Tag: OSV

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Back-to-School Books for the Kids (plus one for Mom and Dad)

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Summer vacation may have come to an end, but that doesn’t have to mean the end of reading for pleasure. Encourage your children to keep reading by offering fun and faith-filled books for them to enjoy. Check out these newly-published books; you’re sure to find one geared toward the age of each of your children. And don’t miss the one I’ve recommended for you!

nullPicture Books

The Book That Changed Everything by Allison Regina Gliot, FSP; illustrated by Santiago María López Piuma (Pauline Kids)

This captivating picture book is the sweet story of Sofia, an eager reader who reads and learns about everything and everyone—but who always feels alone. When she discovers a Bible in a “grand old library” she feels like it’s “a friend calling out to her.” The words seem to come alive, and in a dream, she meets Jesus, who tells her that He speaks to her through that book, and that when she reads it, she’s never alone.

This book is perfect for reading aloud to children up to age 8, and young independent readers will enjoy it as well. It would also be an excellent gift for a child preparing for First Reconciliation, due to its emphasis on Jesus’ love for us and our call to follow Him.

 

nullIndependent Readers

Saint Joseph: The Juggling Saint by Maria Riley (independently published)

Catholic Mom contributor Maria Riley’s pairing of Saint John Bosco, who looked out for children in crisis in his native Italy, with the story of a child nervous about his upcoming first day in a new school makes this book relatable to any child who fears the unknown of a new experience. Children reading this book will discover a new saintly friend.

Appropriate as an independent read for second grade and up, and as a read-aloud for first grade and up. This would be a wonderful book for parents and children to enjoy together and can spark conversation about how to handle new situations. A recommended back-to-school read!

 

nullMiddle Grade

Detective Thomas and the Biggest Question by Caitlin E. Bootsma, illustrated by Evie Schwartzbauer (OSV Kids)

This chapter book for readers in third grade and up would appeal to kids who enjoy science and who are full of questions (their parents might want to skip straight to the book I’m recommending for parents in this article). Thomas is a middle-school student who likes to solve mysteries, and who is challenged by one of his peers to explain why he believes in God.

A mysterious box appears in his room one morning, and Thomas finds a note encouraging him to ask questions, observe and explore, and try to make sense of the answers he finds. I think of this book as “Encyclopedia Brown with a Catholic twist” and was impressed by the way the author weaves the work of Saint Thomas Aquinas into the story. The illustrations are fun and age-appropriate, as well. A bonus: as Thomas seeks to solve the trail of mysteries the box places in front of him, readers are asked to work through these ideas in features called “Reality Detective Lab” where they’re invited to write about their own observations.

(Releases September 18; preorder this as a fun surprise for your middle-grade reader!)

 

nullTeen Readers

Charting the Course by Leslea Wahl (Vinspire Publishing)

Catholic Mom contributor Leslea Wahl’s characters are fun-loving and real, and Liz, the main character in this novel, is no exception. She’s missing Christmas week with her friends back home while on a Caribbean cruise with her dad, and she’s not happy about it at all. But the combination of a cute guy her own age, some mysterious notes that appear to be a scavenger hunt, and a karaoke contest make the trip better than she’d planned—and even an opportunity to grow in faith.

Liz is not Catholic, but her friend Josie is, and Liz has attended Mass with Josie and is definitely curious about the faith. This type of character is one we don’t see often in Catholic fiction, and I think we need to see characters like this more: people who haven’t been raised in any faith, but who want to know more. By reading this book, teens can be inspired to be more open about sharing their faith with friends who don’t have Catholic backgrounds.

(This novel is a standalone, but if you haven’t read Into the Spotlight first, I recommend that you do—because you’ll want to get to know Josie and Ryan, who star in that book.)

 

For Mom and Dad

The Catholic Parents’ Survival Guide: Straight Answers to Your Kids’ Toughest Questions by Julianne Stanz (Loyola Press)

This new book is described by the publisher as “a practical manual for talking with children about the things that really matter.” Our kids have so many questions—it feels like they are asking questions all the time. And we want to satisfy their curiosity in an age-appropriate way, while making sure we give them the right information. This book encourages parents as they strive to meet that challenge. Right off the bat, Julianne (a mom of three) reminds parents that it’s OK if they admit they don’t know an answer, but that they should do their best to get that answer and share it with their child as soon as they can. The introduction and first chapter (“Parents as Arch-Influencers”) discuss how we connect with our children and the ways we witness to our faith by what we teach them and through our example.

The remaining chapters in the book deal with topics such as God, Mary, the saints, going to Mass, prayer, Heaven, morality, sin, and science. Each chapter contains frequently-asked questions from children; these questions are labeled with the age of the child asking, and answers are geared toward that child’s age. You’ll even find some questions asked by parents! And don’t skip the bonus content at the end of the book (this content alone is worth the purchase price of this book): information on celebrating the angels, Mary, and the saints, as well as the major seasons of the liturgical year, with your family.

