The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World

Such a sweet book that helps teach kids about important aspects of their faith, as well as really humanizing the Pope as a person. It deals with questions as innocent as "why do you like soccer?" to as complex as "will my atheist grandfather go to heaven?"

The illustrations were done by the children asking the questions, and the kids love to look at the drawings. It is also clear that Pope Francis actually read all the letters because he references the pictures the children drew.

I've recommended this to everyone I know!

This was beyond great. Our Pope is, by far, the best Pontiff ever elected!!! About time that He is commenting on things good and bad as a Pope!!! Wish everyone is considered listening to Him and his love for all!!! He is certainly different than all others. Pope Francis, PLEASE keep praying for all of us, you are our best Pope ever!!!

Having been an elementary school teacher for more than 40 years I enjoyed how Pope Francis answered such a variety of questions. It also gave me a few new insights to areas of my Catholic faith. Thank you for making it available at such a reasonable price.

I bought two copies. One to keep here to read with my grandchildren, and one for a birthday present for one of my grandsons. (11th birthday) He loves it too, and took it proudly to school to share! Thank you Pope Francis.

Bought this book for first communion. It is perfect for christians of all ages who are curious about everyday questions. The pictures are beautiful and the insights are simplistic and easily relatable.

I admire Pope Francis and his efforts around the world to bring people back to the faith. I purchased this book for my grandson's First Communion, but one of Pope Francis's responses speaks of suicide. I do not believe this topic is appropriate for young children, and I don't want to introduce this idea to him or have to explain it to him or have his parents explain it to him. The question from the child could have been answered just as beautifully in another way. The book is joyful and profound in so many other ways. I am truly disappointed. I have returned the book.

Some responses just did not sound like Pope Francis to me! My grandchildren (8 and 10) did not enjoy it at all. I really reacted to the idea that a child's deceased mother was watching them from heaven and knew when they were not being good... Weird theology, I think.

Nicely illustrated book but I found some of the Pope's answers a little off considering it's a child's book. Repeats himself and not the questions I was hoping would be asked and answered. One in particular is "my mom died, does she have wings" and he says "no, no no!" which i find a little disturbing for a 7 year old who probably always drew his mom's picture as an angel with wings. Just not what I expected.

When Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., arrived at Pope Francis’s door, he was told to knock and go in.

“There you go,” he writes, “what’s more normal than knocking on a door, right? But it’s Pope Francis’s door.”

He continues with an account of the couple of hours he spent with the pope. Fr. Spadaro arrived with a pack of letters from children all over the world. They wrote questions for the Pope, drew him pictures, and sent them via Fr. Spadaro.

The questions, admittedly, weren’t easy ones. “But these are tough questions!” Pope Francis responds after leafing through them.

You don’t have to spend much time reading Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World (2016, Loyola Press) to understand that.

For anyone who spends much time around children, these are standard fare. But that doesn’t make them any easier.

The letters that made the cut into the book are delightful, both for their content and for the art that accompanies them. Of the 259 letters received from 26 different countries, 31 were printed.

(Can you imagine being that editor?)

The Pope’s answers vary in length, but all share a warmth that will make you smile and feel a bit like he’s sitting beside you, answering a question you would have asked, given the chance.

On the other hand, this book includes many questions I’ve never thought of asking, but that, upon reading, I did immediately wonder about.

Have you spent much time thinking about the action of walking on water? And the fish going about their business beneath you?

Me neither.

That’s just one of the many gems found in this compilation, which is beautifully illustrated by the children themselves. Each letter also includes a picture of the writer, so you get the feeling that you’re included in a conversation.

My kids wouldn’t sit through the entire book; we made it through a few pages before the younger ones scampered off. I caught my nine-year-old curled up with it at two different times, though, and she told me she really liked it.

And, to be truthful, I liked it a lot myself. This is a book we’ll be keeping around and paging back through.

It’s wonderful to have a real-life glimpse of Pope Francis to share with my children, and even better to have a look for myself. This book is a reminder that questions are important, and having the courage to ask them—and hear them—is at the heart of our Catholic faith.

If you had the opportunity to ask Pope Francis anything, what would you ask? 259 children from 26 countries, writing in 14 languages, had that opportunity. They sent Pope Francis letters containing questions, comments, and corresponding drawings. The Pope answered 30 of these letters, sharing his responses with Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., who then turned them over to Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry. The questions, drawings, photos of the children, and Pope Francis’ responses are all included in Dear Pope Francis, a book made to be shared with children and adults throughout the world.

