Mary Mother of Jesus and I Went to Mass: What Did I See?

Mary Mother of Jesus is a cute, little board book from Pauline Books and Media. It is written by Sister Marlyn Evangelina Monge and illustrated by Mary Rojas. The book begins by introducing us to Mary and Joseph, telling us about the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. It ends by teaching us about the Assumption and Coronation of Mary and reminding us that she is not only Jesus' mother, but also ours. The writing style felt a bit stilted, as the author used the phrase "very much" a lot, but I have to remind myself that this is for children so repetition is good! The art is bright and colorful with pictures that really enforce the core concepts about Mary.  I especially like that the cover has some glitter texture, as younger children like to see and feel. I also liked that the Crucifixion and Resurrection were discussed. These are hard concepts for children, but it's never too early to introduce your children to these truths. The only thing I would change is that I wish it would have talked about Mary's parents, but I believe the aim of the book was still Jesus through the lens of Mary, which is exactly a model for her life!

I Went to Mass: What Did I See? is a lovely, hardcover book from TAN Books.  It is written by Katie Warner and illustrated by Meg Whalen. I would describe the illustrations as pencil sketches with color used sparingly to emphasize importance. The writing style is a pattern of a child saying, I went to Mass. What did I see?" We then receive the answer in the form of a holy water font, incense, the Eucharist, etc. When we are given the answer on each set of pages, that is when the black and white drawings receive their pop of color, i.e., blue for the holy water and gold for the swinging censer. The book has a great rhythm and is subtly educational without your child realizing they are learning at all. This is a beautiful book for Catholic children and one that you should get any new Catholic as it is one they can read to their little one and instill an early love of the Mass. Highly recommended!

The Catholic Comic Book Bible: The Gospel of Luke (TAN Books)

I am always on the look out for new Catholic Bibles. If I'm being honest with myself, I'm a bit of a collector. There are several translations out there (NAB, NABRE, RSVCE and Douay-Rheims), and within those translations, there are different footnotes, maps, commentaries, etc. It makes me happy just thinking about it! Lately, I've been looking for a Bible for my son. Granted, he has several already, but I haven't quite found the one I am looking for. That's why when I heard about The Catholic Comic Book Bible, I was excited to read it.

The Catholic Comic Book Bible is currently composed of two volumes - The Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. This is very fitting, because these two books actually read like one book broken into two parts. Each volume is $14.95, which can be a little steep, if this turns into a 73 volume set, but as a Bible collector/enthusiast, I wouldn't hesitate to pay it. The translation used is the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) and illustrations are done by Neely Publishing. The illustration style has a pencil-sketch feel to it and at times it comes off a little crude. However, it serves its purpose and is not so garish that it distracts from the text, which is where the real value lies.

The book does a wonderful job of creating a Bible but giving it a fresh take for younger eyes. For starters, this isn't an abridged version or paraphrase, your child will get the complete text of Luke and Acts. Your child will also be able to reference exactly where they are, as there are headings on the top of the pages, chapter breaks, and each verse is individually numbered. The text is formatted in a way that the narrative parts and the spoken parts are distinctly separate and it creates a nice flow and presentation.There are also footnotes at the bottom that give alternate translations of the text as well.

Overall, I am highly impressed with these two books. The Catholic Comic Book Bible is another example of the New Evangelization. This is a very appealing Bible for tweens and teens and perhaps even young adults. I hope to see this series continue, perhaps with some Old Testament books like Genesis or Exodus. If you have teenagers in your household and want them to read the Bible, then I recommend this series for you and them!

These books were provided to me by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia was one of my favorite series as a child. It opened my eyes to a fascinating world, and is a series I still visit in my adulthood. I love it so much I have two different audio versions of the books and even imported some color hardcover books from the U.K. because I didn't think the U.S. versions of the books were of good enough quality for this series. In addition to reading the books, I also enjoy reading about the books and learning things I might have missed in my readings of them. That's why I knew I had to have a copy of Further Up and Further In: Understanding Narnia.

The book begins with the author, Joseph Pearce, explaining the proper order to read the series and touting its popularity almost 70 years later. He then discusses this series briefly in comparison with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and talks about how that even though these books are widely viewed as children's books, they are for adults as well. However, to read these books as an adult, we must first become childlike. This leads us to the next chapter that teaches us about allegory, symbolism, sacramentalism, and learning to read like an adult. The meat of the book is the next seven chapters, which devotes one chapter to each book in the series, starting with The Magician's Nephew and working us all the way to The Last Battle. The chapters range in length from 12 pages to 29 pages. I was surprised that the shortest one was the one on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but perhaps that is because it is the most well-known and straightforward one of the series. The chapter I most enjoyed reading was on The Magician's Nephew. That is my favorite book of the series, because I love a good Creation story. Pearce tackles this story, compares it to Tolkien's Creation story in The Silmarillion. He also shows us the dire warnings that Aslan gives for our world, which though the warnings benefited from hindsight, the lessons can still be applied today.

