In 1963, Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi published a series of "Little Gospel" Scripture books that were used by both the adult catechist offering scripture presentations and by the child doing personal work in the Rome atrium. These Little Gospels were thoughtfully prepared for the young child using carefully chosen rich Biblical language found in translations from the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures. They were produced in a size that fit perfectly in the hands of a child. The Little Gospels were illustrated with simple, beautiful drawings by Gianna Gobbi. The art is very appealing to the visual learner and conveys the scripture profoundly, in its simplicity.
“Years ago, when Sofia and Gianna were asked what materials the associations might offer for sale to help the many atria starting up in our country, they said the first to be offered should be the scripture booklets. They added that it would be a lovely thing to find the same booklets in every atrium, wherever one traveled. At that time, for our fledgling association, the prospect of producing hardbound books like the ones in Rome was beyond daunting. Catherine Maresca at Christian Family Montessori School (now Center for Children and Theology) then produced the paperback scripture booklets that have been a help to many atria and parents in the U.S., and many of us have also made our own scripture booklets. But now, after 30 years, our dream of offering the hardbound books is finally coming to fruition!”
Rebekah Rojcewicz