Of course, the story of Hildegard is a complicated one to tell. But, in an attempt to capture the mystical tone of her life, this telling slips into myth bordering on historical inaccuracy. The language seems like it could have come straight from a Nativity play; While it's supposed to convey Hildegard's religious significance, most kids won't understand it, nor will they make sense of the chant that repeats throughout the book or the language that describes the visions, even though both are presented in different fonts meant to set them apart.

This was a courageous and artistic attempt to write about an unusual woman. Tweens may be intrigued, but The Secret World of Hildegard falls short of its aim. To its credit, however, a bibliography is included at the end for those who want to do further study.