An Embarrassing Library & Another Picture Book Giveaway

Greetings on this most happy day - the Installation of our new Pope Francis and celebrating the Feast of St. Joseph!

St. Joseph has been our family's patron saint for a couple of years now, and as I looked for the book The Song of the Swallows to read aloud I realized, to my dismay, that I own TWO copies of this book by Leo Politi. One is a vintage copy showing its age, and the other a more modern re-print but still showing some wear and tear. 

Well, that's good news for you because it means I'm having another Picture book give-away! And lest you think that these picture book give-aways all of a sudden are just a fiendish plot to drive readers to my blog....I confess....all these picture book give-aways are a fiendish plot to rid our homeschool library of duplicates or lovely books that we just don't need anymore. {And since I am too lazy to sell them at a used curriculum sale, we'll have another giveaway soon :) }

Are you familiar with the story of the Song of the Swallows? It tells the story of Juan, a young boy who observes the swallows returning to the Mission San Juan Capistrano every year on March 19th (or thereabouts) - the Feast of St. Joseph and his sweet friendship with the gardener of the Mission, Julian. This is based on the true story of the swallows' migration{although less swallows come back to the mission each year nowadays.}

Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the 11 Missions we dragged  toured our kids through last summer on the way back up from Legoland. It is by far my favorite in terms of physical beauty. It really is in spectacular condition.

The book does not go into this detail but, get this - each year the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano for St. Joseph's Feast Day from - anyone, anyone?

Argentina. I kid you not.

So how could I not give this beautiful picture book away today in honor of St. Joseph and Pope Francis of Argentina?

The details to enter this give-away for The Song of the Swallows, which won The Caldecott Medal when it was first published in 1948, are below.

Check out all the giveaways going on at Hip Homeschool Moms for more fun chances to win.

God Bless You and good luck!


And honk if you want Pope Francis to come visit Mission San Juan Capistrano! 

How perfect would that be?