The book closes with a chapter that discusses what happened in the final book at the end. Here we get an explanation of why Susan is not there and what that means for her soul. We also see a theology of someone not knowing Christ but making it to Heaven, because he lived a good life and tried to do what is right. This is not the heresy of Universalism, but the theology of a merciful God, saving the souls of those who did not have the chance to know him, and would have accepted Him had they only had the chance to know Him. I loved reading this book, because it made me get out the series and read it again. I learned things I have missed in my previous readings, and it tells me that you can read this series many times and find something new every time. I also liked all the holes Pearce poked into the arguments of Philip Pullman, a noted atheist author and C.S. Lewis hater. I have never had to argue in defense of C.S. Lewis, but if I needed to, Further Up and Further In is the first book I would reference. If you are a lover of Narnia, like me, this is a book you need on your shelf!

This book was provided to me by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail (TAN Books)

The Holy Grail is one of the most elusive, coveted, and sought after relics in Christendom. Lots of hours have been spent searching for it, and many words (both fiction and non) have been written about it. However, there is still the question in many minds about where it was a real chalice at all or merely some symbolic ideal. In a recent book entitled A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail, Charles A. Coulombe takes a look at the mysteries, myths, and conspiracies surrounding it.

The book begins with a long excerpt telling the tale of Sir Percival and others Knights of King Arthur's Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail. If you don't know this tale, it is a fascinating read about despair and hope, sin and redemption. We then see origins of the Church in the time immediately after Jesus and the many relics associated with His life and death. The chapter covers Constantine's mother (Helena) who was responsible for a large number of relics we have today and it also briefly touches on the origins of Britain and the whispers of Arthur. According to the Arthur, he was a real historical figure, just not the romanticized one that we all know. The author continues walking us through history where we come upon the Crusades with the Grail being a key item in these battles. However, it is not the Grail itself that is of importance, but what the Grail contained the Blood of Christ.

This book does a great job of teaching us Church History without the reader realizing it. The author presents us a lot of information through the centuries, but does so in a compelling way that it is more than reading dry facts, but a journey a quest in and of itself. This seems to be the author's main purpose. Using the Grail as his backdrop, he shows us that the Church of the past was more in tune with the many miracles and wonders of their time. The present day Church is unfortunately not as attuned to present day miracles. Therefore, the author thinks we need to use the story of the Grail to educate people like in the past. Truly a fascinating read and one that I will re-visit in the near future to try and absorb more on my second time reading through it.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful Leatherette Volumes from TAN Books

TAN Books has been on a tear publishing beautiful leatherette books for people from all walks of life. Today, I would like to tell you about two of the more recent works - 100 Holy Hours for Women and Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin.

100 Holy Hours for Women is a small (about 6.5" x 4") blue leatherette volume with gold-edged pages that is approximately 500 pages long. The blue binding gives it a distinct Marian feel to it. It was originally published in 1985 and was composed by Mother Mary Raphael Lubowidzka. "The book was originally written as a religious sister's guide for daily adoration." Each meditation is approximately five pages long and begins with a single verse. This then leads to a two-part meditation with the first part containing profound bits of spiritual wisdom, and the second part being a personal reflection of hers and a prayer we could all emulate. For example, her first meditation explains that the angels are pure spiritual beings and were the first beings to show Jesus love and adoration. They also implore us to do the same. She then calls on the help of the angels to make her time in front of the Eucharist more focused on Christ, instead of worldly distractions.

Reading through this book was beautiful and doing so in front of the Eucharist makes it all the more special. with 100 reflections, if you went to Adoration once a week, you'd have almost enough to get you through two years. Also, don't let the name fool you, this work is spiritually beneficial for men and women alike. I plan on giving my copy to my wife for Christmas and think it would make a perfect gift for the special women in your life. Highly recommended!

Manual for Conquering Deadly Sin is a small (about 7" x 4.5") black leatherette volume with silver-edged pages that is approximately 300 pages long. The black binding gives it a serious and somber tone, and you know what you are about to read is a matter of life and death. It was written by Fr. Dennis Kolinski and two parts - The Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies and Prayers and Words of Wisdom, Warning and Encouragement in the Struggle Against Deadly Sin.

The first part begins by explaining the two types of sin - mortal and venial. It then goes on to define the seven deadly sins and their opposing virtues. These are as follows - lust:chastity, gluttony:temperance, avarice:generosity, sloth:diligence, anger:meekness, envy:generosity/kindness, and pride:humility. This essay then breaks apart each sin by giving us a reference in the Catechism on the sin and Scripture and magisterial teachings on it. Lastly, there are remedies for each sin to help us combat them. For example, with the sin of lust, he recommends guarding our eyes to what we see, prayer, daily examination of conscience, regular confession, and Eucharistic adoration. In Part Two, each sin is given copious amounts of quotes from both Scripture and the Church Fathers on fighting these sins.

This is a beautiful volume filled with great spiritual wisdom. Given the presentation, you would think it is more geared towards men than women, but I promise you every Christian would benefit from reading this work. I would go so far as to say that you should pair it with the Manual for Spiritual Warfare and fully equip yourself for the battle you will constantly be facing on your spiritual journey!

These volumes were provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for honest reviews.

