Saint Andre Bessette by Patricia Jabionski, FSP

You can, hypothetically anyway, have too much chocolate. But can you have too many books on the saints? Hypothetically, no. We haven’t reached saturation point yet,anyway.

Saint Andre Bessett is one of a set of chapter books designed for younger tweens.
What I like about this series from the Paulines is that it fills a gap between the many beautiful picture books of saints’ lives for young children and the biographical stories of the Vision series for older ages. I also like them better than the short excerpts of Saint-a-Day books. With those books, my kids pick up valuable lessons but don’t hang onto much of the details of the saints’ lives. The longer books give a solid background that they tend to remember better.

For homeschooling parents, especially those of us who like literature-based curriculum, the series is perfect. You can match the lives of saints to the historical period that you’re studying. It’s a rich addition to a Catholic curriculum and a necessity if you are using anything secular or protestant. (I think for users of Sonlight Curriculum, this is just right).

For parents whose children attend non-Catholic schools, I think these are fabulous because you’re in the same position as parents using secular or Protestant curriculum. The only Catholic they are certain to meet in their studies is Galileo. Saturating your children with the stories of saints is just what you (actually, they) need.

I think it would be harder if these books were not part of a curriculum. My children didn’t naturally gravitate to this one; I had to read it aloud. They found it interesting but not riveting. So we took it in small doses which is pretty easy to do with these shorter chapters. It isn’t written in a complicated style.

If there are other books like this that bridge the gap for this age, please let me know!

SAFETY RATING: 3 Flags

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. To find more information on Saint Andre Bessette visit The Catholic Company.

The Catholic Review Program offers Catholic bloggers a chance to receive books in exchange for their frank opinion of the book being posted in a blog review.

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Regarding the Fountain by Kate Klise

If your tween is already an eager reader, this is a perfect little snack: not terribly nutritious but quite yummy.

If your tween is a reluctant reader, it's also perfect. The story is revealed in short notes, memos, and letter bursts smattered with whimsical visual effects.
Geared toward young tweens, it is downright silly with a transparent plot, but don't let that stop you. It is not meant to be a Sherlock Holmes novel. It's meant to be delightfully silly. Fun books are some of the finest.

The entire story is told through notes and memos sent amongst a principal, students, teacher and the artist hired to fix the leaky school drinking fountain. Thrown in are some top secret memos between two dastardly adults who just happen to own the drinking water factory and local swimming pool in this town. Coincidentally, the local water supply dried up at the same time the middle school with the leaky fountain was built. Add a few private messages between the teacher and the fountain-designer who have gained some interest in each other… and you have the basics of a fun read.

And if all that was not enough, the artist listened to suggestions from the students, not the principal.

I was hard-pressed to decide which feature of the final product I most enjoyed: the buttons for the milkshakes or lemonade or the temperature-controlled ice pond in the back. Lucky kids: they didn’t have to choose; they got all that and more, and the villains got their comeuppance, and the teacher got…. Oh, come on. You have to save at least one surprise for yourself.

SAFETY RATING: 3 Flags

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Goodness Graces edited by Diane Jenkins

As you know, Jesus spoke in parables (see Matthew 13:34) to teach and to proclaim what "has been hidden from the foundation of the world."
Naturally enough, we still gravitate to stories to learn truth.
These ten short stories about the sacraments are not packed with detailed information but use short vignettes to make an important point about the sacraments.
I like the honesty. In Same Old, Same Old, for example, Cassie is disgruntled with her sister's enthusiasm for her First Communion. Cassie spends a lot of Mass time daydreaming, and she bluntly remarks, "Look, there's Communion at Mass every Sunday. It's not that special, OK?"
That thought has surely cccured to many young Catholic readers. Cassie's change of heart comes through an apt analogy of the special event of the Sunday family picnic her family takes after Mass each week. That is something she looks forward to and is special every week, no matter how many times they have done it... of course, she makes the connection by the end of this short story....(just in time for sister's First Communion)!
Are the stories gripping? Not all. It may be that only your avid reader will choose this from all the eye-catching reads from the local library. They may work best read-aloud. It is a worthwhile read and a soft introduction to the sacraments that reveal true lessons... ones that will better stay with readers thanks to the mental pictures that stories provide.
Each chapter ends with a few questions for further reflection. I wouldn't personally recommend these as assignments. They are a helpful addition, though, if you're reading this aloud. For a silent read, it should stimulate some more interaction with the story before moving on to the next. I read them to my children before bed and chose one question for them to ponder before they fell asleep. I can't guarantee they did, but it is nice to have a book that helps me make the effort so effortlessly.

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. To find more information on Goodness Graces visit The Catholic Company.
The Catholic Review Program offers Catholic bloggers a chance to receive books in exchange for their frank opinion of the book being posted in a blog review.

