Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop who drew the ire of President Donald Trump with her homily at an interfaith prayer service the day after his second inauguration, has a two-book deal with Penguin Young Readers, the Associated Press reports.
The press will publish a young adult edition of Budde’s 2023 book, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, this fall. The YA book, titled We Can Be Brave, will be adapted by novelist Bryan Bliss; the publisher says it “weaves together personal experiences with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture of how adults and kids throughout history have faced these moments and heeded the call to be brave in challenging times.”
Penguin Young Readers will also publish a picture book, I Can Learn To Be Brave, illustrated by Holly Hatam, next summer.
Budde has been the Episcopal Bishop of Washington since 2011. In January, she delivered a homily during an interfaith prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, addressing President Trump directly and saying, “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”
She also said, “The vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.”
Trump blasted Budde on his Truth Social network the same day, writing, “She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.…She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
We Can Be Brave is slated for publication on Oct. 21.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
