Children's drawings provide illustration for the book.

Sister Jan Dunn has written a children’s book about the life of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. It’s titled Under the Pear Tree (for a pear tree in St. Charles that gave Philippine so much pleasure). Illustrations are by students in the class of 2011 at Duchesne Academy in Houston, where Dunn is headmistress.

Philippine planted a pear tree in the front yard of the 1835 wing of the Academy of the Sacred Heart. During the last 10 years of her life, she enjoyed sitting under the tree. Sometimes children would join her there.

Dunn’s book is written as if a student in St. Charles were interviewing Mother Duchesne about her life while she was still alive.

Visit http://www.argasweb.com/PearTree.htm for more information and to order a copy.