And...
The Catholic Company is also a great source for first communion gifts and baptism gifts.

SAFETY RATING: 3 Flags

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The Wickit Chronicles by Joan Lennon

I discovered this neat-looking series at a Catholic Homeschool Conference at the Usborne vendor booth. In case you didn’t know, Usborne has acquired a new publisher so that they can expand into chapter books.

I wanted to like this book. The setting, a monastery, was appealing. The plot was cute. But in the end, I just couldn’t take to it.

Pip is an orphan who is cared for by the monks of a medieval monastery. One day while Pip is on the roof, a gargoyle comes alive, jumps in his hood, and befriends the lonely boy. Later in the book, they expose a plot to kill the king.

I’d like to see a monastery-based book capture the flavor of Catholicism and medieval piety instead of using it as a mere background device.

If you read the whole book including the question/answers at the back, in addition to some accurate medieval knowledge, you will also get the following:

High-placed churchmen as the villains (a tired caricature). The mention that people might think the main character engaged in witchcraft because of the gargoyle coming to life. The idea that the Church punishes witchcraft with consequences horrific to imagine. The idea that the Church of the Middle Ages “wasn’t all that far removed from pagan beliefs and practices.” Superstition was a huge part of everyone’s life, including monks’. The bad-guy Bishop's luxurious living is described. When he presides at mass in the Cathedral, his rich vestments are detailed, but it's intended to illustrate his corruption. There is no corresponding description of the religious symbolism of his mitre or robes. The King suggests offering Pip the Bishop's seat as a reward. He jokes about how he can "order everyone around."

I haven’t the time to wade through all the medieval times and perspectives on them. I’ll just say that as a Catholic, I found it uninspiring and a little disappointing. For example, when Pip shows up to sing in the choir at the cathedral, there is a mention of the fact that, you know, those boys aren't all angels. It is that kind of tone that just didn't resonate with me. All the beauty and effort of the cathedrals and monasteries get too little credit and there's just too much effort to emphasize the profane.

There are other books from this new endeavor of Usborne's that look more promising. I’ll review 2 more for mid-tweens (soon as I clear a couple Books on Deck)…

Safety Rating: 1 Flag

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The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

This new series has a clever marketing strategy... If you buy the books, they come with six clue cards that you use when you log into the website associated with the books. You can use your clue cards and play a game along with the books you read. Although these books are available at the library, I doubt the clue cards will still be attached unless you buy them new.

Alas, the writing isn't as clever as the marketing. It's a bit formulaic and fluffy. Fluff from a book beats fluff from TV, and I don't object to fluff per se, but it doesn't make for the most engaging books. This series may have strong appeal to younger and reluctant readers. It is selling fast at the stores and may be worth a try for that audience. I suspect that more experienced readers will find it a bit too contrived.

If you've seen National Treasure, you have the gist of this book. Dan and Amy Cahill are members of a powerful family that has influenced all of history, and their ancestors are many of the most famous of influential leaders. When the matriarch of the family, Grace, dies, family members from the 4 branches of the family are brought together and offered a million dollars...or a clue. Should they choose the clue, they have a shot at discovering the power of the family and gaining great wealth. However, only one team of family members can win.

Our young protagonists are the innocent and compassionate sort, but the family resemblance ends there. The rest of the clan are out to get them and stop them at all costs. In this book, the children end up exploring Paris and the history of Ben Franklin. (No great scholarship here, but you may be more adept at Trivial Pursuit after reading it.)

The other books in the series are written by a variety of young-adult authors. I've only read this first.

There is one reference Dan makes to his sister's "bony butt" that I could have done without. There is also constant menace and mayhem like explosions, poison, the threat of being buried alive, beat up, or caught in fire. No one actually dies, just know that these plot devices are strewn throughout the story.

Dan Cahill constantly plays pranks on adults and gets in trouble at school. It is understandable since he's an orphan with no adult who guides and cares for him, but the book treats it more like a normal part of his high-spirited, ninja-loving personality rather than the troubled behaviour it actually is...

Safety Rating: 2 Vatican Flags

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Frindle by Andrew Clements

Here's a just-plain-fun book. Nick's a spunky little kid who's not, shall we say, the quietest kid in the class. In fact, he quickly butts heads with his tough English teacher, Mrs. Granger.

He hatches a silly plot to get everyone to call a pen a "frindle." Mrs. Granger does not approve, and the battle is on.

This story is a light-hearted, amusing conflict between a smart student and a sharp teacher and draws more and more people into the fray.

If you don't smile a lot before the end, the final scene should do it....

Safety Rating: 3 Vatican Flags; High Readability

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