I've come to understand why Laura Berquist recommends this bible for Kindergarten age children. It is quite faithful to the original stories and attempts nothing beyond telling the story. The colorful pictures are very intriguing to children and it provides a good means for familiarizing children with the Bible's basic stories. The full color pictures throughout are very nicely done and make it easier for young children to find particular stories on their own. Unfortunately, there are several important stories which are missing, including: Abraham sacrificing Isaac and the story of Tobias.

The story of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket (and the last six years of his life) is presented in an intelligent and interesting format by viewing these events through the eyes of twin boys, Simon and Edmund, who are (respectively) in the service of Thomas Becket and King Henry II ( Saint Thomas' friend-turned-enemy).

The story begins in the year 1164, while St. Thomas is in exile in France, avoiding the King's wrath for not cooperating with his wishes regarding the King's control over the Church. Edmund has just been admitted into the King's service, but Simon, because of his lame hand, is refused. Simon dreams of entering the Archbishop's service, but is temporarily taken in by some distant relatives of the Archbishop.

The King's own commands alter the course of events as Simon is caught up in the forced exile of all of St. Thomas' relatives to join him in France. The tensions and mysteries surrounding the struggles between these two men are well-explained and many truths and lessons are skillfully drawn out by the author. For example, the story provides a very clear lesson on the consequences of not controlling one's temper. This is easy even for young children to understand because the King literally acts like a two-year-old (with the exception of allowing himself further loss of control by the excessive use of alcohol) – allowing himself to get so angry that he yells and screams, falls to the floor and eventually passes out. His temper tantrums lead directly to the death of the Archbishop. Also, the way the story is presented through the eyes of a child gives a sense of the awe of going to confession to and serving Mass for a living saint.

Although it is clear from early in the book (even if the reader doesn't know otherwise) that Saint Thomas will be martyred, the subject is handled very thoughtfully and helps children to realize the "sweetness" present in the bitterness of martyrdom.

I read this aloud to my children and only found one sentence too much for their ages (my oldest is seven). "He drew his sword and struck at the skull of the dead man, scattering brains and blood on the pavement." (pg. 173). My children and I also found the parallels between St. Thomas' final years and Our Lord's final days rather interesting. (There are parallels to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the scattering of his followers before his death, and even one faithful follower who stuck with him to the end.)

"Retreats are time set aside for study, prayer, activities, and discussion about God and His Church. Children can benefit from retreats as much as adults. Jesus would occasionally leave His followers and retreat to the desert or a mountaintop. Even He felt the need to get away from the world for a while." (from the Introduction)

This extensive resource is designed to be a Catholic answer to the Vacation Bible Schools offered by various churches in the summertime. As Catholics, we recognize Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition as essential elements to our faith. In this specific subject of the Holy Trinity, we cannot rely only on Sacred Scripture since the Bible never explicitly mentions the dogma of the Holy Trinity.

It's a Mystery! is a well organized retreat resource that provides very simple preparation for a rewarding retreat for one or more families. The retreat could be offered as a retreat/vacation week as a break from the regular school routine, as a summer project or adjusted for one-day mini-retreat. This program includes a complete outline for a week-long retreat centering on the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Activities are generally organized into three different age groups (ages 5-7, 8-11 and 12-15). It includes general supply lists, sample invitations, overviews, song sheets, etc. as well as extensive day-by-day schedules and materials. Each day's section includes an "advanced preparation" checklist, prayers, discussion/lesson outlines, craft ideas, memory work, recipes for snacks, opening and closing suggestions and more. The lessons and memory work include quotes and readings from the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a story of St. Parick and other prayers and hymns.

The huge appendix includes many photocopyable sheets, including: prayers, hymns, word search, maze, poems, art project templates, cooperative games, certificate of completion and lots more.