Elementary

A Story of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Author(s): 
Brother Ernest, C. S. C.
Illustrator(s): 
Carolyn Lee Jagodits
In this charming, simple story, we are introduced to St. Elizabeth, beginning with her birth and covering her complete life. Clearly, the style is written for younger children. "She was born in a big castle in Hungary way back in 1207--a long, long time ago!" Although the story is written for younger children, the language and storyline are not watered down, touching on the important events in her life as well as addressing the problems she encountered.

Paul Revere's Ride

Author(s): 
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Illustrator(s): 
Charlies Santore

Longfellow’s famous poem, Paul Revere’s Ride, is beautifully illustrated in this picture book by Charles Santore.  Every page captures both the historical setting and the patriotic significance of a pivotal event in the American Revolution.

Illustrations are dark-toned and shadowy, just right for the middle-of-the-night setting.  The suspense builds with extreme close-ups that spill over the edges, and bird’s-eye views sweeping over the nighttime landscape.  

Famous Figures of Ancient Times

Author(s): 
Cathy Diez-Luckie
This is a fun and colorful book of cut-out paper dolls that you assemble with small brads or brass fasteners (available from an office supply store), allowing the arms and legs to be moved and posed. The book is printed on heavy cardstock (with perforated pages for easy removal) and there are two copies of each paper doll – one in full color and one ready to be colored. There are 20 historical figures included, making a total of 40 paper dolls.

Raising Sweetness

Author(s): 
Diane Stanley
The good sheriff of Possum Trot has adopted every child in the orphanage, and is busier...and happier... than ever providing for their needs. Sadly, but not too surprisingly, he's domestically challenged, and his new family dearly hope for a mother. A letter arrives and Sweetness saves the day by quickly learning to read and write, and using those skills to reunite Tex with his long lost love: kind and capable Lucy Locket.

Saving Sweetness

Author(s): 
Diane Stanley
This delightful little story is the first of two Texas 'small tales'. Sweetness, the tiniest orphan, is aptly named which is one reason why the good-hearted but somewhat clueless sheriff can't resist her. The story is told in Texas twang entirely from the sheriff's point of view, but the clever illustrations provide a broader picture and add to the fun. There are elements of adventure, danger, cruelty, humor, justice, and goodness, all culminating in generous, fatherly love. What more could you want?

Amazing Saints

Author(s): 
Mario D Macari
Illustrator(s): 
Mario D. Macari
Our local Catholic Archdiocesan paper has a wonderful kids' section. The first thing my kids do when the Catholic Herald (Milwaukee, Wisconsin Archdiocese) comes is to go to the kids’ section. There they fill out the word games, puzzles, and read the saint story. Now the creator of “Amazing Saints” has produced his own saint book, Amazing SaintsVolume 1, highlighting 27 saints. Covering an eclectic mix of saints from the unknown to the familiar, St. Joseph to Bl. Karl Leisner, each biography is a short page.

Little Black Ant on Park Street

Little Black Ant on Park Street
Author(s): 
Janet Halfmann
Illustrator(s): 
Kathleen Rietz
The Smithsonian’s Backyard Collection series “is a world of wonder for children intrigued by the wildlife outside their windows.” The books have an over-sized format, and each page filled with colorful and detailed illustrations with large-print text. This newest book in the series tells the story of Little Black Ant searching for food. Though the book may be written for younger children, this is not a book that is more story than science.

The Kitchen Madonna

Book cover: the Kitchen Madonna
Author(s): 
Rumer Godden

This is a simple, lovely work, of fine literary quality, about a thoroughly modern brother and sister and their blunt Ukrainian maid, who feels out-of-place in London and misses having a "good place" in the kitchen. A good place, according to Marta is something like this: "In my home, Ukrainian home, we make a good place...A place on top of cupboard, perhaps, or perhaps on shelf. Little place but it holy because we keep there Our Lady and Holy Child." When questioned by the children, she explained further. It wasn't a statue and not a picture. "Like picture but more beautiful.

The First Noel

Author(s): 
Maite Roche
Translator(s): 
Marianne Lorraine Trouve, FSP
There is nothing like a nice new book for children about... Christmas! This new Pauline Books & Media volume is a translation of an original French book. I had my 8 year old read it aloud to me, and she loved the illustrations that bring together the human and the supernatural very well. She loved the sweet, cute angels and all of the animals at the familiar stable!

The Story of Saint Perpetua

Author(s): 
Mike Aquilina (script consultant)
This short animated film (32 minutes) tells the story of Saint Perpetua and her companions, who were martyred in Carthage, in North Africa, in the year 203. The animation is good, the best of any Catholic animated films I've seen, though not reaching the quality of The Prince of Egypt. The storyline, however, is quite rich and historically detailed and skillfully brings to life the sorrows and fears, hopes and joys, present in the life and struggles of these martyrs, and the early Church in general.

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