Book Review - The Thief Who Stole Heaven

 

by Raymond Arroyo, illustrated by Randy Gallegos, Sophia Institute Press, 2021.

Reviewed by Rosa Sautner, Catholic homeschooling mother of two.

    This story of the Good Thief may be more than just legend having been mentioned in some apocryphal accounts.  Written for children in a very dramatically illustrated picture book, Raymond Arroyo weaves together this tale of a young thief who becomes the first conquest of Christ on the Cross.

    I first heard of how the Good Thief "stole" Heaven from none other than the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.  In one of his Lenten talks he makes the connection that one who was a thief his whole life would die a thief by stealing Heaven at the last moment of his life.

    This touching story is retold for children by bestselling author and EWTN host, Raymond Arroyo.  This colorfully illustrated picture book captures the drama of Dismas' life and hard times and final redemption on the cross.

    The book imaginatively follows Dismas' life from a childhood of sadness, misfortune, and wrong-doing and chance encounter with the Holy Family to his final meeting with Christ on the cross.

    This is a worthy addition to children's Lenten book collection.  I loved the story.  However, my only disappointment with the book was the illustrations of the Blessed Mother.   I would have liked to have seen her drawn more beautifully, more serenely.

The Thief Who Stole Heaven