Alicia Van Hecke

Rosary Rummy

This is a lovely and inexpensive Rummy game that also teaches the mysteries of the rosary. It includes two colorful cards, illustrated with Old Masters paintings, for each 0f the twenty mysteries of the rosary. The Rummy game requires both matching and ordering the mysteries. Instructions are included. So far, we've been using it as a memory game - and even my five year old (who admittedly is a memory enthusiast) loves it.

Faith Charts: The Bible at a Glance

Author(s): 
Scott Hahn
When you study the Bible, do you find yourself confused by how what you're reading fits in with other parts of the Bible? Wouldn't it be nice to have an easy visual resource that helps you connect the pieces together and start to get a better sense of the whole? This may be just what you're looking for. This colorful six-page laminated fold-out chart (written by Scott Hahn!) is a handy reference guide to have by your side when studying the Bible.

Jesus of Nazareth

Author(s): 
Pope Benedict XVI
Translator(s): 
Adrian J. Walker
It's rather lovely, I think that the Pope uses in his own book a phrase (which he applies to the parables of Jesus) which aptly describes this fascinating book: "...it not only or even primarily adds to what we know, but it changes our lives." In Jesus of Nazareth, Our Holy Father presents a vision of primary events of the Gospels (this volume covers significant stories chronologically from the Baptism of Our Lord through the Transfiguration - a second volume is expected in the future).

My Advent Calendar

This is a very simple advent calendar with little doors to open each day of Advent. The price is very reasonable, but the quality is suitable for a one-time use (it would be difficult to close the doors a second time around). The illustrations are very simple with some glittery high-lights but my favorite feature is a simple task (though some are very generic) printed on the inside of each door for the child to do to prepare for Christmas.

Our Sunday Visitor's 2008 Catholic Almanac

Author(s): 
Matthew Bunson, general editor
This is a fantastic reference book for a wide variety of reasons - especially for those who don't have Internet access or who don't want their children to do searches on the Internet. Our Sunday Visitor has been publishing an annual Catholic Almanac for over one hundred years. Teachers, educators, parents and many others will find a great deal of useful and well-organized information at their finger-tips. The text is divided into four main sections with numerous sub categories beneath each one.

Peter: Keeper of the Keys

Cover: 'Peter: Keeper of the Keys'
Author(s): 
Steve Ray
This is a fascinating travel/apologetics documentary focusing on the story of Saint Peter as related in the New Testament. Apologist Steve Ray travels to Rome and many sites in the Holy Land to tell Peter's story. He provides fascinating details of the connections between particular places and important events in Peter's life. This would make a great supplement to a Bible study, an apologetics lesson on the Papacy, a geography unit on the Middle East or simply an important part of Church history.

Philomena

Author(s): 
Kate Seredy
Illustrator(s): 
Kate Seredy
We discovered this little gem years ago, after falling in love with two of the authors' other books: The Good Master and The Singing Tree. I was thrilled to recently discover that Bethlehem Books is bringing it back into print. The story begins in a small village near Prague.

Reading the Saints

Author(s): 
Janet McKenzie
This is an interesting and helpful book of lists designed for parents and teachers interested in collecting Catholic stories (particularly saint stories) for their children and incorporating them into their school studies. The first part of the book consists of listings of Catholic book series (both in and out of print), including titles with Catholic content that have been awarded the Caldecott Award and the Newbery Award, Catholic Readers, the Clarion Series, the Vision Series, American Background Books, Catholic Treasury Books and much more. The main portion of the book (over 100 pages) i

Common Ground

This DVD presents an engaging dialogue (Question and Answer format) between a Catholic priest and a Protestant minister. Produced by a Protestant Church, it primarily consists of common Protestant Questions/Objections about the Catholic Faith that are answered by the priest. The priest's responses are succinct, respectful and quite insightful. Not only are they theologically solid, but they present creative and helpful ways of explaining authentic doctrine to others.

Behind Enemy Lines

Author(s): 
H. R. DeMallie
This is a fascinating personal account of a U.S. Air Force pilot who was shot down over Holland and spent the rest of World War II in a POW camp in Germany. He wrote it specifically to honor the Dutch who took care of him at great peril to their own lives. It was a particularly interesting read after being acquainted with Hilda Van Stockum's The Winged Watchman as locations and situations are very similar. The narrative is simple and understated (and very REAL), but you can imagine the voice of a grandfather sharing his adventures and impressions with the young people of today.

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