Book Review: The Catholic Children’s Bible by Saint Mary’s Press

Recently I received an email from Saint Mary’s Press asking if I might be interested in checking out and reviewing for my readers their new Catholic Children’s Bible and app for iPad. Alas, I do not have an iPad so I cannot review their app, but I was more than happy to review their Catholic Children’s Bible.

I have seen Bible story books for young children and I use one with my first grade CCD students. I wondered what The Catholic Children’s Bible had that would make it different and suitable for children. When The Catholic Children’s Bible arrived, I was not disappointed. I was amazed by what it contained. It is the first complete children’s Catholic Bible that is written just for children to learn about our faith and it also helps develop young readers reading skills.

*Be sure to click on the pictures below to make them larger.


Saint Mary’s Press has really taken the child’s point of view when they designed this book. Children will be able to easily locate Bible passages and stories by the color coordinated sections and tabs. These colorful tabs are also visible from the side of the book allowing children to find what they want quickly. They also kept early readers in mind as well by using larger print, child engaging fonts, more spacing between lines, colorful column dividers, bold and colorful text, etc. This makes it easier for children to read and they can do it on their own.




Included are all 73 books of the Good News Translation Catholic Edition Bible. This 2,000 page Bible is designed for second, third, and fourth grades and packed with countless ways to make it easier for your child to understand and comprehend the Bible.


• Easy to understand directions on how to find a Bible passage.
• Explains how the Bible is divided into 73 different books.
• Pronunciation key
• Introductions to the Old and New Testaments
• One page introduction for each book of the Bible explaining the central theme of the book and also highlights the feature stories that are in the book.






The Catholic Children’s Bible also has 125 featured stories which highlight key Bible passages. These featured stories are a shorter version of the Bible story and are two pages long.


These stories include:

• Colorful illustrations and borders that children enjoy and want to see more.

• Bold text vocabulary words with definitions.

• Understand It!, Live It!, and Tell It! sections help children understand the story.


Understand It! section explains what the children just read.

Live It! section helps children to relate the story to their lives with fun activities and prayers.

Tell It! section uses pictures that help children retell the story in their own words.




In the back of the book are Prayers and Bible Helps. It includes:

• Bible Pictures
• Bible Time Line
• Bible Lands in Old Testament Times
• Israel in Old Testament Times
• Bible Lands in New Testament times
• Israel in New Testament Times
• Catholic Practices
• Catholic Prayers (including the Rosary)
• Bible Passages for Special Times



The Mother Test

The Catholic Children’s Bible would be a great addition for your home to be used at story time at night with your children or as Bible study. Having your child read for story time will be a delightful change. It will enable further participation and comprehension and also help improve their reading skills. Children will also want to read it on their own because they will find it geared just for them and they will learn more about our faith.


The Kid Test

Will it pass the kid test? Will children like it as much? To find out I took it to CCD to see what my students thought.

My 1st grade CCD students are quite familiar with a Bible story book I use in class, but when I first opened the Catholic Children’s Bible they immediately found it colorful, interesting, and easy to understand. They really enjoyed the Understand It!, Live It!, and Tell It! sections.

My students also liked reading from it and asking other students questions about the story. Seeing my students become more involved and wanting to learn about our faith was so rewarding.


Conclusion: The Catholic Children’s Bible has been kid tested, mother approved. This children’s Bible is great to use with your child at home and in the classroom because children want to use it and enjoy learning from it.


*I received a free copy of The Catholic Children’s Bible in exchange for my honest review of this product. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Darkling Fields of Arvon

A book review I recently did for catholicmom.com.




Darkling Fields of Arvon is book two of the Legacy of the Stolen Harp fantasy series written by James G. Anderson and Mark Sebanc. The first book, The Stoneholding is a fascinating read, full of adventure and written so eloquently that the reader can just imagine themselves being there. The riveting story of Kal Wright and his friends wasn’t quite over and it lent itself to the authors to continue the intriguing tale and produce another to the delight of their avid fans everywhere.

Hoping that Darkling Fields of Arvon is comparable in literary genius as its predecessor, I went about my task of reading it with understandable apprehension. To create one book of exceptional quality is quite a feat and to be able to repeat the phenomenon again in another book is unfathomable. Usually if the first one is excellent, the odds are that the next one in the series is mediocre at best. With that said, I read Darkling Fields of Arvon and outlandish as it seems, it is as good as the first installment, if truth be told, maybe even better.

In Darkling Fields of Arvon Kal and his friends continue their daunting quest to find the stolen sacred harp and the lost heir to the throne, Prince Starigan. Their heroic journey is riddled with action-filled encounters, engaging characters, and tantalizing mysterious creatures making it an exciting read that you cannot put down.

Written in Tolkien fashion and descriptive style, Anderson and Sebanc capture the essence of a time long ago, mythological to be sure, but so realistic that the reader can somehow actually picture it happening in the far distant past. The authors are excellent story tellers and can weave a tall tale better than most. You will find yourself wrapped up in the adventure becoming totally involved with the story, begging for more.

