This essay promotes the writing and illustrating of middle grade literature that mirrors the wonder-inducing experiences of leafing through an illuminated manuscript and stepping into a Gothic cathedral. An examination of Catholic medieval visual culture moves into a discussion on its underlying philosophy and theology, which are profoundly centered on relational healing and the dignity of the human person. Christian writers including St. Pope John Paul II, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Josef Pieper, Madeline L’Engle, Dr. Bob Schuchts, Makoto Fujimura, and Andrew Peterson inform an exploration of mercy, forgiveness, and love as self-gift in the context of illustration and storytelling at large.
By highlighting a selection of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels and introducing my MFA thesis project as a part of that tradition, I discuss the need for books which invite families to come together and contemplate the joys and sorrows of the human experience.
","abstract_html":"<p>This essay promotes the writing and illustrating of middle grade literature that mirrors the wonder-inducing experiences of leafing through an illuminated manuscript and stepping into a Gothic cathedral. An examination of Catholic medieval visual culture moves into a discussion on its underlying philosophy and theology, which are profoundly centered on relational healing and the dignity of the human person. Christian writers including St. Pope John Paul II, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Josef Pieper, Madeline L’Engle, Dr. Bob Schuchts, Makoto Fujimura, and Andrew Peterson inform an exploration of mercy, forgiveness, and love as self-gift in the context of illustration and storytelling at large.</p> <p>By highlighting a selection of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels and introducing my MFA thesis project as a part of that tradition, I discuss the need for books which invite families to come together and contemplate the joys and sorrows of the human experience.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lamb, Bernadette"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Illustration & Visual Culture","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Graduate School of Art","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-05-10T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-05-10T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:12:17Z","subjects":["children's literature","illustration","visual culture","reading","writing","middle grade fiction","medievalism","Catholic philosophy","Catholic theology","Thomism","Aesthetics","Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture","Art and Design","Art Education","Book and Paper","Catholic Studies","Children's and Young Adult Literature","Christianity","Creative Writing","Education","European History","Fiction","Literature in English, British Isles","Medieval History","Medieval Studies","Philosophy","Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.7936/mepe-y468"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.7936/mepe-y468","href":"https://doi.org/10.7936/mepe-y468","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mfa_illustration/18","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lamb, Bernadette"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-05-11T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Graduate School of Art"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Illustration & Visual Culture"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["children's literature","illustration","visual culture","reading","writing","middle grade fiction","medievalism","Catholic philosophy","Catholic theology","Thomism","Aesthetics","Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture","Art and Design","Art Education","Book and Paper","Catholic Studies","Children's and Young Adult Literature","Christianity","Creative Writing","Education","European History","Fiction","Literature in English, British Isles","Medieval History","Medieval Studies","Philosophy","Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mfa_illustration/18"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.7936/mepe-y468"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This essay promotes the writing and illustrating of middle grade literature that mirrors the wonder-inducing experiences of leafing through an illuminated manuscript and stepping into a Gothic cathedral. An examination of Catholic medieval visual culture moves into a discussion on its underlying philosophy and theology, which are profoundly centered on relational healing and the dignity of the human person. Christian writers including St. Pope John Paul II, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Josef Pieper, Madeline L’Engle, Dr. Bob Schuchts, Makoto Fujimura, and Andrew Peterson inform an exploration of mercy, forgiveness, and love as self-gift in the context of illustration and storytelling at large.
By highlighting a selection of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels and introducing my MFA thesis project as a part of that tradition, I discuss the need for books which invite families to come together and contemplate the joys and sorrows of the human experience.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Legends of Light: Crafting middle grade fantasy in the tradition of Catholic philosophy and medieval visual culture"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Lamb, Bernadette"],"dc:date.available":["2023-05-11T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This essay promotes the writing and illustrating of middle grade literature that mirrors the wonder-inducing experiences of leafing through an illuminated manuscript and stepping into a Gothic cathedral. An examination of Catholic medieval visual culture moves into a discussion on its underlying philosophy and theology, which are profoundly centered on relational healing and the dignity of the human person. Christian writers including St. Pope John Paul II, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Josef Pieper, Madeline L’Engle, Dr. Bob Schuchts, Makoto Fujimura, and Andrew Peterson inform an exploration of mercy, forgiveness, and love as self-gift in the context of illustration and storytelling at large.
By highlighting a selection of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels and introducing my MFA thesis project as a part of that tradition, I discuss the need for books which invite families to come together and contemplate the joys and sorrows of the human experience.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mfa_illustration/18"],"dc:identifier.doi":["https://doi.org/10.7936/mepe-y468"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["children's literature","illustration","visual culture","reading","writing","middle grade fiction","medievalism","Catholic philosophy","Catholic theology","Thomism","Aesthetics","Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture","Art and Design","Art Education","Book and Paper","Catholic Studies","Children's and Young Adult Literature","Christianity","Creative Writing","Education","European History","Fiction","Literature in English, British Isles","Medieval History","Medieval Studies","Philosophy","Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion"],"dc:title":["Legends of Light: Crafting middle grade fantasy in the tradition of Catholic philosophy and medieval visual culture"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Graduate School of Art"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Illustration & Visual Culture"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:12:17Z"}