The Marian Option (TAN Books)

The Benedict Option was coined by Rod Dreher after same-sex marriage was approved in the United States. He stated that Christians in post-Christian America needed to adopt St. Benedict as their guide and to try to strengthen the church if they wanted it to survive. Since the publication of this book there have been many books choosing other saints or saintly figures. However, Dr. Carrie Gress is the first to realize and point out that for any renewal to take place, we must have Christ's mother Mary at the heart of the renewal. That is why she penned The Marian Option.

The book begins by talking about the persecution Christians have faced since their origin. For 2000 years, there have been many tests and trials Christians have undergone. During these times, different people responded and reacted in different ways. St. Benedict, who is covered in this first chapter, experienced a crumbling Roman society much like we are facing a crumbling American society. Dr. Gress examines him more closely and discusses why he chose to retreat to the desert. She then spends the next two chapters explaining how Mary is considered the most important woman in human history and how we she has influenced art, architecture, music, literature, etc.  The next three chapters focus on her geopolitical influence in three of her most famous apparitions - Guadalupe, Lourdes, and Fatima. The next four chapters are the meat of the book and focus on tough issues that Catholics have to always answer and defend. How much or how little devotion is Mary due? What is her relationship with the three Persons of the Trinity? How is she our Mother and the Mother of the Church? And lastly, why is it people are so anti-Mary? The final chapters of the book provide concrete ways to have Mary at the heart of our lives including practical and simple ways for a family to do this, such as praying the Rosary, going to Mass, wearing a Brown Scapular and/or Miraculous Medal, consecrating yourself to Mary, and many other easy things.

The Marian Option is a simple but brilliant book that walks us through not only the historical and cultural significance of Mary, but also her spiritual significance as well. I particularly enjoyed the case study at the end of the book on Pope John Paul II. If anyone in recent memory has shown us how to live a life devoted to Mary, it was this great man. What makes this book stand out from other books on Mary, apart from the message inside, is the beautiful presentation on the outside. It is a beautiful, blue hardcover with gold lettering on the cover, and a dust jacket to match. It is a worthy presentation for a book that you will want to read more than once. If you can read just one book on Mary this year, I recommend it be this one.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

SNEAK PEEK: The Story of Civilization: Volume II - The Medieval World (TAN Books)

With Easter and Spring Break right around the corner, it's that time of the year again. Time to start thinking about next year's curriculum. Today I'd like to give you a little teaser for a product I'm super excited about!

Last year TAN Books furthered their mission of providing Catholic homeschooling parents with the launch of a new history series called The Story of Civilization. Unlike other history books, this series has the belief that history should be lived and not learned. Therefore, instead of just presenting your child with dry facts and dates to remember, they will experience history in a narrative format that truly makes it come alive! The series will consist of four volumes, with one releasing every year. Last year, we saw the release of The Ancient World, a 35 lesson volume that begins with the dawn of civilization and takes your children through Egypt, Persia, Greece, and Rome. In addition to Old Testament stories sprinkled in, they also get to see the birth of the Catholic Church and its infancy in the first few centuries after Jesus' death.

This year they are releasing Volume II: The Medieval World, which picks up where Volume I left off. This volume is 33 lessons long and begins after the conversion of Constantine. In this volume, your children will see how Christian Europe grew from the seeds of the Early Church. They will see the Western Roman Empire end and the Eastern Roman Empire come to prominence under the Emperor Justinian. They will also meet famous Christians like Augustine, Benedict, and Boniface. We also see the Irish Missions, Crusades, Great Western Schism, Hundred Years' War, and the Fall of Constantinople.

All volumes in this series have textbooks, teacher's manuals, test books, activity books, audio CDs, streaming videos, and a timeline map. This gives your child a variety of resources, depending on the type of learner they are. You, the parent, can also choose to buy the whole set and save some money or piece together what pieces you need and forego the rest. I hope you have enjoyed this preview, and I will share more with you in the summer once I have had time to thoroughly review the program.

Manual for Marian Devotion (TAN Books)

Manual for Marian Devotion is the third book in a line of spiritual manuals published by TAN Books. The first two being Manual for Spiritual Warfare and Manual for Eucharistic Adoration. The book begins with a "How to use this Manual" section, which explains that this book is to be used "to provide Catholics with a basic framework for understanding the Church's veneration of Mary and fostering it in their own devotional lives." The reader is then encouraged to carry this book everywhere and make use of it especially during Holy Hours and other devotional times. The book is then divided into two parts - Preparing for Marian Devotion and Aids for Marian Devotion.

In Preparing for Marian Devotion, the book walks us through Mary in Scripture (both Old and New Testament), doctrines on Mary, and Marian apparitions. The second section provides us with prayers, hymns, writings of the saints, and miracles performed through Mary's intercession. These sources are both from Eastern and Western saints, which I always appreciate because it seems the Eastern saints can be forgotten and overlooked in Roman Catholicism. The part I enjoyed the most was the legends associated with Mary. Unfortunately, there weren't many of those. However, they did include an apocryphal work (The Protoevangelion) as one of their sources as well, so that was a welcome surprise.