Two more books in the series are forthcoming. Readers will undoubtedly be looking forward to their release for the continuation of the exciting quest of restoring peace and harmony to Ahn Norvys.



Click here to read chapters 1 through 7.



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Stoneholding

A book review I recently did for catholicmom.com.




The Stoneholding is the first of two epic fantasy novels about the legendary kingdom of Arvon and the sacred objects that they treasure most. It is considered to be an outstanding book, very imaginative with a riveting story that will be reread over and over again. The sequel is supposedly worthy of unending praise as well and devoted fans all over the world eagerly await for more of the mythical series.

Somewhat daunted and perplexed to my endeavor ahead to review such an undertaking, I set my expectations high hoping to relive what some avid readers have experienced with this book. I read it and I was not disappointed. I found it totally fascinating and I was hooked from the very first page.

In the dark of the night, King Colurian of Arvon is slain; the queen and prince are abducted and never seen or heard from again. The Council of Mindal places Gawmage on the throne who is not of royal blood. He is extremely dangerous and is therefore rejected by most especially those in the highland region of Arvon, the clanholding of Lammermorn.

It is thought that the seed of Ardiel was destroyed forever when the Mindal seized power from the faltering line of King Colurian. Eighteen years go by and Gawmage’s oppressive control continues to grow throughout the entire kingdom.

Gawmage does not know what befell Prince Starigan but he is convinced that Wilum, High Bard of all Ahn Norvys is somehow privy to this secret and that he actually had a hand in spiriting the Prince away. Gawmage has one of his men extinguish the Sacred Fire to force Wilum to bring the Prince out of hiding. The Sacred Fire must be rekindled and the only ones that can retrieve the sacred spark is a descendant from Ardiel’s bloodline. Prince Starigan is the only known last descendant and no one knows where he is or if he is still alive.

The highlands are besieged with aggressors, many are killed and Wilum is afraid that the sacred objects will fall into their hands. Wilum must then send his young and inexperienced apprentice, Kalaquinn Wright and a few of the other survivors on a relentless quest to find the missing heir to the throne, Prince Starigan and find a way to relight the Sacred Fire.

The Stone Holding will take you on a ride of your life in an exciting world of castles, sword fighting, and mythical creatures. All the twists and turns that Kal and his friends encounter along their heroic adventure will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The writing style of the authors is reminiscent of Tolkien, very descriptive, but necessary to evoke the beautiful and somewhat grim world of Arvon and its characters. The focus on detail to depict the gripping story is awe inspiring and readers will be mesmerized by the authors’ expressive thought and prose throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to the second novel of this fascinating series, Darkling Fields of Arvon which is a continuation of the story of Kal and his friends. This epic will surely gain notoriety as more readers become aware of it making it a potential movie series in the near future.



Click here to read the Prologue and the first six chapters.



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Catechist’s Toolbox by Joe Paprocki

The Catechist’s Toolbox: How To Thrive As A Religious Education Teacher by Joe Paprocki

New and veteran catechists will find The Catechist’s Toolbox an invaluable “tool” to use to become the best catechist enabling their students to learn at their fullest potential. The techniques and tips that are disclosed cover everything from A to Z helping the catechist know what they should do for class management and how to handle certain situations and challenges. The catechist will learn how to plan and prepare properly and how to conduct their class efficiently and effectively to promote learning. Joe Paprocki explains in easy understandable terms how to write lesson plans, what to include in them, which activities to use, and how to provide a variety of learning activities that keeps in mind how your students learn best. He even addresses how to help students learn who have special needs and what you as a catechist need to do to integrate them into the classroom.

The author uses an innovative approach in divulging this information by using various shop talk (plumbing terms, electrical, construction, etc.) making it a delightful read. The 17 chapters allow the reader to dig deeper into understanding what makes a good catechist and what they should do. Some of the chapters include the following subjects:


• Planning and Preparation
• Which Activities To Use and Why
• Adapting to Learning Styles, Special Needs, and Diversity
• Practical Advice about Things That Can Go Wrong
• How To Get Your Students To Participate and Engage in Learning
• Skills, Tips, and Practical Advice for Leading Others in Prayer
• Discipline
• Polishing Your Technique
• Using Textbooks and Catechist Manuals
• Skills, Tips, and Practical Advice for Using the Bible in the Classroom
• Using Technology
• How To Ask Questions
• Assessing Student Progress
• Teaching and Learning by Doing


An appendix is also included and it gives you a guided reflection and reliable Catholic websites with navigational hints.



After reading this book catechists will know how they can be a better teacher. They will know how to implement the best techniques so that all their students will learn about the faith and enjoy coming to class. The Catechist’s Toolbox is a must have for all catechists.



Limited preview- To see some of the book.



*Be sure to check out Joe Paprocki’s blog: catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com where he shares his methodologies, techniques, and tips for catechists.