The late, beloved children’s book writer and illustrator Tomie dePaola said that when he was still an art student and saw the Giotto frescoes of the life of Mary in the Arena Chapel in Padua, Italy, I knew that someday I would create his own visual version of Mary’s life.

DePaola’s splendid depiction of the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is sure to touch the heart of every child, and adult. These beautifully written and illustrated episodes draw on the Bible, Church tradition, and pious legend to present the woman chosen by God to bring the Savior into the world.

In sharing events from Mary’s birth to her crowning as the Queen of Heaven, these fifteen stories will inspire a lifelong love for and devotion to Mary. They will draw children closer to her son and invite them, like Mary, to say Yes to the presence of Jesus in their lives.