Overall, I found this to be a very enriching and enlightening book. As a convert to Catholicism, this book would have been very helpful earlier in my conversion when I was still new to the faith. It's not that I doubted Mary or didn't appreciate her, it's just that I didn't understand her as much as I would have liked, nor loved her as deeply as I should have. In addition to the beauty within this book, the presentation format is top notch with a blue UltraSoft leather binding. I highly recommend this as a gift for Confirmation, conversion, or graduation.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

Manual for Eucharistic Adoration (TAN Books)

Eucharistic Adoration is a beautiful practice that I have always struggled with. The few times I have placed myself in front of the Blessed Sacrament, my mind immedtiately begins to wander. I try and force myself to pray and just clear my mind, but  the distractions unfortunately kept coming. I knew I had to find a book to help with this if I ever was going to have any kind of success at adoration. Recently, TAN Books published the Manual for Eucharistic Adoration, and I knew that I had to give this book a try.

The manual is divided into two parts - 1. Preparing for Eucharistic Adoration and 2. Aids in Eucharistic Adoration. It then provides a brief explanation on how to properly use this book. In a nutshell, it says that the first part helps you better understand the importance of this devotion, and the second part provides Scripture, prayer, and texts to help you grow in this devotion. I found Chapter 5: Guidelines for Adoration to be particularly helpful. In this chapter, it clears up the misconception that love, fervor, and devotion are required for adoration. Adoration is an act though, and not a sentiment or emotion. I also found the different meditations and devotions in the last chapter to be extremely helpful, as it helped to focus my thoughts and provided me with words I was lacking.

The Manual for Eucharistic Adoration is a marvelous book that will prove beneficial to veterans and novices alike. It contains a nice blend of history and practical spirituality to help you grow closer to God. It is also beautiful in presentation with Premium UltraSoft leather, sewn binding, and a ribbon bookmark. Probably best of all is that it's small enough to fit into a pocket or purse, so that you can always have it handy if you feel the sudden desire to go to Eucharistic Adoration. I would pair this book with the Manual for Spiritual Warfare and consider getting these books for the recent high school graduate in your life, because college can be a perilous time, and they will need all the help they can get. You could also package them together as a wedding, ordination, or just a birthday gift. Any Catholic will find great treasure in both of these books.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Saints Who Battled Satan (TAN Books)

Dr. Paul Thigpen is an excellent teacher of the Catholic faith. Among the 40+ books he has written and edited, are A Year with the Saints, A Year with Mary, and Manual for Spiritual Warfare. With those recent titles, his latest book, Saints Who Battled Satan, is the logical topic choice. In Saints Who Battled Satan, Dr. Thigpen, provides us with examples of saints who fought Satan with Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments. The book begins with the story of Eve and the Fall. He sets the stage by telling us of the angelic rebellion led by Lucifer, and how his first target after he was expelled from Heaven was Eve. He then walks us through the crafty methods Satan used to cause Eve and all of humanity to fall as well. We then receive 17 chapters, one per saint, which gives brief background information on the saint, and then tells us how Satan attacked them and how they prevailed. Some of the saints include the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. Paul, and St. Dominic. Allow me to tell you about a favorite saint of mine - St. Anthony of the Desert.

St. Anthony was born in the 3rd Century to a wealthy family in Egypt. When his parents died, he made sure his sister was taken care of, and then disposed of his inheritance so that he could go out into the desert, like Jesus did. His reason for doing this was that he wanted to learn how Jesus overcame Satan and then teach it to others. Satan did not like Anthony, because he knew he would be a powerful foe if he succeeded, so he first attacked him with all the physical pleasures and comforts of the world. The second attack on St. Anthony involved Satan and a band of demons whipping him to near death. The rest of the chapter details other attacks by Satan and victories by St. Anthony. It then concludes with the details of other men joining St. Anthony in the desert to become monks as well. I pretty much know St. Anthony's story by heart, but it is always an inspiration to read through it. He shows us a perfect example of battling Satan, not with his own strength, but relying solely on God to help him. This is the only way to ever achieve victory over Satan.

The above profile of St. Anthony is just one of seventeen examples of saints who waged spiritual warfare against Satan. If the book was nothing but these profiles, that would be enough to make a compelling read. However, there is a 50 page epilogue that contains more (shorter) examples of other saints who battled saints as well as wisdom from the saints on how to fight Satan. Some of these saintly tips encourage us to pray the Our Father, pray the Sign of the Cross, use Holy Water frequently, and find strength in receiving the Eucharist. This impressive epilogue and the detailed examples of the saints make for a winning combination. I highly recommend this book for all Catholics and Christians alike, as we are all at war with Satan and need all the help we can get!

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Book of Isaiah (Catholic Scripture Study International)

Another year is winding down and in addition to making secular resolutions like getting in better shape, etc. I always think it's a good time to make spiritual resolutions too. My spiritual resolutions are to try and pray more/better, read more slowly (something I struggle with), and/or dive more deeply into Scripture. There are many great books, commentaries, and Bibles that help you to study Scripture better, but sometimes books are no substitute for a DVD study program. Catholic Scripture Study International has a great number of choices, and today I am going to tell you about one of their latest - The Book of Isaiah.

