November is the month dedicated to the holy souls, and there is no better time to read Susan Tassone’s beautiful new book, New Friends Now and Forever: A Story About the Holy Souls. Yes, this is a children’s picture book, but there is something here for adults too – I promise!
After recovering from their daring exploits in the exciting first book, The Ghosts of Westthorpe Academy, high school best friends Joe Pryce and Pete Figueroa return for another thrilling, action-adventure in Miracle at the Mission.
When one of them wins a St. Junipero Serra essay writing contest and is rewarded with a summer trip to California, they both embark on an adventure they will never forget. While visiting one of the historic Spanish missions founded by Father Serra, the boys meet a holy but mysterious old Franciscan monk who warns them of the dangers they would soon encounter.
It isn’t long before the boys are drawn into a series of events filled with suspense, intrigue, a high-speed car chase along the precipitous Pacific Coast Highway, and the schemes of foreign operatives seeking to bring harm to the President of the United States.
Caught up in the pursuit of the bad guys, the boys discover they have become suspects in the investigation by the FBI. Desperate to prove their innocence, they must rely on the guidance and wisdom of the old padre, who just happens to bear a strange resemblance to St. Junipero Serra himself.
With the world teetering on the brink of an international crisis, the story reaches its climax at another mission––Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel––where the boys and a large gathering of people witness an incredible miracle that changes their lives forever.
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This month’s selections are the inspiring stories of saints! Saintly Rhymes for Modern Times is a rhyming book for children whose inclusion here as fiction is a stretch, but I love this book so much, I couldn’t resist! (And Saint Clare and Her Cat is more of a picture book.) Susan Peek is over-represented below, and yet I’ve not even included all of her books. So, if you’re looking for more saint stories for children and teens, visit Susan’s website.
Relevant Fiction Reviews: Novelizations of the lives of saints for children, teens & adults. #RelevantFictionReviews Click To Tweet Continue readingYou only get one life. Live it to the fullest. Follow your calling. Give it your all.
I am a Third Order Franciscan, often called a “Secular” Franciscan because we still live in the world. Some Secular Franciscans are married. Many work regular jobs, but we all seek to pattern our lives after Jesus in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.
St. Francis of Assisi has been my inspiration for giving myself completely to whatever I do.
Do you know the story of St. Francis of Assisi? Regardless of your faith, his life is very inspiring. He gave it all to God, holding nothing back. But even before his calling, he went “all in” no matter what he did. Continue reading
My oldest son will be confirmed in the Catholic Church at the end of the month. The link in the previous sentence explains the sacrament in a thorough, easy-to-understand fashion. Regarding names chosen at confirmation, it explains that:
“At Baptism, the name was chosen without the child’s consent because the child was too little to make the selection alone. Now, in Confirmation, another name — in addition to the first and middle names — can be added, or the original baptismal name may be used. It must be a Christian name, though, such as one of the canonized saints of the Church or a hero from the Bible.”
[As an aside, I highly recommend Catholicism for Dummies by Rev. John Trigilio, Jr. and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti, whether you are a”dummy” about Catholicism or not. Fully orthodox and plainly written, it’s a great reference.] Continue reading
Your novels fly in the face of the mistaken notion that saint stories are dry, boring, or irrelevant to modern life. They are lively, gritty, and despite the time periods, relatable. How does your storytelling compare to the style of other stories of the saints?
As a mother of eleven, I’ve read an awful lot of books about saints over the years, believe me. I’ve invested more money than I care to admit, always hoping, of course, to find stories that would not only inspire my children to love and imitate these incredible heroes and heroines of God, but, more importantly, make them realize that the saints were true flesh-and-blood human beings who started out with the same struggles, temptations and weaknesses that plague every one of us since Adam bit that stupid apple. But the more books I crammed into our bookshelves, the more apparent it became that the majority of saint novels (often reprints from the 40’s and 50’s) are agonizingly dull. It’s awful to say, but it’s true. I’m sure everyone knows the kind of books I’m talking about – where the author wheels out a cardboard cut-out saint and plops him on the page. There he sits, in perfect holiness, from his first breath. From that point on, things only get worse. Long-winded passages, flowery archaic prose, little action, dead-boring dialogue. Basically a bunch of lifeless characters tripping across the pristine white pages of your newly purchased twenty-dollar book, while you yawn your way through the story waiting for SOMETHING exciting to happen to these people. Sound familiar? Continue reading
I am a lover of virtue! There I’ve said it! I know that I am in a minority, because most people do not even think about virtue as they traverse throughout their day. I, on the other hand, live for virtue, because it is virtue that draws me near to Christ. I can’t think of a better place to be than near Christ. Maybe that is because I am also a lover of Christ: I want to be like Christ! I look up to Him; He is my role model. Continue reading
I stray just slightly from all fiction this month as I review a couple of prayer books for children. I titled this Catholic Books for “Kids,” but this selection covers a wide range and includes a board book, two picture books, a chapter book/coloring book, and a novel for teens and up.
I’ll let my (short) reviews speak for themselves save for three notes: Continue reading