 

Ask for these selections at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publishers (both linked above).

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Canva

Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!
With the exception of Charting the Course, which I purchased, I received copies of these books for my honest review, with no other compensation.

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Holy Week in the Liturgy of the Hours

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Don’t miss the beauty of Holy Week liturgy—including the Liturgy of the Hours!

While Holy Thursday and Good Friday rightly get lots of attention, the earlier days of Holy Week shouldn’t be overlooked.

A few observations and tips to get you through this week of praying:

Morning Prayer includes readings from the prophets who foretold Christ’s suffering.

Evening Prayer’s readings focus on Christ’s sacrifice and its implications for us.

If you attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, you do not also pray Evening Prayer.

If you attend the liturgical celebration of the Passion on Good Friday, you do not also pray Evening Prayer.

Highly recommended: the Second Reading in the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday.

Holy Saturday pro tip: pray Evening Prayer before you head to the Easter Vigil.

 

Get ready for the Easter Octave with a FREE downloadable bookmark!

Download and print my Easter Antiphons bookmark and save yourself a whole lot of page-flipping during Morning Prayer for the Octave of Easter.

 

This week on Instagram, I’m highlighting one beautiful element from each day’s Liturgy of the Hours.

Ask for The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours at your local Catholic bookstore, or order online from Amazon.com or the publisher, Our Sunday Visitor.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz (created in Canva), all rights reserved.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Your purchase through these links supports the work of this website at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

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Catholic Picture Books for the Easter Basket

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Chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps, and jelly beans are all great things to put into your child’s Easter basket. But you can fit a new picture book or two behind the candy—and it’s a treat your child will enjoy long after the sweets are gone.

We’ll look at them alphabetically by title, just to keep things fair and square. I certainly can’t choose a favorite!

nullArthur the Clumsy Altar Server

Theresa Kiser’s storybook about an aspiring altar server who’s eager—but quite the klutz—is a sweet tale of perseverance and a little boy’s desire to do something for God. Mike Schwalm nailed it with the illustrations: my favorite one depicts Arthur sneezing incense into the face of another server.  Arthur’s hard work and enthusiastic spirit are noticed by a kind priest who emphasizes what’s most important about being an altar server.

Bonus content at the end of the book shows the vestments worn by priests and altar servers. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.

 

nullFaustina: A Saint’s Story for Children

There’s no better season than the Easter season to introduce children to the saint who brought the Divine Mercy devotion to the world. Kaitlyn C. Mason’s rhyming book about St. Faustina Kowalska tells the story of the little girl who grew up to be a saint. Braelyn Snow’s detailed illustrations complement every page.

After the story, you’ll find instructions on praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet as well as family discussion questions and a pledge to trust in God. This book is designed as a read-aloud for children in primary school; it’s probably too complex for preschoolers. Available from Amazon or TAN Books.

 

nullI Am Earth’s Keeper

Lisa Hendey’s first rhyming book opens with a small child’s early-morning kayak ride that leads him to marvel at the natural world around him and want to protect it. It’s inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, and the cadence of the story will draw readers (and listeners) young and old into the beautiful natural world where it takes place.

The tones and vibe of the illustrations by Guiliano Ferri remind me very much of a favorite picture book from my own childhood. Get a copy to enjoy with your favorite young readers, and teach them that we care for Creation because it was created by God! This book is appropriate for toddlers on up. Available from Amazon or Paraclete Press.

 

 

nullIn This Catholic Church

This book by Maura Roan McKeegan reminded me of one of my favorite nursery rhymes, “This Is the House that Jack Built.” Each page builds upon the one before, as the reader is invited into the church and looks around at the people and objects inside. The story culminates as the congregation gathers and the priest offers Mass.

The simple, engaging illustrations by Ted Schluenderfritz shine light on each element in turn, until we see the whole church focused on the Mass being offered beneath the crucifix that hangs above the altar. Toddlers and preschoolers will love this picture book. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.

 

nullJesus and the Miracle of the Mass

Gracie Jagla’s rhyming book about the Mass emphasizes the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The story is narrated by Jesus, who wants the children at Mass to know that in the Eucharist, He truly comes to us, and invites the children to pray to Him just as they would talk with their best friend.

The story follows along through the different parts of Mass and reminds children that the whole Communion of Saints prays along with them at every Mass. The illustrations (paintings, really!) by Randy Friemel add to the story, with a modern style that’s energetic but not off-putting. An excellent book for children making their First Communion this spring. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.