The Book of Isaiah is the second-longest book in the Bible in terms of chapters at a robust 66. It is second only to Psalms, which is 150 (or 151 if you're Orthodox). I have always heard the theory that Isaiah had multiple authors, but I thought it was only three. The introduction to this study suggests that there were six authors in five different time periods. Three of the authors are referred to as Proto-Isaiah, Deutero-Isaiah, and Trito-Isaiah. The other sections of Isaiah are classified as Historical Narratives and Apocalypse. The study gives a few theories on the multiple authors, but one book. The two plausible ones are 1. the ancient custom of attaching your work to a more recognized work to lend credibility to your writing and 2. a school of thought with Isaiah as the master teacher and his students/"children" adding to his work.

The study then dives into the book of Isaiah spanning 26 lessons. The lessons are arranged by author, which for the most part leaves them in chapter order. The exceptions to this are Lesson 19: Apocalypse 24-25, Lesson 20: Isaiah Apocalypse 26-27, and Lesson 21 Isaiah 34-35. Each lesson contains an introductory section, verse-by-verse commentary, study questions, and reflections for group discussion. In the leader's guide, there is a section at the end for suggested responses to the study questions. Also included in the lessons are Catechism references to enhance the material and a section called "Rome to Home," which contains an extensive quote from a pope (past or present).

If one were to do a lesson a week with their small group, this series would take six months to complete. I know that is intimidating, but the time actually flew by for me. Working my way through this study, I learned just how important the book of Isaiah is both in understanding the Bible and in the liturgical cycle of the Church. We see so many references to the coming Messiah's birth and also his death. I admit, I skipped ahead a couple of times, just because I couldn't wait to get to specific sections. I particularly was interested in Isaiah 53, which is commonly known as the Suffering Servant. The lesson did not disappoint! If you are looking for an in-depth guide to an intimidating book of Scripture, I highly recommend this study for your small group.

This Bible Study was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to check out their other studies, including Doors of Mercy, which will help you through your Jubilee Year!

The Story of a Family (TAN Books)

We are less than a week away from having two new saints in the Church - Louis and Zélie Martin! I have a family of friends who are so excited for their canonization, you'd think they were distant relatives of theirs. For those of you unfamiliar with these two future saints, they are the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux as well as many other children including four nuns! They were truly a holy family and a model for us all, and I believe we should read more about them, so that we can emulate them. TAN Books is one of the best sources for books about the Martin family, and I'd like to tell you about a few of them today.

The Story of a Family was published in the 1940s, reprinted in 1994 by TAN Books, and now has been reprinted again in 2015 in time for the canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin. The book is only fifteen chapters in length, but it is full of detail as it spans 400+ pages. The book begins by giving us a backstory of the two parents and their early years. We learn that Louis was a watchmaker and Zélie was a lacemaker. It was these two professions that led to their chance meeting. Both felt a call to the religious life, but chose to marry. Interestingly enough, after marriage, Louis Martin wanted to live a celibate married life, like Mary and Joseph, but Zélie had strong maternal instincts. We also learn about the children they had, the children they lost, and a great deal about Thérèse.

Chapter 13 - 'The Offering of the Children" was my favorite chapter. In this chapter, we learn of the Martins deep desire to give birth a future priest. They lost two boys, and therefore their hope was lost after this. However, with each girl, they had dreams, which came true, of populating the cloister. "They were not of the number of those pusillanimous parents who dread sacrificing to God what they have no hesitation in handing over to a creature." It was surprising to me to read these words, not because they were so accepting and encouraging of religious vocations, but because even that far in the past, parents were still hesitant to embrace the idea of religious vocations for their children. May the Martins serve as an example for all of us with children!

I have two final observations to leave you with regarding this book. First, the true treasure of this book is found in the images. We as Catholics have a lot of older saints who we see depicted in ancient artwork, but no real actual photographic evidence. Being able to see actual pictures of these recent saints, help demonstrate to us that they were humans just like us, and that we too can be saints if we follow their examples and say Yes to Jesus! Second, the age of the book is reflected in the writing style and language, but that doesn't mean that it is impossible to read. As a fan of classic literature, I personally enjoy that style, but it isn't for everyone. I for one am grateful that this book is back in print, and think it is a very good introduction to the Martin family. After reading this, I plan to read some more books about the Martin family, mainly The Father of the Little Flower, The Mother of the Little Flower, and My Sister Saint Thérèse. All of these were written by Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face (Celine Martin), the sister of St. Thérèse and should provide a more personal and intimate look at the Martins.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Story of the Bible (TAN Books)

There are many ways to educate your children. I am the product of Catholic school and public school, and my wife was strictly Catholic schooled. In a few years, she and I will have to decide how to educate our child(ren), and for us there are only two options - Catholic school or homeschool. Homeschool used to be a dirty word, but in the past decade, the number of parents choosing to homeschool their children has increased exponentially, and I for one am pleased about that, because with this rapid growth means better curriculum, both secular and religious. Leading the charge for quality Catholic homeschool materials is TAN Books. TAN Books has recently launched a new website called TAN Homeschool, which includes blog posts, freebies, and a recently released, groundbreaking Bible education series called The Story of the Bible!

