The Clown of God

Description

This beautiful new edition of Tomie dePaola’s 1978 classic retelling of a French legend stars a little juggler whose unique talent leads him to what might be a Christmas miracle.

Little Giovanni is poor and homeless, but he can do something wonderful: he can juggle.

The people of Sorrento marvel at his talents, and before long, he becomes famous throughout Italy for his rainbow of colored balls that delight the nobility and townspeople alike. But as the years pass, Giovanni grows old, and his talents begin to fail him. No longer a celebrated performer, he is once again poor and homeless, begging for his food.

Until one Christmas Eve, when Giovanni picks up his rainbow of colored balls once more. And what happens next just might be a miracle…

An orphaned child joins a travelling troupe and spends many years on the road as a juggler. He enjoys success and adulation. One day he lunches with a couple of Franciscans who explain, all we do is for God’s Glory.

The Juggler grows old and one day a ‘terrible thing happens’, he fumbles and drops the balls, the crowd laugh and run him out of town.

He finds shelter in a Cathedral on Christmas Eve, seeing the stature of the Child Child ‘looking sad’ he performs for Him, this is his last act, an act of love.