 

Jesus in Space: A True Story That’s Out of This World

Cecilia Cicone’s new picture book tells a story I never knew: some faith-filled astronauts carried the Eucharist along on a space-shuttle mission in 1994. The story centers on Dr. Tom Jones and all the preparation he went through in order to be ready to go into space. He spent two years getting ready for this mission, but always made sure to attend Mass with his family and to find time for Eucharistic Adoration.

The Endeavor crew carried a pyx containing the Eucharist into space with them, and spent time in prayer, thanking God for making the mission possible before receiving the Eucharist. The end of the book includes a note from astronaut Tom Jones, encouraging readers to keep Jesus with them wherever they go. In addition to Gabhor Utomo’s colorful illustrations, the book includes three full pages of photos of the astronauts and their mission. This book would be a perfect gift for a First Communicant. Available from Amazon or Pauline Books & Media.

 

women doctors of the churchThe Women Doctors of the Church

More than a children’s biography of four fascinating women of the Church, this picture book by Colleen Pressprich is an encouragement. “God is not looking for saints who are exactly alike. He doesn’t need another Hildegarde, Catherine, Teresa, or Thérèse. He needs you.” Readers will learn what it means to be a Doctor of the Church, and how these four holy women each served God in her own special way.

The illustrations by Adalee Hude are beautiful and not childish; they are lavish in color and eye-catching. This book is for independent readers and makes a great read-aloud. Available from Amazon or OSV Kids.

 

Ask for these books at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online from Amazon.com or the publishers.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Stencil
This article contains Amazon affiliate links, which provide a small compensation to the website owner when purchases are made through the links, at no cost to you.

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Ease In to the Liturgy of the Hours this Lent

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Have you ever tried praying the Liturgy of the Hours?

Have you ever given up praying the Liturgy of the Hours because it seems too complicated? Too many pages, too many ribbons, too many ways to go wrong?

What if I told you that you can pray one part of the Liturgy of the Hours without needing to flip around in the book—all you need to know is what day of the week it is?

For real.

This Lent, try praying Night Prayer.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a saint’s feast day or the season of Lent or anything like that: there’s only one week a year that Night Prayer is different, and the instructions for that are right there in the book.

In my new book The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (available now on Kindle; the print version releases March 27), I emphasize that for Liturgy of the Hours beginners, Night Prayer is a simple introduction to the cadence of the prayers.

Is it worth the effort? Yes. Is it doable? Yes! Start small, both in building the habit of prayer and your skills in navigating the breviary. Night Prayer is a wonderful way to begin, because it’s shorter and less complex than Morning and Evening Prayer. Take all the time you need to build up your prayer muscles. (21-22)

 

If you’re using Christian Prayer, you’ll find Night Prayer beginning on p. 1034.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos created in Stencil, all rights reserved.

This article contains Amazon links; your purchase through these links supports the work of this website at no cost to you. Thank you!

Stations of the Cross - HC Cathedral Boston 2019

OSV Kids Stations of the Cross: Devotions Just Right for Children

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In her new booklet, OSV Kids Stations of the Cross, Colleen Pressprich proves that the Stations of the Cross can be made accessible to kids without watering down the impact of the devotion.

One of the things I look forward to each Lent is the parish celebration of the Stations of the Cross each Friday. When my children were in grade school, they would go to the church on Friday afternoons to pray the Stations. Parents were invited to attend, and I often did when my schedule allowed, but the resource the school was using for the Stations was complicated, with flowery language.

That’s not a problem with this new resource from OSV Kids. Colleen Pressprich and illustrator Adalee Hude have created a prayer resource that’s long on reverence and simplicity and short on complicated vocabulary and graphic detail.

Each Station begins with the traditional call-and-response used at the Stations of the Cross. A brief meditation follows, accompanied by a few questions to help the children relate the challenges and suffering Jesus faced to experiences in their own lives. In the prayer for each Station, the children ask for Jesus’ help in meeting challenges such as loneliness, tiredness, frustration, discouragement, and forgiveness.

The meditation and prayer from the Second Station are good examples of how the suffering Jesus experienced is depicted in a child-appropriate way:

The soldiers make Jesus carry his own cross to the hill where he will die. The cross is very heavy. Jesus was in prison all night, and he hasn’t eaten any food since the Last Supper the night before. He also has been beaten. He is tired and weak, yet he still chooses to take up his own cross and walk toward his death because he loves us.

Have you ever had to do something very hard even though you were tired? How did it feel? What helped you keep going? What do you think Jesus was thinking when he lifted the heavy cross onto his back?

Dear Jesus, please remind us that you are with us when we are tired and don’t want to do what is asked of us. Please help us to remember that we can offer up what we don’t like as a prayer. Amen.