The Story of the Bible is a comprehensive program, which includes a textbook, test book, activity book, teacher's manual, dramatized audiobook, AND lecture DVDs! I was provided with a review copy of the Old Testament materials, so let me tell you about it. The textbook is approximately 300 pages long and is divided into five parts:

1. How God Came to Promise Us a Redeemer
2. How God Founded the Nation from Which the Redeemer of the World Came
3. How God Protected His Chosen People and Led Them Into the Promised Land
4. How God's Chosen People Lived Under Their Kings
5. How God's People Went Into Exile and Returned

As you can see, Part One deals with the Creation story. Parts Two and Three deal with the Pentateuch. Part Four is during the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon; and Part Five is under the time of the Prophets. Now don't be confused. Even though the textbook has Scriptural quotes in it, it is not an actual Bible. This book is part summary of important Bible stories, part explanation, and part reflection. Therefore, your child will want and need a Bible with this book. Different people have different opinions on which Bible to get, but I always recommend the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), since that is what they will hear every Sunday at Mass.

The Teacher's Manual contains guided lessons, which include a Bible passage for Lectio Divina, questions for review, narration exercises, craft projects, and even food projects! The manual also corresponds with an Activity Book, which contains coloring pages, word searches, and crossword puzzles. There is also the dreaded Test Book. No child likes tests, but these tests are all multiple choice and matching. I would prefer if they added some essay exercises or short answers, but any good homeschooling parent can improvise and come up with these for his or herself.

And now for my favorite part of this comprehensive program...the audio CDs and DVD lessons! The CDs are dramatized audiobooks, which are produced and read by Kevin Gallagher, who has narrated a handful of TAN Books. He has a rich voice and one that you can listen to for hours. There is also music and sound effects, which children young and old will appreciate. Having a physical book is nice, but younger kids sometimes get intimidated by so many words. With the CDs, they can still listen to the book and follow along. Plus, the whole family can listen to it, without having to fight over the textbook! The DVD lessons, which I have included a sample of one below, are presented by Brian Kennelly. He has a nice way of presenting the material so it is accessible, but not dumbed down.



Overall, I found myself very impressed with this series on the Old Testament, and if the New Testament is half as good as this one, I'm sure it's a home run as well. As stated earlier, this is geared toward the homeschool crowd, but I believe any Catholic family with children will find value in this program. Religious education begins at home, and if your child goes to Catholic school or public school, you cannot expect the Church to solely teach your child about their faith. I highly recommend this program for all Catholic families. Be sure to sign up at the bottom of the TAN Homeschool page and receive 30% off your first order. Also check back frequently at TAN Homeschool for all the updates they will be rolling out. I guarantee it will be great!

This program was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review.

Manual for Spiritual Warfare (TAN Books)

The Manual for Spiritual Warfare has been one of the most popular Catholic books in recent memory. It seems like as soon as TAN Books ships them out to various retailers, they fly off the shelf before the dust ever settles. Now, I for one, don't normally fall prey to popular books. I like to think I look for the less known and less popular books, but when I was offered a chance to review this book, I figured I'd see what all the hype was about. Boy, was I glad that I did!

The Manual for Spiritual Warfare begins with a guide on how to use this manual. It tells us that we are in an ongoing battle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This book focuses on our war against the Devil! Part One "lays out the biblical and theological foundations for our warfare with the Devil," and Part Two gives us help for the battle, i.e., hymns, Scripture, and prayers. Part One was easily my favorite part. It was divided into six chapters that are as follows:

1. Know Your Enemy
2. Know Your Battle
3. Know Your Commander and Comrades
4. Know Your Weapons
5. Know Your Armor
6. Keep the Enemy out of the Camp

Keeping the enemy out seems like the most obvious of advice, but as easy as it sounds, he still finds a way in our camp. One way Satan ends up in our camp is through "Trojan horses," like Ouija boards or fortunetelling. "Poisonous reptiles" are another way Satan sneaks into our camp. St. Teresa of Avila referred to "little" sins that we don't think are important or significant are poisonous reptiles.  The last bit of advice is to "fight the good fight," which leads into Part Two that provides us with methods of fighting.

I also enjoyed reading about spiritual warfare in the lives of the saints. Here we see examples from St. Anthony the Great, St Benedict, and lots from the Desert Fathers, I love the Desert Fathers, so any book that promotes reading them gets a good mark in my book! Obviously, I am going to recommend you buy this book, but buying it is not enough. Carry it with you everywhere you go. Read it. Study it. Memorize the Scriptures. Engrave the prayers on your heart. This is one of the best books on spiritual warfare since Lorenzo Scupoli's The Spiritual Combat! Bound in premium ultra-soft leather, this makes a beautiful gift for Confirmations, graduations, birthdays. or even weddings. Don't buy just one of these. Buy two, because you won't want to give up your copy when a friend asks to borrow yours!

