High School

The Trumpeter of Krakow

Book cover: 'The Trumpeter of Krakow'
Author(s): 
Eric P. Kelly
The Trumpeter of Krakow is set in fifteenth century Poland. The main characters are Pan Andrew, a Ukranian farmer, his son Joseph, and Elzibieka, the niece of a neighbouring alchemist. Joseph and his parents flee to Krakow after their home and fields are mysteriously burnt. Joseph thought that they had left all their troubles behind them, but a villian named Button Peter continues to pursue them, trying to get something of great value from them.

Bernadette, Our Lady's Little Servant

Book cover: 'Bernadette, Our Lady's Little Servant'
Author(s): 
Hertha Pauli
In the consistent style of the Vision Series of non-fiction Catholic stories for young people, the author presents a very engaging account of the important story of Our Lady's appearnces to Bernadette Soubirous - probably the poorest and simplest child in the small town of Lourdes, France. Bernadette's beautiful devotion is inspiring and her stubborn honesty is refreshing. More important, however, is Our Lady's message and her profound effect on those who come to her out of devotion and sometimes only curiosity.

The Sinking of the Bismarck

Author(s): 
William L. Shirer

Back in print! It was May 1941 and the British were struggling to hold back the Germans (this is of course before the United States had entered World War II). Since the summer of 1940 the Germans had access to the harbors and airfields of western Europe from Norway to southern France. Their submarines, warships and bombers were wreaking havoc on Britain's supply convoys crossing the Atlantic which was seriously threatening Britain's survival.

Wordly Wise

Book cover: Wordly Wise Book 4
Author(s): 
Kenneth Hodkinson
Joseph Ornato

Wordly Wise is a terrific spelling program - inexpensive and readily available from most homeschool companies. It was originally written in 1967, but has lived through many revisions. Each lesson is divided into four sections, with the fifth day being a test. Fits perfect into any homeschooler's weekly schedule!

Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding

Book cover: 'Jacobs' Geometry'
Author(s): 
Harold R. Jacobs

Saxon is a tried and true mathematics choice for many homeschoolers, but one complaint about the high school level texts Algebra I and Algebra II is that geometry is included piecemeal in the algebra courses rather than being taught separately in a systematic fashion. Jacobs' Geometry is one alternative for those who find this to be a problem. It is a friendly, thorough approach to high school geometry that starts with an introduction to deductive reasoning and takes the student through to non-Euclidean and coordinate geometry.

The King's Daughter

Author(s): 
Suzanne Martel
This engaging novel is centered around a young orphan from France, who is married off to a Canadian coureur de bois. The heroine, Jeanne Chatel, is spunky and determined to succeed in the wilds of 17th century Canada. There is considerable Catholic content in the novel. Jeanne is an orphan, and is raised by Catholic nuns in France. She travels to America with Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, who went on to found schools and chapels, and started the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal, Quebec.

The Quiet Light

Book cover: 'The Quiet Light: A novel of St. Thomas Aquinas'
Author(s): 
Louis de Wohl
Disclaimer: best suited for high schoolers due to an incident where Thomas Aquinas is tempted by his brothers when they bring a prostitute to his room one night. Also, there are a few quick references to 'wenches' .

The dust jacket reads that the "theme of this novel was suggested to Louis de Wohl, in a private audience, by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII in 1948". The Quiet Light was printed two years later.

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