Publisher's Synopsis
"One of the great examples of the graphic novel form. Should inspire a new generation." - The Atlantic Cantalbert is a simple juggler but the world takes no interest in his only real gift, and he feels inadequate compared to people with meaningful jobs. Seeking a more spiritual approach to life, he enters a monastery. Cantalbert's menial chores among the monks fail to instill the self-doubting juggler with any sense of worth―until he experiences a soul-stirring encounter with a statue of Mary, the Mother of Christ. This magical 1952 retelling of a medieval legend, featuring winsome watercolor images by famed illustrator R. O. Blechman, constitutes a predecessor to the modern graphic novel. A Foreword by Jules Feiffer and an Introduction by Maurice Sendak offer insights into the fable's enduring influence.