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5th out of 38 books
—
9 voters
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 stran...more
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 stran...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
June 26th 2012
by Clarion Books
(first published June 19th 2012)
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Richie's Picks: MARTIN DE PORRES: THE ROSE IN THE DESERT by Gary D. Schmidt and David Diaz, ill., Clarion, June 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-547-61218-8
“If you hear the song I sing
You must understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand”
-- Chet Powers (aka Dino Valenti), “Get Together”
"Soon, all the people of the barrios knew who the young cirujano was. When a man was hurt, he was carried to Martín. When a child grew pale, she was brought to Martín. When a slave was whipped, he...more
“If you hear the song I sing
You must understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand”
-- Chet Powers (aka Dino Valenti), “Get Together”
"Soon, all the people of the barrios knew who the young cirujano was. When a man was hurt, he was carried to Martín. When a child grew pale, she was brought to Martín. When a slave was whipped, he...more
Martin De Porres is the story of a young boy who was born to a Spanish nobleman and a slave. He lived in the poorest of the poor section. When he gets older, his father claims him and he is allowed to be an apprentice for a surgeon. It is quickly noted that he was excellent at his job. People and animals came from all over to be healed by Martin. His true calling was to be a Priest, but because of his mix-racial background, that was not possible. Instead he served in the church in many other way...more
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Schmidt, Gary D, and David Diaz. Martín De Porres: The Rose in the Desert. Boston: Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. Print. 32 p.
A juvenile biography on Martín de Porres, this work presents the man in a way that children will be able to understand. Enjoyable, interesting illustrations in bright colors provide a visual tour of de Porres' life for readers. Events and stages in the life of Martín de Porres' life, including a difficult childhood, learning and practicing his ability t...more
A juvenile biography on Martín de Porres, this work presents the man in a way that children will be able to understand. Enjoyable, interesting illustrations in bright colors provide a visual tour of de Porres' life for readers. Events and stages in the life of Martín de Porres' life, including a difficult childhood, learning and practicing his ability t...more
Newbery-honor winning novelist Gary D. Schmidt and Caldecott-winning illustrator David Diaz together have created a beautiful and moving portrait of Martin de Porres, a 17th century Peruvian saint. I was completely unfamiliar with this remarkable individual, an illegitimate child both to a former African slave and a Spanish conqueror. He grew up in poverty until the age of eight, when his noble father came from Ecuador and took Martin and his sister Juana back with him to raise. Later apprentice...more
Audience: This book would be best for a 1st-2nd audience.
Appeal: This book is filled with bright, colorful illustrations. I think this age group would perceive Martin’s healing powers as magic, which would likely be appealing to them.
Application: I would utilize this book for a visual imagery activity. After reading the book as a class I would have the students get into pairs and come up with at least one thing they could each do for someone else. I would create a lemon tree (as close to life-si...more
Appeal: This book is filled with bright, colorful illustrations. I think this age group would perceive Martin’s healing powers as magic, which would likely be appealing to them.
Application: I would utilize this book for a visual imagery activity. After reading the book as a class I would have the students get into pairs and come up with at least one thing they could each do for someone else. I would create a lemon tree (as close to life-si...more
I had never heard of Martin do Porres before but he has a very interesting and inspiring story. He was the son of a former slave and a spanish noble who started his life in poverty and ended up getting and education and eventually becoming a monk after working in the monastery cleaning for many years. He treated everyone equally and was the first black saint from the America's canonized and became the patron saint for interracial marriage among many other things.
The illustrations are very brigh...more
The illustrations are very brigh...more
Jun 09, 2012
Barbara
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
animals,
bullies,
community,
civil-rights,
cultural-identity,
families,
ncbla2013,
picture-book
Born into poverty in Peru in 1579, the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, Martin de Porres became a servant for an Order when he was told that his mixed blood precluded his joining the priesthood. Because of his medical training in Ecuador and his gentleness, he became the one that everyone in Lima came to see when they were ill. Even the animals relied on his tender touch. The text describes his patience and determination to help others, and the afterword makes note that...more
This incredibly beautiful picture book is the story of the life of St. Martin de Porres. Martin was a young bi-racial boy in the early colonial period in Lima, Peru. His story is one of struggle and prejudice in a time in which it was systematic and viscerally cruel. Martin's actions of love from a boy to a man show others that love, real love, is universal.