While some of the questions are sweet and innocent, such as a six-year-old girl asking, “When you were a child, did you like dancing,” many were not so easy. Children wonder about complex issues, problems, and ideas. Questions such as “What did God do before the world was made?” and “If God loves us so much and didn’t want us to suffer, why didn’t he defeat the devil?” and “How can you settle conflicts in the world?” have no simple answers.

Pope Francis loves children. He views them as the future of the Church and the world and knows that treating them with kindness and respect is of the utmost importance. The Pope’s answers to these questions are honest and wise. He truly wants to speak with these children, and by extension, to all of us. As Fr. Spadaro states, “I realize that the language of Pope Francis is simple and that he lives in simple words. . . Pope Francis’s responses to these questions will do good for all, and especially for those who refuse to become simple like children.”

The question that spoke most to me is one that I wonder about even as an adult. Maximus, a ten-year-old boy from Singapore, inquired, “Why did God create us even though he knew we would sin against him?” Pope Francis replied, “Because God has created us to be like himself. God created us to be free. Freedom is the greatest gift he has given us. Do you know that? . . . Freedom can scare people because it can’t be programmed like a machine. And exactly for this reason, freedom is beautiful and God’s greatest gift.”

A copy of Dear Pope Francis should be in every Catholic school and parish library. It also makes a great gift. It is a beautiful book, enjoyable to read and ponder for children, teens, and adults.

Books "written" by the Pope always carry a special weight to them. After all, he is the leader of over one billion Catholics worldwide. I can think of a lot of Pope Benedict XVI books that have caused me to stop, ponder, and walk away spiritually enriched. Recently, Loyola Press released a book called Dear Pope Francis. This book is "co-authored" by Pope Francis and 30 children from around the world. Within this book, each child wrote a letter to Pope Francis, and he took the time to personally respond to each of them. Some of the questions are as follows:

How did Jesus walk on water?
What did God do before the world was made?
When you were a child did you like dancing?
Why didn't God defeat the devil?
Do bad people have guardian angels too?
My mum is in heaven. Will she grow angel wings?
What can I, as a child, do to increase the number of Christians in my age group?

As you can see, the questions have a wide range in both depth and seriousness. However, Pope Francis doesn't discount any question as beneath him or too silly to answer. Instead, he answers each question with a thoughtful and age-appropriate answer. What I like best about the book is that he doesn't talk down to the children, thinking they can't understand tougher concepts or hard truth. At the end of the book is the background on how this book came to exist, which was also a bit fascinating to read. Reading through this book will be a gift not only for your children, but you as well, because it contains questions that adults probably would want to ask but would never have the courage to themselves. I highly recommend this book to all families and Catholic religion teachers.

Received this as a gift for my son's baptism because he was born on the same birthday as Pope Francis. We began reading the book with my 8 year old son. The pictures from the kids are in there with a note written in their language, but translated to English on the side, which was so wonderful to expose him to this beautiful display of diversity and the world. My 8yo read their letter and I read the response...and cried every page. It is so precious. The baby starred at the photos as we read. Oh I just love this gift so so much!!!

Have to share this one message so far that's my favorite: the devil is like a dog tied up who may bark and growl, but as long as we don't get too close, he won't bite us.

Definitely buy this! Oh my goodness!

Loyola Press very graciously contacted me to see if I would be interested in a hard copy sent to my store so I could properly read and review it, since the eARC wasn't downloading or opening properly. I said yes and they sent me the book, so here is my review.

First off, let me say, that while I am not Catholic (I am Protestant, specifically Presbyterian), I do admire the current Pope and though I do disagree with the Catholic church on some things (that's kind of what we Protestants are known for), I do appreciate that without Catholicism, there would be no Protestants. I respect the roots of my beliefs, if I don't agree with them 100%.

Second off, I went to a Jesuit college for my higher learning and really developed a respect for Jesuits in particular. Since this Pope is the first Jesuit Pope and the Jesuits were highly involved with the making of this book, I am slanted to like the book before I even cracked it open.