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

To The Heights: A Novel Based on the Life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (TAN Books)

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is a saint who has been receiving a lot of attention in the Catholic world as of late. Perhaps, it was because he didn't live that long ago (from 1901 to 1924). Maybe it was because he died at the very early age of 24. Or it could be that he was just an "ordinary" man, and not a member of the clergy, thus we see someone we can relate to and identify with. No matter the reason, he is a special figure who we could all benefit to learn more about. Brian Kennelly looks to provide us this knowledge in his latest book To The Heights.

To The Heights begins not with the birth of Pier Giorgio Frassati, but his death, more specifically a funeral procession. Two boys living at the Provincial Institute for Children are pretending to be sick. However, they are not doing it just to get out of classes or to raise mischief. Instead, they are pretending to be sick so they can sneak off to see their friend. Their friend isn't some boy from another school, but Pier Giorgio Frassati. He had passed away recently, and they wanted to attend the funeral procession of a man, a friend, who had stopped by to visit them many times and always made them feel important. This theme of Pier's love for mankind presents itself many times over in this book.

After this surprise opening, we are then taken back to the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. We see him first as a young boy born into a household of privilege. A drunk man comes to his household looking for food. How many of us have not experienced a very similar scenario before? To Pier's dismay, his father turns the homeless man away empty-handed. Pier begs his parents to reconsider and the next day they take him a loaf of bread. However, the man was drunk when they found him, so they didn't leave him the bread, and his father rubbed it into Pier that he was right.

We see other touching stories about Pier visiting the sick or connecting with some of the outcasts of society. However, we also see amazing stories that speak to the fire and passion of people in their 20s standing up for a cause they believe in, like when Pier fought against the Black Shirts. The most amazing story of all in this book happened in the last chapter. With Pier's death, thousands of people from all walks of life showed up to honor him. His parents finally realized how special their son was, and what an impact he had on the world. It took his death, but Pier finally accomplished his greatest challenge...bringing his family to Christ.

Like the subtitle says, To The Heights is a novel based on the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. It is not a biography per se (If you are looking for that, check out A Man of the Beatitudes by Blessed Pier's sister, Lucianna Frassati), but instead would fall into the category of historical fiction. That means some minor details required creative liberties to be taken by the author, so that he could paint a captivating picture of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. I highly recommend this book to all Catholics, young and old. Be sure to check out Brian Kennelly's other book Two Statues.

This book was provided to me for free by Saint Benedict Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Saints and Friendly Beasts (Neumann Press)

Back in October 2013, TAN Books did something truly awesome and acquired Neumann Press. In doing so, TAN Books not only acquired a publisher that tripled their selection of children's titles, but Neumann Press also provides a comprehensive homeschooling line. For those unfamiliar with Neumann Press, they specialize in reprinting vintage children's books and homeschooling resources. Some of these series include, Angel Food for Boys and Girls, American Cardinal Readers, and Saints and Friendly Beasts (of which I will be reviewing two of today). Without further ado, here are my reviews.

Saint Martin de Porres and the Mice is a 6'' x 8" hardcover reprint of a 1960s children's classic. It is 45 pages in length with semi-thick paper, and it contains pencil sketches (classic to the 1960s) on almost every page. The book starts off explaining the rough childhood of young Martin. He grew up in a poor family in Peru in the late 1500s. His father left when he was young, and his mother was tasked with raising the children as a single mother. Martin always showed a kindness to all, but especially animals. He would feed and doctor all the hungry and sick animals of the world if he could. We continue on in this story and see Martin gain an education, apprentice as a barber-doctor, and eventually find his true calling as a Lay Brother of the Dominican Order. You may be asking, "What about the mice?" You'll have to buy the book to hear those wonderful tales.

When reading through this book, you will have to instruct your children about the era in which it is written. There are hints of racism that St. Martin must overcome for being black. The language with which St. Martin speaks also comes off uneducated. That doesn't make this book bad. It just means you can use it as a teaching tool for how people viewed black people, both in the late 1500s (when St. Martin lived) and in the 1960s (when this book was published.) I did enjoy the book, and I like the message of loving all of God's creatures, even those as tiny as the mouse. I also liked the message of overcoming obstacles in life, and keeping your soul "shining and white." If I had one thing to change, I would want the title on the spine of the book, so it's easy to pick out on a bookshelf. Highly recommended book for Catholic homeschooling families and those who want to learn more about St. Martin de Porres.

Saint Germaine and the Sheep is also a 6" x 8" hardcover reprint of a 1960s classic. It is 48 pages in length with semi-thick paper, and it contains pencil sketches (classic to the 1960s) on almost every page. The book starts off with children gathering around a young shepherdess named Germaine and asking her for a story. Germaine was born with a skin disease and a withered hand in Pibrac, France in the late 1500s. Despite her unattractive appearance, the children who love her and her stories don't notice, because she is so beautiful on the inside. Unfortunately, her mother died at a young age and her father remarried a nasty woman who was mean to Germaine. To make matters worse, villagers accused Germaine of false piety with the logic that a pious person would not be ugly. How wrong they were.

