A beautiful book by Tomie De Paola on the ‘flying friar’, St. Joseph of Cupertino. . .

Joseph called himself Little Donkey—such a clumsy, foolish fellow, or so everyone thought. That is perhaps why people of Cupertino did not notice what happened whenever Joseph was overjoyed. He did not merely smile or squeeze his sides or rub his hands together. Joseph flew.

The late, beloved children’s book illustrator Tomie dePaola’s imaginative, colorful artwork, and Patricia Lee Gauch’s charming story, offer children a warm, humorous look at Saint Joseph of Cupertino, whose humility and joy made him light enough to float on air. Find out more about this patron saint, who prays especially for aviation and astronauts, as well as persons with mental handicaps, test takers and indeed all students.

Illustrated. Ages 4 and up

Tomie De Paola was best known for his books for children. He had written and/or illustrated over 270 books. He received numerous awards and honors, including Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor awards, the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for “substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children”, the Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, and the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association. Nearly 25 million copies of his books have been sold.