The Too-Tall Swiss Guard

Liz Lantigua introduces a picture book from OSV Kids that tells the true story of how Pope John Paul II helped a Swiss Guard appreciate the way God had made him.

The Too-Tall Swiss Guard

By Michelle Widmer-Schultz; illustrated by Andrea Pavlat
Publisher: OSV Kids

The newly released picture book The Too-Tall Swiss Guard, written by Michelle Widmer-Shultz with bright, colorful illustrations by Andrea Pavlat, will delight young children and also have a special place in the hearts of their parents! 

The story is about a new, young, Swiss guard who is very, very, tall. This presented many difficult situations when he arrived to guard the pope. Tall, Andreas Widmer, had a hard time riding in the small cars in Rome. He needed a larger bed, and even the tailor complained about having to use so much cloth to make his new uniform. Then everything changed when one Christmas he was asked to guard Pope John Paul II. His conversation with the future saint filled him with great joy and he realized he was created exactly the way God intended.   

“I want children to understand that every part of them was pre-conceived by God and provided for a purpose that is unique to them, and the vocation that they are to fulfill in this life on earth,” said Michelle Widmer-Shultz, the author.  

Based on a true story

Parents and grandparents who remember the beloved Saint John Paul II will love to see him in the pages of this new book published by Our Sunday Visitor. Widmer-Shultz was inspired to write the picture book because she realized that the newer generations had an image of Pope John Paul ll as an elderly person and she wanted to show that he was a young, energetic, and personable pope. She had heard this true story many times. It is a cherished part of her husband’s life. Yes, her husband, Andreas, is the Too-Tall Swiss Guard!   

“John Paul II taught me what human dignity is all about,” said Andreas Widmer. “He focused on each person specifically when he met them in the way God asked us to imitate him: loving first as in 1 John 4:19.”  

Andreas, an author himself, feels it’s important to convey to children the universality of the Catholic Church. He hopes the book introduces children to the Church beyond their parish and brings especially the Vatican and the papacy closer to their experience.   

Pre-school children will love to hear this story as their parents read it out loud and they enjoy the colorful illustrations.  The book has inserts with more fun facts that will enthrall the older, first- to third-grade students, who can also read the book on their own. The last page of the book has a flap readers can open and see young Andreas proudly standing for duty feeling wonderfully tall!  

Is this a book you'd like to read? Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Liz Lantigua
Images: (top) detail from book cover