The artwork in this book is stunning. It is no wonder that it is a Pura Bulpre Illustrator award-winner. Each page's color and form draws y...more
The artwork in this book is stunning. It is no wonder that it is a Pura Bulpre Illustrator award-winner. Each page's color and form draws y...more
Audience: Primary ages K-2nd would be appropriate levels for reading this story but students of all elementary ages would be interested in the reading.
Genre: Realistic fiction.
Text-to-text: This story reminds me of the children's book "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe".
Text-to-self: This story relates to me because I have seen first hand how religion can take a person who has lost everything and give them a purpose in life and help them to feel fulfillment.
Text-to-world:...more
Genre: Realistic fiction.
Text-to-text: This story reminds me of the children's book "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe".
Text-to-self: This story relates to me because I have seen first hand how religion can take a person who has lost everything and give them a purpose in life and help them to feel fulfillment.
Text-to-world:...more
Audience: This book would be appropriate for kindergarten to third or fourth grade. The younger grades may need to book read to them instead but they will still understand the concept. This would be great for both boys and girls. The boys may connect with the topic too. The book is very colorful so it will attract most children.
Appeal: This would appeal to Spanish speakers because they may know about Martin de Porres from things they grew up with. It would also appeal because of the bright color...more
Appeal: This would appeal to Spanish speakers because they may know about Martin de Porres from things they grew up with. It would also appeal because of the bright color...more
Martin de Porres was named the patron saint of universal brotherhood by Pope John XXIII and is also known as the "patron saint of interracial relations, social justice, those of mixed race, public education, and animal shelters."
This richly illustrated picture book tells the story of Martin, a poor boy born in Lima to a slave mother and a royal conqueror. Schmidt weaves a story of a poor boy's upbringing and transformation, describing challenges and building suspense about how Martin will overco...more
This richly illustrated picture book tells the story of Martin, a poor boy born in Lima to a slave mother and a royal conqueror. Schmidt weaves a story of a poor boy's upbringing and transformation, describing challenges and building suspense about how Martin will overco...more
Audience-Primary
Genre-Traditional Literature
Awards-2013 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration
Connection- Text to Text- The main connection I made with this text to another text or story was the similarities to the story of Moses in the bible. Moses was born and from birth was unwanted because of high numbers in the Children of Israel. Martin was born to a slave mother and a spanish conqueror and was unwanted at the time by his father. There was a time in Moses life when God sent him back to free th...more
Genre-Traditional Literature
Awards-2013 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration
Connection- Text to Text- The main connection I made with this text to another text or story was the similarities to the story of Moses in the bible. Moses was born and from birth was unwanted because of high numbers in the Children of Israel. Martin was born to a slave mother and a spanish conqueror and was unwanted at the time by his father. There was a time in Moses life when God sent him back to free th...more
Sep 05, 2012
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
read-biography,
read-childrens-books
I had never heard of this fellow until I read this book. Martin was the son of a black slave woman and a Spanish royal. At first he lived with in poverty with his mother and sister in Lima, Peru, and was looked down upon; then his father took the two children to live with him in Ecuador. Eventually Martin found himself back in Lima where he began studying to become a doctor. Martin was a gentle man who had a gift for healing animals and people alike. The stories about him remind me of St. Franci...more
Audience: This book is most suitable for the younger primary grade, most likely 1st-3rd grade.
Appeal: All the illustrations and pictures are bright and colorful. Very appealing pictures for young children to look at.
Application: This book would be great to illustrate how we can help others. Martin de Porres had powers and was able to use them by helping others. I would have the students write in their daily journals on how they might or what they might do to help someone else out in a positive w...more
Appeal: All the illustrations and pictures are bright and colorful. Very appealing pictures for young children to look at.
