The book Our Lady’s Wardrobe by Anthony Stefano is such a genius idea to teach children the apparitions of Our Lady on earth, all in the context of the dresses she wears:
- Our Lady of Nazareth
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
- Our Lady of Knock
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Our Lady Queen of the Angels
I gave this book to my daughter on her 5th birthday. When she opened the gift and saw this book, she asked me where I got it. I said I bought it on Amazon. I wonder why she asked such question.
But the next day, she keeps hugging and bringing this book wherever she goes. It became one of our bedtime stories we read before they dose off. This kind of reaction is one I most look for when I buy her book. This means she likes it.
My Book Review: Our Lady’s Wardrobe By Anthony DeStefano
1. It is a genius way to teach young children about Our Lady’s apparitions on a level they can relate
Who could have thought that Our Lady has a wardrobe? Of course, she does. She’s the Queen of Heaven!
But the author used such reality in a genius streak to teach young children about her apparitions in the context of her wardrobe.
Having said that, Our Lady’s dresses were dresses full of meaning. Just like this in the Perpetual Help icon. It would have been beautiful if the book also includes such definitions:
2. It’s a picture book
It’s a picture book so naturally, it captures the attention of young children, They loving looking at pictures and easily understand stories with it.
The illustrations are truly beautiful. In a certain way, it captures some aspect of the supernatural figures that can only be seen and understood in the afterlife. For Heaven, it is depicted with gardens, long falls, and butterflies. They are all beautiful but it kinds of remind one more of Peter Pan-like fantasy island.
3. The poems are engaging
The author wrote poems to accompany the illustrations. The poems are beautiful but I was expecting more of stories that would explain the apparitions, when/where it occurred, and the message of Our Lady in each apparition. Especially, the messages. These are the important reasons why Our Lady came down from Heaven: to bring us urgent messages. And in our recent times, most pressing are the messages in Fatima and La Salette.
And I found it lacking in the books.
4. The model’s beautiful countenance
St. Jacintha of Fatima has said it. Our Lady is beautiful beyond words. No image or statue, no matter how magnificently it is created, could ever capture the heavenly beauty of Our Lady.
Having said that, the book Our Lady’s Wardrobe naturally would not capture the perfect beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary either. On another note, the lady in the book depicts Our Lady more as a teenager than a mother.
Final thoughts
This book is a beautiful book. No doubt about that. This will go to our home’s library to be kept and read for generations.
Though the book has some lacking elements, children can learn a lot from this. It’s not a book on its own to teaching children about faith. It’s more of a supplementary book to your basic Catechism children’s books like Children’s Bible or St. Joseph’s Baltimore Catechism.
I recommend this book and hope your children will enjoy it like my mine did.