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Using Saint Patrick's "Confession" - one of two letters he is known to have written - as her source, Ann Tompert tells the story of the man who is credited with converting Ireland to Christianity, and who became the patron saint of that country. From Patrick's youth in late 4th-century Roman Britain, through his enslavement in Ireland; from his escape from captivity through his return to the country of his bondage - Tompert covers all of the major events of her subject's life, discussing the hardship and persecution he faced, when trying to spread the word of Christianity. She concludes with his death on March 17th, sometime around the year 461 AD - from this date comes the modern holiday of St. Patrick's Day - and includes a discussion of some of the folklore associated with him, in her brief afterword...

Picking up Ann Tompert and Michael Garland's Saint Patrick, I had Tomie dePaola's Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland at the back of my mind, and it was difficult not to compare the two, when reading. I think that Tompert does an excellent job with her narrative, and I liked that she used St. Patrick's own writing, of which there is very little, in crafting her story. Unlike the dePaola, she pays less attention to the folklore associated with this saint, relegating it to a mention in her afterword and concentrating on the story of Patrick's life instead. Unfortunately, I wasn't as enamored with the artwork, as I was with the text. I did like the decorative Celtic knotwork borders that Garland used, but the mixed media paintings themselves left me mostly cold. The color palette sometimes struck me as odd, there was a flat quality to some of the images that put me off, and I didn't like the streaky effect of the human faces. This last was clearly a deliberate choice - all of the skin had a textured quality, with alternating pink and grayish stripes, giving almost the effect of having been painted over wood - and I found it distracting. It's difficult to describe the effect it had on me, but it was almost as if the characters were fading in and out. Tastes vary of course, and other readers seem to have really enjoyed these illustrations, so take that as you will. I myself have a back-and-forth relationship with Garland's art - this is my eighth picture-book from him - sometimes loving it and sometimes disliking it. In any case, despite not loving the visuals here, I still enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to any picture-book readers looking for stories about Saint Patrick. It could be paired very nicely with the dePaola, or with a telling of one of the famous legends about the saint, such as Sheila MacGill-Callahan's The Last Snake in Ireland: A Story about St. Patrick. ( )

Saint Patrick by Ann Tompert illustrated by Michael Garland
Summary
This biography of Saint Patrick brings the life of Saint Patrick to a child’s level. The book tells of Patrick’s childhood years including life with his parents, faith, and school. Then it tells of his years in slavery in Ireland, and how he finally converted to Christianity. It tells of his return home. Then it tells of his call to return to Ireland as a missionary to the people there. It tells of his work there. It also tells of his becoming a bishop in the Catholic church. The book tells of his imprisonment. It also tells of his later years and hopes of returning home. However, he dies before he is able to return home.

Reaction
This book tells of one of the most popular saints that has lived. In this account it is easy for children to understand his life and legacy. It also brings up some of the key points in Patrick’s life. The story is told in chronological order which helps readers see Patrick throughout his entire life. The book’s illustrations provide readers a glimpse into what Saint Patrick may have looked like and also the obstacles as well as events of his life. The book was written in a manner that keeps readers wondering what will happen for the remainder of Patrick’s life. This biography is fascinating to know who the man is behind the holiday we often celebrate in March.

Extension
1. I would have students research Saint Patrick.
2. I would have student research Saint Patrick’s day.
3. I would have students research Ireland.
4. I would have students make a four leaf clover and write down four facts they learned about Saint Patrick on it.
5. I would have students locate Ireland on the map. ( )