Application: This book would be great to illustrate how we can help others. Martin de Porres had powers and was able to use them by helping others. I would have the students write in their daily journals on how they might or what they might do to help someone else out in a positive w...more
I generally try my best to stay away from books with a tough subject. However, I was curious about this figure that I had never heard of before. Juan Martín de Porres was born in Lima, Perú on December 9, 1579 to a freed slave, Ana Velásquez, and a nobleman, Don Juan de Porres. Here is a man despite racial prejudices toward none pure bloods, excelled in his abilities. He is noted with healing the poor and nobles alike. Some even say he healed them with just a glass of water. He died on November...more
Martin de Porres was born to a former slave and a Spanish nobleman in Lima, Peru. He lived in severe poverty in the barrios until his father took him back to Ecuador with him. As Martin grew older, he returned to Lima and started learning to tend to the ill. His healing power revealed itself while he was there. Thanked for his healing, he was given the seeds of a lemon tree as a gift. After planting the seeds, a tree grew overnight and had ripe fruit. Word began to spread about this amazing boy....more
A new Pope has been chosen and he hails for Latin American. Perhaps this will bring focus on the Catholic church in this region. Martin de Porres is a recently canonized saint from Peru. Like St. Francis he was kind to animals, humble, and a healer. This lovely story of a boy who devotes his life to helping others, shows that there is strength in humility and glory in being of service to others.
An excellent picture biography of the mixed-race man who became the first black saint in the Americas. Focusing on his works of charity, his patience and compassion, Gary D. Schmidt has done an admirable job of bringing the saint to life in a manner accessible to young readers. The illustrations of David Diaz are beautiful yet understated, perfectly mirroring the life of Martin de Porres.
David Diaz won the 2013 Pura Belpre Illustrator's Award for this book. Diaz, who won the Caldecott Medal back in 1999 for his illustrations in "Smoky Night" by Eve Bunting, is a rare successful artist who never imitates his own style and improves his singular craft all the time. The text by Gary D. Schmidt is very well-written. You don't have to be Christian to enjoy this amazing story about Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru's 16th Century St. Francis. How can anyone dislike the patron saint of inter...more
This book won the Pura Bulpre award for illustration, and it's easy to see why. This is a delightful and moving story of St. Martin de Porres, who worked on behalf of the poor, sick, and disadvantaged in seventeenth-century Peru. The text and pictures work together so smoothly. Gary D. Schmidt's writing is astonishing -- who knew the author of Okay for Now had this much range?
Fantastic work -- and refreshing.
Fantastic work -- and refreshing.
A very good picture book introduction to the saint. I may be an overly-prejudiced reader because I know a lot about St. Martin, but I felt this story was a little flat compared to the marvelous complexity of his life.
Still, my girls loved it, and the language and illustrations are gorgeous. And--big plus--it showed Martin's holiness without a trace of sappiness.
Still, my girls loved it, and the language and illustrations are gorgeous. And--big plus--it showed Martin's holiness without a trace of sappiness.
This book was another serendipitous experience--I found it at the library when picking up another book I had on hold. I had never heard of Martín de Torres before reading this book so that was interesting. I also loved the illustrations by David Diaz. I also discovered that I had been exposed to a number of books by this author and this illustrator. That was fun!
Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert is a book filled with bright and colorful illustrations that quickly catch the reader’s eye. The audience for the book would definitely be directed towards children of a younger age, maybe kindergarten through first or second grade. This book is a great example on how we can help others in many ways.
I really enjoyed this book, and would maybe purchase it someday. The pictures are top notch and the story is good (and also factual). It seems like a good book about a saint, the first black saint from the Americas. I take issue with the words barrio and cirujano as being the only words in Spanish in the book, either use them or don't! I'm not sure their purpose.
I don't believe in "saints", they are just just extraordinary men & women. The two that stand out to me are Francis of Assisi and Martin de Porres .
This books is beautifully illustrated and accessible to children. Perfect to teach children about compassion for animals.
This books is beautifully illustrated and accessible to children. Perfect to teach children about compassion for animals.
Gorgeous illustrations and wonderfully written story. Bluntly honest depiction of the racial and economic prejudice faced in seventeenth-century Peru by an illegitimate child of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave who grew up to be canonized into sainthood.
Martin de Porres tells the readers about the life of a saint in this picture book biography. The painting go so well with the story. The text used is appropriate for children. Also, it is poetic. This story is moving and inspiring in a spiritual way.
I've always had a St. Martin statue in my homes because my mom is from Peru. It means more to me now because of reading Gary's book and learning St. Martin is patron saint of public education, as I am a teacher. Well written, with wonderful drawings.
A great author/illustrator pairing. Will be an important book for school diversity collections. This faith-based story is accessible, and highly recommended for religious, private school libraries and church story time and unique biography collections.
I loved this book! I can't wait to read this story to my own children some day. No matter your beliefs, this book is about patience, charity and love, even for those who persecute you. What a wonderful lesson we could all benefit from.
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Gary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan,with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.
More about Gary D. Schmidt...
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