The Weight of a Mass: A Tale of Faith (The Theological Virtues Trilogy)

This book is by a Hungarian illustrator introduced to me by a student, and I had to search for some of her work in English. It was WELL WORTH the search. This is SUCH a beautiful story and is matched by it's beautiful pictures. A very sweet moral is revealed at the end and its not overly preachy. I will treasure this book!

To write a story in fairy tale style to explain the concept of the immeasurable value of one single Mass is a truly inspired idea. The story is gently told, the illustrations beautiful, and it was a well received First Holy Communion present.

Exquisitely written and illustrated, "The Weight of a Mass" is a rare gem of a book that will be appreciated by all ages and even all faiths, because though the theme is Christian, it speaks of the importance of God in our lives, and the triumph of faith over secularism. The story is based on an event that is said to have occurred in Luxembourg butcher shop a few generations ago. In this telling it is placed in a bakery, as Jesus our Lord is the Bread of Life, and there are many other symbolic aspects to the tale, which increase our interest, and add freshness to the story every time we read it. Josephine Nobisso, the author of many books and winner of numerous awards, writes in a lucid style with a rich and varied vocabulary. Not only will this lovely book bolster your child's faith, it will also increase his knowledge and usage of the English language, something that is hard to find these days, and it is one of the many reasons to own this book. Katalin Szegedi began her career as an illustrator in her native Hungary in 1991, and her art that accompanies this story is marvelous in its expressiveness and technical skill. There is a grace and sense of movement in the figures, intricate patterns in the clothing, and terrific perspective and detailing in the architectural structures. The subtle colors are also beautifully balanced and contrasted. I especially like the depiction of the baker's son, who has a lively sweetness in his eyes and mouth, and a lovable innocence. "The Weight of a Mass" has won several awards, and it will touch your heart and lift your spirit. The quality of the book is excellent, with thick semi-gloss paper and sturdy construction for both the hardcover and paperback editions. Inspired and full of beauty, "The Weight of a Mass" is a worthy book choice for the children in your life.

My review won't be as learned as the others, but as a catholic mother of two insatiable little book worms of 4 and 1, this is a winner for our family! The story is so simply, sparely told but using such rich language, with so much to provoke thought in the adult reader as well as in the small listeners. The illustrations are delightful and absorbing, interesting even the baby in my lap, and attracting the attention of my big boy for half an hour at a time during his own personal "reading" sessions. It is a great way to get one's children thinking about the real significance of a Holy Mass, and to help them approach it in a wonderful, fairy-tale way - you should see the eyes light up at our house as the wonderful confections of the master baker are listed and described! Doing some baking of our own would be a fabulous extension of reading the book, actually!

Beautiful book. Lovely illustrations and a moving story. Used it as part of a first Holy Communion retreat and will use it again. Love the book

De très belles illustrations et une belle histoire pour faire comprendre toute l’importance de la messe...

The story is wonderful and the artwork is beautiful.

A very small book..and mammoth price..really killing the buyer..

My children's godparents gave us this book years ago and we all, parents and kids, love it. This Easter, we ordered copies for our godchildren and their families. The story and illustrations are excellent depictions of the importance of the Mass and humble bravery in the face of ridicule for Catholic children. The author and illustrator duo has at least one other book, "Take it to the Queen," which we plan to order for Christmas, as giving great books is a tradition we wish to continue. As an aside, I am asked below this review, "How old was the person you got this book for?" We got it for families. Our godchildren are toddlers and below, but as parents we enjoy reading it, the youths and teens appreciate the story, moral and artwork, and the little kids love to hear the story and view the illustrations. It is one we get out and read a few times in a liturgical season or holiday a couple of times a year.

The story in this book literally compares the weight of the offering of a Catholic Mass on a piece of paper (and its importance) against a huge bunch of pastries. This is based on a true story of a miracle of a butcher in this situation. I’m sure changing the butcher shop to a bakery made the book much more fun to illustrate! It’s definitely more fun to read, especially with kids. I bought this for my own children and now give it as gifts because I love it so much. For a Catholic, it really has so much meaning, and the illustrations keep the younger kids’ attention. Great book for Catholic families and to give as a gift!