The story of the Franciscan priest Junípero Serra entered the public imagination with his canonization in September 2015 and prompted renewed conversation about the legacy of Spanish colonialism in the Americas. Lindo Gondosch’s "Junípero Serra: Founder of the California Missions" presents a straightforward account of the life of this missionary saint from his childhood in Majorca, Spain, to his ministry along the California coast, establishing numerous missions with the help of Spanish explorers, to his legacy as the “Founding Father” of California.

Gondosch does a good job presenting the historical context of Serra’s ministry, including the harsh treatment of the native peoples by the Spanish. The prose is simple and direct, appropriate for a mid- to upper elementary students. Emmanuel Beaudesson’s illustrations effectively portray highlights of the story. The book also includes a forward which quotes Pope Francis on St. Junípero Serra, a map of the saint’s journeys on the inside covers, and a timeline and bibliography.

N.B.: I received a free review copy of this book from the Catholic Library Association. This review was originally published in the December 2016 issue of Catholic Library World.