Thirdly, I was ALWAYS angered and upset as a child that because I was a child, no one of any importance (re: adults), would listen to me or give much heed to what I said and believed, because I was "just a kid". That the Pope, one of the most loved, venerated, respected, religious leaders took the time to listen to and answer the children seriously, impressed me in a very positive way.

Fourthly, I love this Pope. He's not about the money and power, he's about Jesus and serving the people as Jesus would want him to. I'm not a huge follower of the Catholic church, I tend to ignore it because it has no direct impact on my life, but this Pope has gotten my attention and respect. Not because of his position, but because of his words, and most importantly, his actions. That's not to say I agree with everything he says, he's Catholic, so in my Protestant mind, wrong some of the time, but I still respect him.

So, taking all of that into account, what did I actually think about the book itself?

Thirty questions and pictures from children all around the world are published, alongside the Pope's responses to them. The pictures are colorful and vibrant, the questions raw, real. The kids weren't pulling any punches. They wanted real answers and the Pope respected the children enough to answer them fully, but in language all could understand.

I admit, I was tearing up quite a bit. I let my boss at the bookstore read this first when it came in. (Happy boss, happy work!) She was reading while I shelved books. Every so often I would have a question for her and I would find her sniffling, or wiping her eyes or staring into space, trying not to cry. I asked her why the tears and she said that the book was so sweet, that it gave her hope for the future. The tears were, I guess, tears of relief and happiness, maybe mixed with some sadness at the way the world is today.

Very sweet, heart-felt book. I highly recommend it for everyone. Even if one isn't religious, it's never a bad thing to read about children trying to understand the world and make their corner of it a little better. Yes, Jesus and God are the ultimate answers from the Pope, but the advise is sound and loving. He wants the best for all of God's children, no matter their age.

Five huge shining hopeful stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Loyola Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

I absolutely love this book.... we read one letter each night after dinner. The only thing I wish was knowing that Pope Francis would discuss the theme of suicide in one of his responses. We were reading it as a family and I wasn't prepared to discuss it on the spot. We did a good job addressing questions but, for the best use of it, I recommend parents to read the letters (especially his response) before reading them with their children so they can be prepared to explore topics together.

What an amazingly brilliant book. I am a Philadelphian, and before, during, and after Pope Francis' visit this fall my kids have had so many questions and an increased interest in the role of the Pope and other questions. When I heard about this book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Since it was unavailable at our local library, I purchased it, and I am glad I did. This is not a book to be devoured in one night, but to read and digest slowly, allowing yourself to contemplate the questions and answers. It it poignant and thought-provoking.

I have purchased several copies of this book to give for upcoming confirmation gifts, and birthday gifts for children in our homeschool co-op. I believe even non-religious children and families will find this book insightful.

A touching compilation of some of the letters written to Pope Francis, as well as his thoughtful replies. Children's illustrations are included as well. Some of the topics are not appropriate for very young children, though, I feel (he discusses suicide, for example) but may be okay for older kids. I would wait to read those particular ones to my nieces until they are older.

I LOVE this book! It is simple enough for children and yet meaningful for adults. It is not just a book for Catholics or even Christians (although perfect for First Communion, confirmation, graduation, Christmas gifts as well as religious education classes). It is a book of universal hope and God's love. This book is as powerful as it is simple. Illustrated and directed by the questions of children, Pope Francis provides bite sized, very real insights into who he is, who Jesus is, in addition to providing a hopeful picture of where the world is headed. I have given this book to each of my kids, my parents, friends of all faiths, school library, godson, and many others. If I could give it to everyone, I would. I hope this book leaves you with the same tears of joy that it gives me every time I read it.

While it may seem as if this book is directed toward children, it is truly an inspirational and spiritually uplifting read for adults of all ages. Many of the questions posed by children around the world are ones that, I'm confident, have been on the minds of all of us at one time or another. While they have been in our hearts and minds, only the innocence of children could manifest their asking to the Holy Father! And, Dear Pope Francis paints a multi-dimensional human picture of the pontiff. From his childhood desire to be a butcher to his enjoying dancing, Pope Francis shares his human side with these children in a way that we--as adults--can appreciate and enjoy!

