The Holy Twins (Hardcover)

by Kathleen Norris (Author), Tomie dePaola (Illustrator) "ANY hundreds of years ago, in the small town of Nursia, in the mountains of northern Italy, there lived a twin brother and a sister..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
oet, feminist and Benedictine oblate Norris (The Cloister Walk) turns to the sixth-century twins Benedict and Scholastica for this informative dual biography. In easily accessible language and a straightforward tone, she describes the twins' embrace of the monastic life and Benedict's miraculous visions and special calling. Norris is at her most appealing in her wry contrast of Benedict's hard-won insights into the peaceful maintenance of monastic order, codified in his famous Rule, with Scholastica's natural understanding of the shared spiritual life. Young readers will be lured into the narrative by dePaola's friendly art, presented in panels that loosely recall the structure and composition of medieval religious art. Like Norris, he emphasizes Benedict's and Scholastica's humanity rather than their saintliness. Readers will be able to identify with these protagonists, even if the complexities of their vocations elude them. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Gr 2-4-This fictionalized biography of Saints Benedict and Scholastica, twins who lived in sixth-century Italy, is told in a lively, authoritative manner. Born to a respected family in the mountain town of Nursia, the children were separated for their education. Scholastica was placed in a convent and Benedict was sent to Rome. Repelled by the power struggles, injustice, and greed he encountered in the city, Benedict longed for a simple, prayerful life. First he became a cave-dwelling hermit, and later, after many difficulties, he founded a monastery on Monte Cassino, which eventually became the Benedictine order of monks. Meanwhile, his sister remained in the convent and supported her beloved brother with prayer. Many stories of miracles are woven into the text. A brief summary of the Rule of St. Benedict, still used by monks and nuns today, is included. As usual, dePaola's elegant, stylized artwork seems particularly well suited to the eternal quality of religious subjects. The framed spreads are painted in soft, warm acrylics on tea-stained watercolor paper, which gives the semblance of an old manuscript. The text is arranged in boxes of various sizes to help create an eye-appealing format.

Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234241
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234248
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #197,953 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A DELIGHTFUL AND INSPIRING STORY, November 8, 2001

By	Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Twin brother and sister Benedict and Scholastica were rambunctious youngsters who lived many years ago in Nursia, a small mountain town in northern Italy. They climbed trees, raced each other up and down the hills, and befriended stray cats. They were not only twins but constant playmates and best friends.

When the twins grew older, as was the custom of their day, Benedict was sent to Rome to study while Scholastica went to a nearby monastery to learn to read and write. While Scholastica easily adapted to her new live, enjoying the women she met and the prayers that were said, Benedict was troubled by the poverty and cruelty to slaves that he encountered in Rome. Although he knew that the great city opened many avenues for him and that he was expected to remain there to study, Benedict chose to go to a small village where he joined a small number who spent their days in prayer and labor.

Later, Benedict felt God was calling him to live alone so he found a cave for shelter. It was there that shepherds found him and deemed him to be a holy hermit. As Benedict's reputation spread other clerics became envious and even tried to do away with him.

Eventually the solitary believer went to the peak of Monte Cassino where he founded a monastery, which became a refuge for many.

Scholastica, along with a group of other nuns, would come to the monastery to visit her brother once a year and became a great source of support for him and his work.

Tomie de Paola's delightful, boldly colored acrylic illustrations enliven this inspiring story of faith and devotion.

- Gail Cooke

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Saints preserve us, April 26, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I read my first Kathleen Norris book, "Dakota: A Spiritual Geography", in a Humanities class in 1996. Little did I know then that the adept writer would pop up later in my life with the book, "The Holy Twins". Examining the lives of St. Benedict and Scholastica from childhood to their deaths, the book is a careful examination of the path to spiritual enlightenment. To me, this book falls firmly into the category of picture-books-for-adults. The book is a spiritual journey, one that could easily bore children but that contains enough life and verve within its pages to retain interest amongst the older crowd. Illustrated by Tomie de Paola, the book is also bound to garner some interest amongst the "Strega Nona" fans as well.

The story follows the twins, Benedict and Scholastica. As children they played together in the hills of northern Italy. As time passed, however, they were separated and went their different ways. Scholastica joined a convent and Benedict studied, eventually becoming a holy man of sorts. The book mostly examines Benedict and his life, from one near poisoning to another. When the siblings are united their personalities haven't changed much since their days as children and they still react to one another similarly. In the end, Scholastica is the first to pass away and Benedict decrees that he be buried with his twin when he too dies. An author's note at the end (also accompanied by de Paola's illustrations) explains the rule of St. Benedict and gives some additional information about how Benedict influenced monasteries for centuries to come.

As I mentioned before, I personally can't see the little ones put to bed with this as their bedtime story. Certainly the words are simple enough but there's a sophistication to the plot and language that suits an adult reader better. That and the fact that not a whole lot happens in this tale. The book's exceeding interest in Benedict who, as the book itself notes was, "extremely strict and demanding of the monks", and others, is baffling. Why not give us more of a glance on the life of Scholastica? This character obviously has a sense of humor but one minute she's a girl entering a convent and the next she's greeting her grey-haired twin brother. Why the lapse? Benedict's preferential treatment belies the title of the book that would have suggested the tale told the stories of both the characters. Alas that this is not the case.

No objection could possibly ever be made to de Paola's illustrations, by the way. He is just as talented today as he was when he first began illustrating. The use of distance and multiple actions taking place on a single page is impressive. All in all, the tale is given a respect and dignity that a lesser illustrator might have squandered. Such is the beauty of a de Paola book.

Should you wish to teach the tale of two saints from birth to death, this is a good resource to have. But for fun recreational reading, I direct you to look elsewhere. It's a great book, but dry at times and skimpy on the details at others. Altogether an interesting effort.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book About Great Saints, April 10, 2007

By	A. K. Borenstadt - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica (School & Library Binding)

We love it. We always love Tomie De Paola books. His illustrations are wonderful to look at and the text is easy to understand.