A Muslim Family's Chair for the Pope: A True Story from Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Stefan Antony Salinas, Stefan Antony Salinas (Illustrator)

Overview

In the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Catholics have been living side by side for many years, but they have not always gotten along. Twenty years have passed since they were at war with each other. How can neighbors of different faiths live together in peace? Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, paid a visit to Bosnia on June 6, 2015. This is the true story of a Muslim family of carpenters who designed and made a chair in honor of this occasion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780998608808
Publisher:	Camelopardalis
Publication date:	01/16/2017
Pages:	50
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Stefan Salinas was born and reared in that great cosmopolitan cowtown known as Houston, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Houston in 1997 and has since busied himself with painting, public commissions and working on books.
At some point, he grew tired of his car and felt the West coast currents pulling him, so he hopped over to San Francisco.

Stefan Salinas was born and reared in that great cosmopolitan cowtown known as Houston, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Houston in 1997 and has since busied himself with painting, public works and working on books.
At some point, he grew tired of his car and felt the West coast currents pulling him, so he hopped over to San Francisco.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2017
Gr 3–5—Salinas begins this personal narrative with an introduction to his family of woodworkers, his country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and his Muslim faith. While there are mostly amicable relations between Muslims and Christians in his village, his country overall has a long history of conflict between members of these two groups. This truth underscores the significance of Salinas's story. When Pope Francis planned a visit to the capital city of Sarajevo in 2015, Salinas's carpentry workshop was selected to design and craft a beautiful wooden chair to honor him. Although Salinas was initially hesitant to dive right in ("As a Muslim making a chair for the Catholic Pope, am I crazy?"), he recognized that loyalty to his own faith was in no way sacrificed by creating an object of beauty for another set of beliefs ("By making this gift…perhaps I am building a bridge."). The text does meander a bit before concluding with the pope's arrival and use of the chair during mass. Salinas's color pencil, ink, and acrylic illustrations are expressive and communicate much of the text well. VERDICT A heartfelt story that simply conveys the importance of positive interfaith relations. An addition purchase for large collections.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

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