I used this book for my first grade CCD class last year. My class of 6 and 7 year olds loved to see and hear where all of the children were from and could really relate to their artwork. They studied it intently! Best of all they enjoyed hearing how the Pope answered all of the questions, some of which were questions they themselves had (my favorite was the one about why they should go to CCD!). It was very helpful for me as well. It is an incredibly sweet book and I hope they are thinking of publishing a second one. I highly recommend this book and think it is perfect for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders, although anyone that is a fan of the Pope would enjoy reading it as well.

Dear Pope Francis Book... is excellent for children of all ages, all religious denominations... Especially my grandsons who just turned 8 and 10 years old. This was a gift for this Easter Season...

The book is about this generation, Children from " All Over the World" writing Letters to the Pope, the Most High Human representing God on this earth...

For Pope Francis to take the time to write "Letters" back to the Children... How Special is this for those children...!" Pope Francis in his own words... "A Gift of a Lifetime... for all of us... especially for the children, our future generations!" To see the Love and Compassion he feel?s for Children... His own empathy, vulnerability and love in each one of these personal Letters...

I know Pope Francis loves children, he has shown that ... For him to take time out of his busy schedule... It touches the "Heart" of all mankind..,.
He took this time for "the Children...! This book is "History for all Age"...! Not just for Children,,,

"Loyola Press... did an excellent job in publishing and illustrating this book... If Pope Francis is willing, maybe another book like this in the future...?

I loved reading this book with my mom. The drawing by the kids were great and I really liked all questions the kids asked the Pope. I thought it was cool that it showed the letters the kids wrote in the language they speak. Kids from all around the world had the same kinds of questions as me. The Pope answered all the kids questions and used words they could understand. Both me and mom really loved the book. I want to bring the book to my religious education class and share it with my teacher and friends because I think they will like it as much as we did!!
Bella

I gave this book to my mom for her birthday and she loved it. One of her lady friends had already bought it for her grandchild's first communion. I read it before I gave it to her and found it to be inspiring. My 16 year old niece mentioned at my mom's birthday party that her English teacher is reading one question at a time as the daily prayer in their class and then they discuss the pope's answer as a group. She is really enjoying the discussions. So it is book for all ages. The children's illustrations are touching.

This book has become one of my son's favorites for me to read to him before bedtime. He really enjoys the pictures and the questions and thoughtful answers which has opened dialogues on several important topics. We really enjoy this book and recommend it for children and adults alike.
The Sullivan Family

I loved reading this with my boys. This book features letters to the pope from children all over the world. It is fun and beautiful book to look through as it shows each of the actual letters from the children and their illustrations. My kids really liked seeing the letters from all around the world and finding the different countries on a map as we read through them. Now they both want to write their own letters to Pope Francis!

My 7-year-old was preparing for his First Communion and sincerely questioning his faith. A friend gave us this book. It opened new conversations in our family.

Pope Francis responds to children honestly and with much consideration--an experience children don't have often enough. My son learned that he is not the only young person challenged to believe. And we both appreciate being able to see the faces, handwriting and pictures of his global peers.

I just love this book. As a Catholic school teacher, I feel that the book is great for all children. Pope Francis answered the questions in such a simple and realistic way that the children truly understand his feelings. It makes them feel closer to Pope Francis and they see him as a genuine person. I think the book was a great idea. Thanks so much for writing it.

When I shared this book with my 18 year old son, he immediately sat down and read it cover to cover. And he loved it!! Not only is this a beautiful, moving book, but it is also a wonderful conversation starter for children of all ages! Thank you, Loyola Press!

What a truly wonderful book! The beautiful simplicity of these children will uplift the spirits of many adults. It provides countless opportunities for conversations for all ages. Thank you children, Loyola Press, and Pope Francis for this treasure.

I've already purchased several to have on hand. It's a great gift for a baptism, communion or confirmation. My granddaughter is not yet 3, but she now knows the pope and although she doesn't really understand the book, she still likes to listen to the questions and look at the pictures. She takes it to church with her too!

A wonderful book for both parents and children. We read a letter daily and discussed both the Pope's answers and the kids' homelands. Beautiful reproductions of the children's drawings and actual letters. A lovely gift for first communion.

First off let me say I'm not religious at all so my review is completely honest ad unbiased - I think that this book was beautiful. It was illustrated so well and I thought that the concept was great, a really enjoyable read. I oved some of the questions that were posed, for me, it makes you realise the innocence of children that we should cherish all the more.