MOTHER TERESA

Consummate biographer for children Demi (Muhammad ; The Dalai Lama ) turns her pen and paints to the world-renowned nun who committed her life to serving the poorest of the poor in God's name. In her clear, concise style, Demi chronicles how young Agnes Bojaxhiu left her family in Albania when she was called to her vocation at a tender age and that she took the name Teresa after the patron saint of missionaries. Mother Teresa's subsequent work in India and around the globe treating the sick, homeless, dying and unloved earned her recognition and accolades, though "always one to practice deep humility, Mother Teresa was reluctant to be singled out and given such honors." Demi crafts a solid portrait of a selfless and devoutly faithful woman and her trust in Divine Providence. However, given the nun's many accomplishments, Demi resorts to making lists of Mother Teresa's endeavors, her many awards and honors, and even the complicated, though fascinating, requirements for the woman to attain sainthood in the Catholic Church. (In 2003, the pope beatified her, which is a key step in the process.) The illustrations, like their subject, emit a humble tone, offering a glimpse of devastatingly impoverished communities and the people suffering in them. Images of Mother Teresa tending to a leper, cradling a baby or jumping rope with a child speak volumes about the grace and kindness she shared with the world. Prayers and writings of Mother Teresa appear throughout, and an official blessing from the pope adorns the back cover, helping to make this a fine celebration of her life. Ages 7-10. (Feb.)