Being a shepherdess was mostly rewarding for Germaine, but she missed being able to go to Mass often. Eventually, she decided she just had to go to Mass, and she found a way to keep the sheep safe while she went to church. You'll have to buy the book to find out how. This went on for a while, and she grew holier and her step-mother and the villagers grew nicer toward Germaine. Your children will learn many lessons from this book, but two stood out to me most of all. The first lesson is to always put God first in everything. The second lesson is to not judge someone by outward appearances. I have nothing negative to say about the content of this book, but like the other books in this series, I wish that the title were written on the spine. That small lament aside, I still highly recommend this book for all Catholic families.

These books were provided to be my by Neumann Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found the reviews helpful, please click here or here and hit Yes!

A Man Cleansed by God (TAN Books)

I have to admit that I am a non-fiction snob. In fact, 99.9% of everything that I read is non-fiction. It's not that I hate ALL fiction works, just most of them. If I am reading fiction, it is probably historical or religious in nature, or at least written more than 50 years ago. I guess that makes me a snob regarding new fiction too. With all that in mind, I have a marvelous fiction book to introduce you to, or perhaps re-introduce you to, if you read it back when it was first released in 1959. It is called A Man Cleansed by God: A Novel Based on the Life of Saint Patrick, and it is written by John Edward Beahn.

A Man Cleansed by God draws on facts and tradition associated with the life of St. Patrick. Using this information and mixing in creative story-telling, Mr. Beahn constructs an exciting biographical novel that makes St. Patrick's tale come to life. He begins by telling of a young 16 year old Patrick, watching the Roman army training. Patrick had a great desire to become one of these infantrymen, but God had other plans for his life. His town was raided by pirates and he was sold to slavery in Ireland. Though, he eventually escaped six years later, he would one day return there as a bishop, and become one of the most important saints in Ireland, and the world.

What I liked best about this book is it showed the struggle of St. Patrick. After being kidnapped, it took a lot of prayer and love for St. Patrick to forgive his captors and return to the land he was taken to, Ireland. Instead of holding onto that anger, though, and seeking revenge, he listened to God and let forgiveness come into his heart. This is an excellent life lesson for children and adults alike. Too often we think that saints are born that way. And while there are some people who are holy their whole life, for the most part, saints have their own struggles and demons to overcome as well. Therefore, we should all strive for sainthood and truly believe that it is attainable through the grace of God.

The book is a very easy and engaging read that will capture audiences from teenager to adult. I can already think of one Irish nun to whom I am going to recommend this book. However, I would go as far as to say that it should be required reading in a Catholic high school or homeschool program.  I feel Mr. Beahn did a nice job of sticking to the heart of the tradition associated with St. Patrick while incorporating facts from St. Patrick's autobiographical work, "Confessions." I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, and that's coming from someone who generally hate fiction. I can't wait to read the other 3 books he wrote, about St. Anthony. St. Thomas More, and St. Francis de Sales.

This book was provided to me for free by TAN Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

Tan Books: The Foundations of Western Monasticism

There's something appealing about monasticism. In my single days, I did some minor discerning toward it. What initially drew me toward this lifestyle was the naive thought that if I was a monk, I could just spend all my time reading and praying, and that life would be easy. In reality though, the life of a monk is anything but easy. We on the outside world think our life is tough. However, monastics have it just as tough if not tougher. The closer you are to God, the more the devil will pursue you and try to capture your soul. It is my love for monastics that led me to request a review copy of The Foundations of Western Monasticism from TAN Books.

"The Life of St. Antony," "Rule of St. Benedict," and "Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride" compose the book Foundations of Western Monasticism. These three texts serve to provide a small glimpse into what exactly monasticism is. They were chosen because, according to the preface, "St. Antony is presented as monasticism's foremost founder, St. Benedict as its greatest law-giver, and St. Bernard as its greatest mystic." Dr. Fahey, the editor of this book, chose three fine texts and also provided a new translation of the "Rule of St. Benedict."

You might already be familiar with one, two, or all three of the above texts. I personally was familiar with two of these texts, but "Twelve Degrees of Humility" was a new one to me. My familiarity with some of these texts did not keep me from re-reading them though. I personally love "The Life of St. Antony," and if you have never read it, you need to at least once in your life! In this work, which was written by St. Athanasius, the reader not only receives a biography of St. Antony, but spiritual wisdom and advice on how to resist the devil and his assaults against us.

I won't elaborate on the other two works in great detail. The "Rule of St. Benedict" contains a number of prescriptions for monastics to practice, such as, "How Morning Prayer is to be Said." Dr. Fahey's translation is superb and easy to read. "Twelve Degrees of Humility" is a spiritual "Chutes and Ladders," to explain it in terms that make sense to me. There are twelve degrees one can take to grow more humble and closer to God, but there are also degrees one can take which will make them more prideful and further from God. While this text was intended for monastics, it contains great spiritual truths for the laity as well.

Apart from the texts, which are gems, what I appreciated most about this book were the prefaces Dr. Fahey wrote for each text. They provided background for each great monastic saint and put their teachings/writings in the proper context. He also included suggestions for further reading. I love when an author does this, as it gives you the option of taking what you just read and diving deeper if you choose to do so. So if you want to learn more about Western monasticism's roots, practices, and three of the great Western monastic Saints, pick up this 5 star book.

If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!