Loyola Kids Book of Saints (Loyola Kids)
by Amy Welborn
from Loyola Press
Who are the saints, why are they important, and what can today's children learn from them? In Loyola Kids Book of Saints, the first book in the Loyola Kids series, author Amy Welborn answers these questions with exciting and inspiring stories, real-life applications, and important information about these heroes of the church. This delightful collection of saints' lives, written in a storybook style for children eight to twelve, explains how saints becomes saints, why we honor them, and how they help us even today.
Divided thematically, the book features more than sixty saints from all over the world and from all across time, including our newest saints, such as St. Katharine Drexel; popular saints, such as St. Anthony of Padua; and Blesseds, such as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Each story tells about a saint and encourages readers to consider how they might apply what they learn from the story to their everyday lives.
Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told By a Cat
by Jeanne Perego
from Ignatius Press
In this beautifully illustrated book for children, Chico the cat describes the life of his "best friend", Pope Benedict, in this authorised biography of the Pope for young people approved by the Vatican.
"Dear Children, here you will find a biography that is different than others because it is told by a cat and it is not every day a cat can consider the Holy Father his friend and sit down to write his life story," the Pope's personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, says in the foreword.
The Pope is known for his fondness of animals, especially cats, and Joseph and Chico is narrated by Chico, a real cat who took up with the Pope in his native Germany long before he became the Pope. Chico tells the story of the life of "my best friend" from his birth in Germany in 1927, through his days as a young man, priest, bishop and cardinal.
With a colorful and sometimes amusing language, the author makes this funny cat tell us about the life of the young Joseph all the way up to his election as Pontiff on April 19, 2005. It recounts the Nazi era in Germany when the Pope was a teenager, calling the war years "one of the most dramatic and shameful times in the history of man". Later when he became Cardinal Ratzinger, Chico recounts how each time when the Cardinal returned to Germany from Rome for a vacation, the cat would run into his house and sit on his lap as he played the piano.
The lavish color illustrations throughout make this a wonderful gift book and a cherished keepsake for people of all ages!
Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History
by Richard M. Hannula
from Canon Press
"Thus says the LORD: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls"(Jer. 6:16). Christianity is a faith in love with history. God took on human flesh and dwelt among us. The Spirit carried that divine work over the centuries, providing courage and maturity even amid our imperfections.
Christians find their true family line not through tribes and ethnic blood but in the bond of faithfulness and shed blood that has united our family for millennia. We too often view Church history as the story of obscure aliens instead of the lives of brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.
In this collection of forty-six brief biographies for children, Hannula sketches the stirring trials and triumphs of many famous and some lesser known figures in our family of faith—including Augustine, Charlemagne, Anselm, Luther, Bunyan, and C.S. Lewis. Through them we can begin to enjoy the old paths and find rest for our souls.
Saint Francis of Assisi: A Life of Joy
by Robert F. Kennedy
from Hyperion Book CH
He turned away from his life of wealth and privilege to live with lepers, the "untouchables" of his society. He preached the idea of the sanctity of all life, becoming an advocate of animal rights and environmentalism in a time when even human life often had little value. He found joy in owning nothing, and giving everything away. He was story of Saint Francis of Assisi and the story of his life is inspiring and radical. And now more than ever, it bears important messages for American children living in a culture of casual abundance and waste. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.-a father, a devout Roman Catholic, a crusader for clean air and water, and a member of a family famous for its dedication to public service. It is no wonder, then, that this saint's story should resonate so powerfully with him. Mr. Kennedy has retold Francis's story as a lesson and inspiration for his own children-and for children everywhere.
Loyola Kids Book of Heroes: Stories of Catholic Heroes and Saints Throughout History
by Amy Welborn
from Loyola Press
Best-selling children's author Amy Welborn explains why having heroes is important for children in Loyola Kids Book of Heroes, a companion to her popular Loyola Kids Book of Saints. Welborn tells the stories of devoted Christians, including Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, and John the Baptist, who made significant contributions to people and the world around them.
Welborn introduces Christian role models who exemplify the seven cardinal virtues-faith, hope, charity, temperance, prudence, fortitude, and justice, and leads children on their personal journeys of faith. Colorful illustrations and a delightful storytelling style bring these inspiring stories to life for young readers. Ages 8-12.
George Mueller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans (Christian Heroes: Then & Now) (Christian Heroes: Then & Now)
by Geoff Benge
from YWAM Publishing
George Muller stared at the beggar girl. She was no older than five and was piggybacking her little brother. Her mother had died in the cholera epidemic sweeping England. Her father had never returned from the mines. Standing in the muddy street, this little girl gave a face to Bristol's countless orphans.
With scarcely enough food or money for his own family, George Muller opened his heart and home. Sustained by God's provision, the Muller house "Breakfast Club" of thirty orphans grew to five large houses that Ultimately over ten thousand children would call home.
George Muller trusted God with a depth rarely seen. His faith and generosity set a standard for Christians of all generations.
Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? (Who Was...?)
by Bonnie Bader
from Grosset & Dunlap
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was only 25 when he helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was soon organizing black people across the country in support of the right to vote, desegregation, and other basic civil rights. Maintaining nonviolent and peaceful tactics even when his life was threatened, King was also an advocate for the poor and spoke out against racial and economic injustice until his death—from an assassin’s bullet—in 1968. With clearly written text that explains this tumultuous time in history and 80 black-and-white illustrations, this Who Was…? celebrates the vision and the legacy of a remarkable man.
I Would Die for You: One Student's Story of Passion, Service and Faith
by Brent and Deanna Higgins
from Revell
In a day of iPods and MySpace, when adolescents can seem self-serving and self-absorbed, the powerful story of the life of BJ Higgins proves that things can be otherwise. BJ's life was one of passionate service to God and to other people. He even inspired Bart Millard, lead singer of Mercy Me, to write and record a song to honor him. After a six-week battle with an infection contracted on the mission field, BJ's earthly life was over--he was only 15 years old. I Would Die for You tells BJ's inspiring story. It combines the writing of parents Brent and Deanna Higgins with selections from BJ's journals, school papers, and blog, along with true stories from family members, church and hospital staff, and friends. Through this multi-layered text, youth pastors, teens, and those involved in missions work will get a glimpse of a young man who gave his life to God, lived the gospel, and died for his devotion. Stirring and full of encouragement, I Would Die for You is poised to inspire a new generation of believers to give their lives in God's service.
Gladys Aylward: The Adventure of a Lifetime (Christian Heroes: Then & Now) (Christian Heroes, Then & Now)
by Janet Benge
from Y W A M Pub
Without formal education or a missionary organization to back her, Gladys raised her own finances for the overland trip that would bring her to the country and people that God had etched so deeply on her heart.... China!
What follows is an amazing adventure of faith and determination. Gladys Aylward, a housemaid from England, dared to trust God in the face of dire and seeminly hopeless circumstances. Her life is one of the truly great missionary stories of our era.
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