 

I would recommend OSV Kids Stations of the Cross for use with children in elementary school. It’s an excellent resource for families to use to pray the Stations together, and would also be great for use in Catholic schools or religious education programs.

Don’t skip the author’s note at the beginning of the book. Pressprich addresses this to parents, teachers, and priests; in it, she explains how adults can model faith-sharing by using some of the questions in the meditation for each Station.

OSV Kids Stations of the Cross has received an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, which indicate that the book is free from doctrinal or moral error.

It’s important to note that while the Stations of the Cross is a popular devotion during Lent, the Stations can be prayed all year ’round. I remember that when I was a child, my great-aunts and great-uncle used to visit a church every single day to pray the Stations—even while on vacation! If you find that the Stations of the Cross becomes a special devotion for your family, think about ways you could pray it as a family once a month, perhaps on the First Friday.

Copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

This article contains Amazon affiliate links. Your purchase using these links supports my writing ministry at no additional cost to you.

detail of stained glass window with heart and line from Prayer of St Francis

At Simply Catholic: Prayer as Petition

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My latest article on prayer, Prayer as Petition, is available at SimplyCatholic.com.

A few highlights:

Prayer of petition, quite simply, is asking for God’s help. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus encourages us to place our needs before God in prayer.

In all humility, we reach out to God, knowing that he is the source of all good things, including forgiveness.

Prayers of petition are often very spontaneous: “God, help me!” Even if we feel far from God, we are able, in our supplication, to turn to him for help.

Read it all at SimplyCatholic.com.

This is the eighth and final article in a series on prayer.

detail of stained glass window with heart and line from Prayer of St Francis

Copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

At Simply Catholic: Prayer as Intercession

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My latest article on prayer, Prayer as Intercession, is available at SimplyCatholic.com.

A few highlights:

Intercessory prayer is a powerful way to support others spiritually.

We are always encouraged to pray for others, ultimately entrusting their needs to God’s will.

Just as we might pray for someone in need, whether a loved one, friend, or stranger, we can also call upon the saints in heaven to pray for them as well — or for our own needs.

Read it all at SimplyCatholic.com.

This is the seventh in a series of eight articles on prayer. A new one will be published each Tuesday at SimplyCatholic.com.


stained glass window in church

 

Copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2015 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

Our Lady of Fatima statue

At Simply Catholic: Prayer to Mary and the Saints

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My latest article on prayer, Prayer to Mary and the Saints, is available at SimplyCatholic.com.

A few highlights:

The saints and Mary cannot answer our prayers; only God can do that. But they can, and we believe they do, hear our prayers and pray for us, acting as intercessors on our behalf with God.

Our holy helpers, the saints, are the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in the Letter to the Hebrews who surround us, helping us “persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith” (12:1-2).

By uniting our prayers with those of Mary and the saints and learning more about their lives and their example, we can draw closer to God.

Read it all at SimplyCatholic.com.

This is the sixth in a series of eight articles on prayer. A new one will be published each Tuesday at SimplyCatholic.com.

Our Lady of Fatima

Miraculous Medal holy card

At SimplyCatholic.com: Devotional Prayer

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My latest article on prayer, Devotional Prayer, is available at SimplyCatholic.com.

A few highlights:

Rosaries, chaplets, novenas, the Stations of the Cross, the Angelus, grace before meals, the veneration of relics, and sacramentals: all of these are related to devotional prayer.

Our physical human nature benefits from the use of objects and actions that increase our focus on prayer.

Through devotional prayer, Catholics sanctify time (time of day, days of the week, and months of the year) as well as observe holy days and liturgical seasons.

 

 

 

Read it all at SimplyCatholic.com: Devotional Prayer.

This is the fifth in a series of eight articles on prayer. A new one will be published each Tuesday at SimplyCatholic.com.

Copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

St. Casimir Church Riverside NJ detail of Brother Sun stained glass window

At SimplyCatholic.com: Prayer as Thanksgiving

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My latest article on prayer, Prayer as Thanksgiving, is available at SimplyCatholic.com.

A few highlights:

Expressing our gratitude to God reinforces our relationship to him, in the same way expressing our thanks to someone for giving us a gift or helping us can strengthen our friendship or family bond.

Prayer of thanksgiving can be a spontaneous “Thank God!” after hearing good news after a difficult time, or a formal prayer such as Grace before Meals.

We need to look for, and be grateful for, God’s gifts even in difficult times or when we’re dealing with something unexpected.

Read it all at SimplyCatholic.com: Prayer as Thanksgiving.

This is the fourth in a series of eight articles on prayer. A new one will be published each Tuesday at SimplyCatholic.com.

St. Casimir Church Riverside NJ detail of Brother Sun stained glass window