Our Treasures Within - Pope Francis with Paul A. Reynolds - ★★★★★

AUTHOR: Pope Francis and Paul A. Reynolds

ILLUSTRATOR: Peter H. Reynolds

GENRE: Children's Picture Book

PUBLICATION DATE: January 20, 2026

RATING: 5 colourful-rainbow stars! 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

In a Nutshell: A beautiful picture book containing a beautiful message and beautiful illustrations. Based on a message by the GOAT Pope Francis, but secular enough to be relevant to all. Much, much recommended!

I am not usually one to pick inspirational books. But just a single glance at the key author’s name on the cover page ensured that I scrambled to get a copy of this picture book.

Beloved Pope Francis 🥰, whom I have respected, admired and loved ever since he showed Catholics a new path towards inclusivity and acceptance, spoke about a metaphorical personal treasure chest to a group of youth in 2015. On his passing, the authors, twin brothers Peter and Paul Reynolds (Love their apostolic names!), decided to pen this picture book inspired by that message so as to make it reach and influence more people.

The book begins with the late Pope’s complete message about the treasure we all have, which we need to locate, develop, and share with others. It then goes on to substantiate this theme with a simple yet practical explanation of what the treasure actually means and how we can find it within ourselves and share the same with others.

I love how practical the book is. Despite being inspirational and somewhat philosophical by its very nature, the presentation is such that nothing sounds farfetched or idealistic. When people talk of human gifts, they usually stick to artistic talents such as music or painting. I appreciate how the book also highlights other abstract skills such as the gift of kindness or of listening skills.

The vocabulary in the book is perfect. Each page contains just a single sentence, the language of which speaks directly to the heart. There are no complicated words or complex sentences. Children ought to find the prose easy to understand and inculcate. I must also appreciate the choice of typeface. I am not sure of its name, but it is apt for the concept – so legible and yet so quirky and pretty!

I appreciate how, despite the Pope’s obvious Catholic faith, the content doesn’t directly refer to any religious ideology. The message is hence secular enough to work for all people regardless of their belief system.

What takes the book even further is its stunning illustrations. The human characters are in simple B&W sketches within minimal colour shading. But don’t take this to mean that they are bland. The characters are as inclusive as you can imagine, and some of the sketched humans are clearly from other faiths. Further, every page background explodes with a rainbow of colours. It is such a treat to the eyes to see such a riot of vibrant hues! This colour-loving desi’s eyes were delighted at the visual bonanza. A special shoutout to the soul-soothing portrait of Pope Francis at the start – it was the best way to begin this journey.

Adults, don’t miss out on the author’s note at the end!

Overall, I absolutely adored this picture book. It delivers well on content as well as execution. This ought to be a wonderful resource to all readers, not just Catholics. Every child (and adult) deserves to know that they have a treasure within; they just have to find it. This will work well for every reader aged 4+.

My thanks to Loyola Press for providing the DRC of “Our Treasures Within” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.