(OSV News) — Once upon a time, it was assumed that every little girl wanted to be a princess.
Modern aspirations may have since expanded somewhat -— but every little Catholic girl will nonetheless find heroic inspiration in "Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers," an engaging new children's (ages 3-8) picture book by artist and author Fabiola Garza, published by Word on Fire Spark.
If nestled among secular volumes on a bookstore shelf, the sophisticated design and presentation of "Princesses of Heaven" could easily and readily compete — and that's no coincidence, because Garza's daytime job is as a character artist for the Disney Design Group, where her concepts and illustrations inspire a variety of merchandise for Disney Theme Parks.
Garza's varied assignments might include designing the exterior of a purse bedecked with animated characters from the 1973 classic "Robin Hood," or a keepsake from the 2023 musical comedy adventure "Wish." Those secular talents are readily transferable to telling the spiritually feisty tales of the six saints featured in "Princesses of Heaven": St. Joan of Arc, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Narcisa de Jesús, St. Lucy Yi Zhenmei and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
"I knew I wanted to start with Joan," said Garza, a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Orlando, Florida, "just because she's so iconic and so epic, and her story is so extraordinary."
Garza's initial task was prayer.
"But I also asked the saint in question, 'How would you like to be portrayed? What would be the best way to write your story for little girls?' It is my own interpretation," she told OSV News, "with my own imagination, and what I think would be whimsical and wonderful for a little girl."
Choosing which saints to include was a process guided by several considerations.
"I wanted the grouping of these saints to be a good combination of different personalities; charisms; types of stories; types of adventures," explained Garza, "and then also, some different places around the world — which I think is really great, since the Catholic faith is universal and encompasses the whole world."
The result is that, in the book's colorful and inviting pages, readers visit France, Italy, North America, Ecuador and China.
"I tried to get as much variety — on every level — as I could, so that no matter what, a little girl sitting down and reading the book could connect to a saint on many different levels, and find someone that she could find a little bit of kinship with. But also," Garza said, "just so she can feel like she's meeting new friends -- and that these saints are her friends. That's something that was very important to me."
Readers might be reminded of Disney princesses— who share some of the same courageous and daring traits as the saints — but Garza says that's not her intent. Rather, she sees the saints as a "wonderful addition" to the childhood of young readers.
"I wasn't trying to find a way for them to parallel the existing princesses, or replace them. It was more like a really wonderful way to set the fairy tale in a sort of different perspective — that 'happily ever after' is happily ever after with God," said Garza.
"I think if you start trying to see who could they be if they were part of the Disney princess world, then I think you could definitely find ways in which they could possibly connect, and ways they can have similar qualities and personalities — which I think is really fun," Garza reflected. "But I also like thinking of them as not a replacement, but as something to just deepen their view of what a beautiful life — or a princess — could possibly be."
Garza also hopes the book's positive themes will counter some of the unfortunate social messages young girls can absorb about their worth.
"I think for so many little girls, when we're little, we start trying to make ourselves worthy of others. We start placing our worth on things -- whether it's our looks, or wanting boys to like us, or our grades, or how good we are at sports," noted Garza. "I really wanted to set the foundation for little girls that their worth is intrinsic -- because they are daughters of God."
As both author and illustrator — twin creative tasks she also applied to "The Story of Saint John Paul II: A Boy Who Became Pope" (Pauline Books) — Garza is able to conceive a project from start to finish.
"I love to be able to do both. I love writing — it's a different kind of paintbrush," she observed. "I love doing the research. That's a very spiritual experience for me as well, because I get to really dive deep into the writings of saints -— their thoughts; letters; whatever was said of them."
On the final pages of "Princesses of Heaven," the question is asked, "Princess, what is your path to Heaven?" It's an invitation for readers, despite their young age, to discern.
"I want a little girl to know that her path is her own; that it's OK if her path looks different from somebody else. That as long as she is faithful to God and saying yes to God, that it's her very own adventure," Garza emphasized. "And she doesn't have to see these saints as far-off figures — but as friends who are helping her become a saint."
"It's definitely inviting her on a journey to holiness," confirmed Garza, "and at the end of the book, she has new friends — and she sees the saints in heaven are friends, and they're not divided by time and place anymore. So it's this whole big community that she now has, to go along with her on her journey."
Garza's author bio at the back of the book features an admission that she is "a 'Princess of Heaven' in training" whose "crown is often crooked."
"Sometimes it is very challenging to see the life of a saint, and know that you're just so far from being where you need to be," said Garza. "But still striving -- and still trying to do good things for God — is so important. Just realizing that God is there for you every day — even when you mess up — I definitely want to present that as a message to little girls."
The feedback from her fans — among them, touching stories from parents of children playing "Princesses of Heaven" — are a moving encouragement to Garza.
"I never imagined it would have the impact it is having," she said in awestruck tones. "Just seeing how the Lord is working is astounding. It's always a huge encouragement to tell anyone who has something on their heart to just go do it — and let God do what he wills."
"Because at the end of the day, it's God's project," Garza added. "He will use it as he sees fit — and he can surprise you. He can surprise you with amazing things."