Book Review: Let's Pray the Rosary by Mauricette Vial-Andru

“Do you pray the Rosary, as the Blessed Virgin so often requested?”
“No, that’s only for old ladies.”

So begins an imaginary conversation between an author and her reader, in which the author strives to show that the Rosary is for everyone. Let’s Pray the Rosary, a new children’s book on the history and practice of praying the Rosary by Mauricette Vial-Andru, is a recent addition to a children’s series from Ignatius Press and Magnificat. Intended for ages 6 and up, it explains how to pray the Rosary and explores the origins of this popular devotion.

Let’s Pray the Rosary begins its walk through history with the work of Blessed Alan de la Roche, who arranged the modern Rosary as we know it today. Vial-Andru then tells some of the most beloved stories of the Rosary’s history, including the appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima and Lourdes. She also shares some less familiar stories of historical events related to the Rosary, such as the sixteenth-century Battle of Lepanto and the period following the French Revolution known as “The Reign of Terror.” These stories are told in an exciting and age-appropriate way and are the highlight of the book. A few stories of popular saints and their devotion to the Rosary are also included. She closes with a listing of all 20 mysteries of the Rosary, including the necessary prayers and a diagram of how it all fits together.

At 34 pages long the book works well as a family read-aloud, but my 6 year old also enjoys reading through it on his own. The color illustrations by Emmanuel Beaudesson that accompany each story are done in a very traditional style. Their beauty and detail helped hold even my younger children’s attention. This book is generously-sized with hardcover binding and a dust jacket. The quality and detail of the illustrations makes it a thoughtful and lovely gift for a child or family who would like to become more familiar with the Rosary.

Maybe you know a child who thinks the Rosary is only for old ladies, or maybe you would like to learn more about its history yourself. Either way, Let’s Pray the Rosary would make a nice addition to any Catholic family’s library.

I was provided with a copy of the book to review by the publisher. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

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Copyright 2015 by Abbey Dupuy.
Image from Let’s Pray the Rosary by Mauricette Vial-Andru (Ignatius Press, 2015).
Photo copyright Abbey Dupuy. All rights reserved.