Welcome to the July 2021 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com! Now that summer is here, my husband is…
9 CommentsRelevant Fiction for Body & Soul
Category: My Scribbler’s Heart
How do you best introduce a child to the Word of God? Stories. We all begin with simplified versions of the most important stories in the Bible, including Noah’s Ark, the Nativity of Jesus, miracles, and the Resurrection.
These books meet the needs of a variety of ages, from infants to preschoolers. Peruse the details of each and take a look inside to find simple narratives, lift-the-flaps, visual searches, and more. They make wonderful baptism, birthday, Christmas, or Easter gifts. Then spend a few minutes with a child on your lap, sharing the wonderful love story of God and His people – us!
Welcome to the June 2021 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com! In a Far-Off Land by Stephanie Landsem is a…
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Barring catastrophe, I’ll read a lot more this summer than this list. Books I’m proofreading, beta reading, writing, or reviewing for a particular purpose. Some nonfiction books, some spiritual reading, and books I read to or with my kids. But these books are the ones I want to get to this summer, just for me! I’m thinking of also adding a re-read of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind to the list because it’s been far too long.
What must-read book should I add to this list? (If you can’t tell, Christian or clean romance is my favorite, but I love books outside of those genres too.)
Whether your children are new to Mass, have been away from it, or are there every Sunday, they, like us, are prone to distraction. A child’s missal or book about the Mass can help them to understand the Mass and to follow along. Here are several to help re-focus and to comprehend. (My First Interactive Mass Book is currently sold out.)
My First Interactive Mass Book (Ascension Press)
Meet the Gentle Jesus, The Mass for Children (Liguori Publications)
The Mass Book for Children (Our Sunday Visitor)
The Holy Mass in My Pocket (Pauline Books and Media)
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I have fond memories of the circus, from elephant rides at the small circus that visited the local baseball field year after year to taking my children to see the animals arrive by train in advance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It’s a magical, wonder-filled world with a fascinating history. Let’s take a trip to the circus!
Relevant Fiction Reviews: A Trip to the Circus Share on X
The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo WrightThe Haunting at Bonaventure Circus creates an appropriately spooky mood befitting the mysterious oddities of the circus. Told in split time, the story uncovers the truth about a series of killings attributed to The Watchman.
In the early 2oth century, Pippa, adopted by the prominent Ripley circus family, wants only to be seen, and as she begins to asserts her own will in the face of her domineering father and bossy fiancé, the secrets of her birth and the circus murders unravel.
In present day, Chandler, a chronically ill single mother set to renovate the abandoned circus buildings, must face her own struggle to see herself as capable and independent.
The last third of the book was my favorite as the threads of the plot begin to come together. The writing is solid, and the heroes are unconventional – a big plus! I’d have liked a bit more romance, but it’s the self-actualization of the heroines that drives this story. The circus setting, however, is the star in this book.
Against the backdrop of the hidden life of circus “freaks,” the novel also thoughtfully examines from where our value comes and in whose eyes our worth is best measured.
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Welcome to the May 2021 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart and CatholicMom.com! I’ve been reading a couple of circus-themed books…
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Called By Name: 365 Daily Devotionals for Catholic Women
Edited by Kelly M. Wahlquist, Alyssa Bormes, and Allison Gingras
Called by Name is a 365-day devotional from WINE: Women In the New Evangelization designed to empower and equip you to draw near to Jesus and use your God-given gifts for the Church. With meditations on scripture and encouraging insights from popular Catholic authors and speakers in the WINE community, this is the perfect daily companion for women who want to connect with the heart of Jesus and live every day in the light of his truth and love.
Called by Name Devotional Bundle
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