This set of colorful books for ages 3-8 are reprints of a Catholic magazine from the 1950s. They are filled with stories, games, picture puzzles, poems, crafts, etc. The pictures are beautiful and I like the very simple moral lessons many of the stories teach. (For example, when my daughter was three, she was very impressed by a story called "Peter the Picky Eater". Her eating habits changed and she honestly admitted that she wished I hadn't read it to her.) There are currently 20 volumes in print out of more than 60 that were originally published (unfortunately it may take quite awhile to find out what happens to Wupsy in the end!).

We have especially enjoyed the St. Therese stories from the first few volumes. These have been a favorite mostly among the preschool set in our family. While many Catholic homeschool parents treasure these books, there are two complaints that I've heard from a number of parents. First, some parents have bought the set thinking they would be nice for early grade school and found them to be more appropriate for preschool (as read-alouds). Second, the pedagogy at times doesn't hold up to serious scrutiny. Complaints include the sappy way in which the devil is presented in the Wupsy stories and the "self-righteous" expressions on some of the faces in the illustrations.

These two volumes of the Treasure Box Books contain a very simple story of Mary's life, appropriate for very young children. The full-color illustrations are quite charming. Please note that this story has the marriage of Mary and Joseph come before the Annunciation, which is not in accordance with the actual Bible account. Perhaps the authors felt that very young children weren't ready to understand this part of the story.

Update from webmaster, March 2024: Bible scholars tell us that what is often translated as "betrothal" was really the first part of a two-part Jewish wedding rather than an engagement; in the time of Christ, these two parts were celebrated on separate dates separated by as much as a year. However, the couple was legally married after this first ceremony although they would not live together until after the second. This is why Matthew 1:18-19 reports that when St. Joseph discovers that Mary (his "betrothed") is with child, "her husband Joseph" resolves to divorce her (or send her away) quietly — husband and divorce, because they are legally married. See this article for more details and some profound implications for familiar Gospel passages: No, Mary Was Not an "Unwed Mother." Thus, the Treasure Box account is (perhaps unintentionally!) rather accurate on this point.

Chats With God's Little Ones is a unique Catholic religion course for the youngest of students from pre-kindergarten up through the second grade. Written to the teacher, the lessons are designed to be used orally with the student in a Charlotte Mason three-step style of asking the child, answering with the child, and the re-telling by the child. The lessons are presented as guided scripts for the teacher, who can personalize them and adapt them to the needs and interest of the child. In the words of the author, "I have written a step by step guide to enable you to arouse the child's interest, apply the Faith to his daily life, and convey to him your love of Jesus and Mary and of the child himself. Our chief aim, after all, is to inflame his heart with love of God and His Holy Mother, and enkindle in him the desire to please God."

Chats With God's Little Ones is a 94 page, spiral-bound book with a laminated over. The binding allows the book to lie flat so that is can be used during the lesson time with the child. At first glance, the book seems very simple; it isn't! There are 63 lessons of new material arranged into 24 chapters, in addition to 24 review lessons, one at the end of each chapter. The lessons begin with the teaching of the basic Catholic prayers and the meaning of these prayers. The lessons continue with instruction in all of the basic catechism lessons, intermixed with an introduction to Bible History. The back of the book includes simple drawings and suggestions for art projects for each of the chapters. This is a full-year religion course for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. It is designed to also be used in the first semester of Second Grade, with sacramental preparation taking place in the second semester.

I really like this course, and I am using it both in Kindergarten as an introduction to our Faith and in First Grade, with an eye toward mastery and understanding. In our family, we tend toward a Charlotte Mason-based approach in the youngest years, and the style of this course fits in very nicely.