PW: FOR THE CHILDREN: Words of Love and Inspiration from His Holiness Pope John Paul II

 Scholastic/Callaway, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 0-439-14902-9

This beautifully produced, thoughtfully conceived book seems an ideal ceremonial gift for a Catholic child. Excerpts from Pope John Paul II's letters and speeches to children serve as text, and his words embody both comfort and challenge. Speaking about world issues (poverty, "groups who do violence," illiteracy) and about such concepts as love, hope and prayer, the pontiff addresses children as full participants in the Christian faith. "The Pope counts very much on your prayers," he writes. "We must pray together and pray hard, that humanity, made up of billions of human beings, may become more and more the family of God and able to live in peace." Glowing color photos of the Pope and of cherubic children who make up his international audience strike a reverent yet tender tone. Offering communion, visiting a classroom, embracing or being embraced by children, the pope projects affection, while the children themselves, many dressed in national costumes, are the very picture of innocence and piety. From the padded cover to the ornate black-and-white capitals to the tiny reproductions of paintings of angels and saints above the page numbers, the production values are uniformly high. Several purely Catholic references, e.g., to God's call "to live in marriage or to be priests," and the pope's delivery itself indicate the original Catholic audience for his remarks; accordingly, this book will be of interest primarily to Catholic families. A Spanish-language edition, Para los ninos ($16.95 -14718-2) will be released simultaneously. Ages 7-up. (Mar.)