality to it. The illustrations alone are just beautiful. Together the story and pictures are perfect. It is deep and ernest and loving. It is appropriate for any age. There is never a moment of heavy handedness. It is like reading any other fairytale, but there is so much more depth to it.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, Beautiful and True July 8, 2005

By Paul VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Beautifully written and illustrated, "The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith" is a great story based on an existing legend. It is set in the style of a fairy tale to communicate the great teaching of the Catholic Church regarding the ultimate importance of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass above all earthly things.

The story takes place mostly in a bakery shop where the people of the kingdom seem to prefer to spend their time rather than at church, we are told. The shop owner arrogantly argues with an old beggar woman that her offer to hear Mass for him if he were to give her a small piece of bread is of no value. His lack of faith becomes the occasion for a miracle in which a small piece of paper bearing the words "One Mass" is shown to outweigh all the items in his bakery. These items, representing the natural goods of this earth, are not able to even lower the scale one bit.

The response to the miracle is for the people of the kingdom, including the repentant shop owner, to rush out to attend the royal wedding Mass. The king and queen, of which very little is said, can be seen as an analogy of Christ and his Bride, the Holy Church. The desire of both is not so much to have people admire the grandiose royal wedding cake, but to join their hearts in the celebration of the Wedding Mass.

This is a very effective book for teaching kids and reminding adults of the surpassing value of the Mass and God's love for us. I was worried that my 3-year son, obsessed with Bob the Builder and the Veggietales would not appreciate the story, but he likes it very much and requests it at bedtime frequently.