The Apostles and Their Times (Sophia Institute Press)

If you want to learn about the Early Church Fathers (and Mothers), then the author you need to read is Mike Aquilina. He has provided Catholics with countless books, which are both excellent and approachable, and I am forever grateful for each and every one of those books. Today, I am reviewing one of his newer books called The Apostles and Their Times. I consider it a prequel of sorts to his other books, because without the Apostles, we wouldn't have the Fathers.

The book begins with an introduction that defines five key terms - minister, martyr, bishop, liturgy, and Eucharist. We then begin the book with a history of the Israelites and the value they placed in Jerusalem. To the Israelites, Jerusalem was the center of their world, and from this heavenly city, they awaited for their messiah to appear. When Jesus finally does arrive, there are several branches of Judaism (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes) and each of them were looking for their own version of the Messiah. Therefore, few people accepted Jesus was the Messiah, because he wasn't the messiah they were looking for. Chapter Two explains to us what an Apostle is and how the term rarely appeared in the Gospels, but cropped up numerously in Acts and the Epistles. This leads us to the chapter on Pentecost, which is where the Church was born! The book continues by talking about martyrdom, Saul's persecution, and the new importance of Rome thanks to Peter and Paul.

Within this book, we not only are are treated to portraits of who the Apostles were, but through ancient documents and recent archaeological findings, we get to see them in their cultural context. This not only gives us a clearer picture of them, but also helps humanize these saints as well. By seeing them through the lens of their time and culture, we realize these weren't superhuman people, but fallible men just like us. They had strengths and weaknesses, temptations and sins, just like us. However, they relied on God, persevered, and most all were martyred for their beliefs. It was this witness of martyrdom that helped the Church to not only survive, but grow and thrive and continue on to this very day. Highly recommend this book, and any book that Mike Aquilina writes.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press in exchange for an honest review.

Bird Books from TOON Books

TOON Books is one of the more clever publishers of children's books. The reason for this is because they have unique authors and artists and present their books in comic form. Now, not all people like reading a book with this type of graphic style, but to those who do, you'll be hard pressed to find a better publisher for children. Today, I'm looking at three of their "bird books." Each book is a 9" x 6" hardcover, which is an unusual shape on the bookshelf, but definitely stands out.

Birdsong is an unusual book inspired by the Japanese art of Kamishibai. For those unfamiliar with this form of theater, like me, there is an explanation in the back of the book. Basically, it is a series of pictures with no text, and the person with the pictures can tell whatever story they want to with these pictures. Within this book, we see two mean and cruel children who are cruel to animals. They injure a bird and continue to chase it after its injury. During their pursuit, they are transformed into monkeys and must now live a much harder life. This is an interesting book that gives your child free reign to tell their own story and let their creativity soar. However, the pictures also give us a warning on treating nature and animals with respect.

The Real Poop on Pigeons gives us a brief overview and history on pigeons, or what most people call them "rats with wings." This includes such facts as pigeons being the first airmail and being able to fly faster than a car and race without stopping. We are also given a detailed anatomy of this bird, as well as the different varieties of pigeons. I didn't know there were so many due to breeding. There is also a brief section that discusses Pablo Picasso's fascination with this unusual bird. As someone who can't really stand these birds, it was an interesting read that showed how beautiful and useful these birds can be. Your kids will love it because it has "poop" in the title and it also has funny illustrations.

A Goofy Guide to Penguins is a tongue-in-cheek book that explains everything you ever wanted to know about penguins and more. It tells how they look the same far away but not close up, why they like to stand up, and how they stay out of the wind. It also talks about how and why they catch fish, and also how they excel at swimming but not at flight. The book has hilarious illustrations that my son enjoyed, because it was taking common facts about penguins and putting a funny twist on them. We see fish showering on top of whales, using a space heater, and diving off a diving board. At the end of the book is a couple of actual facts on penguins to supplement the less than factual nature of the main book. Highly enjoyable book for kids.

Fatima in Brief (Catholic Faith Alive)

The sheer amount of material written on Fatima could fill a little library. While there are some truly great books out there, there are also some not so great ones that range from misinformed to heretical. With all of these books out there, where is an uninformed person to turn to separate the good from the bad? I am not qualified to answer that question for you, but instead I can tell you what book you should start with on your quest to understanding this Marian apparition. That book is Fatima in Brief by Rev. T.G. Morrow. The book is a small paperback, only 100 pages in length. It can be purchased at Catholic Faith Alive for $6 (plus shipping).

The book is divided into thirteen chapters with each chapter being no more than twelve pages. The language is also written in a simple format so that both children and adults can understand it. The book begins by telling a story of the six year old Lucia, who desired to received the Eucharist more than anything. Unfortunately for her, the age for First Communion was ten at the time. Brokenhearted at being unable to receive, she began to cry. However, a visiting priest named Fr. Cruz heard her tears and helped her received her First Communion the following day. At the moment, the host touched her tongue, her life was forever transformed. She prayed to God that day to make her a saint, and little did she know, she was well on her way. The rest of the book takes on the journey of Lucia from the moment she encountered the Angel of Peace to her death at age 95. Remarkably, she lived long enough to see her little cousins, Francisco and Jacinta beatified. They have since been canonized by Pope Francis, and I imagine it won't be long before she is declared a saint as well. The book closes by discussing the importance of the Rosary and explaining our role in Fatima which is to pray a Daily Rosary and attend Mass on the First Saturday of every month.

I admit that I am not the most learned when it comes to Our Lady of Fatima and the history of this Marian apparition. I found this read to be a quick read that packed a punch. It was very educational in a way that anyone can understand, but it also doesn't overly simplify things and talk down to you. Instead, the reader is presented with a cohesive narrative that gives both historical facts and spiritual significance. If you are looking for a great introduction to Fatima, I highly recommend this book.