Fiction
A Novel of the Priest Hunters and the Brave Young Men Who Fought Them
by Henry Garnett
England, 1585: Queen Elizabeths spies lurk everywhere, searching out Catholics who refuse to attend thenon-Catholic services of the State religion. Officers of the law huntdown and kill Catholic priests, and imprison those who shelter them.
In these perilous times, fifteen-year-old Nicholas Thorpe discovers thathis widowed mother has become Catholic, and he soon joins the Churchshe has come to love.Thus begin Nicholas s adventures in the Companions, a pious underground army ofresistance that shelters priests and leads them in strict secrecy andgreat danger from one estate to another, so the Catholic faithful cancontinue to receive the Sacraments the law now forbids.
In this adventure for all ages, author Henry Garnett brings to life the drama of a nation where unjust laws forced good men and women to choosebetween their country and their Faith, and young people heard early andwell the call to heroism that Christians must be ever ready to heed.
Age range 10 - 17 years
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 208 pages
by A Sister of Notre Dame
This collection of First Communion day stories has remained popular among children ever since they were first published in the early 1920s. They have stood the test of time for two simple reasons: they are wonderful stories, and they are all true. Even those that are sad have the power to inspire young and old with renewed love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
Originally published as two separate books, True Stories for First Communicants and First Communion Days, they were reprinted in 1949 with new illustrations by Rosemary de Souza. Years later, in 2003, this 1949 impression was brought back into print by Neumann Press. We have gone back to the original books, combined both sets of stories under one cover, and have restored the original black and white illustrations by Wilfrid Pippet.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 198 pages
by Rev. Henry S. Spalding, S.J.
Paul Guibeau has spent the winter at the Mission of Saint Ignace and now is anxious to set out with Father Marquette and Sieur Joliet on their voyage of discovery. More than anything, though, he wants his friend Red Bear to accompany them—not only to help protect them, but in the hopes that by spending the months ahead with the great Missionary, Red Bear may finally consent to become a Christian. But Red Bear fears Marquette and instead heads east with his people. Who, then, is encircling the camp each night with the marks of bear claws? Mystery and danger abound on this journey into the unknown…
The story of Père Marquette and his participation in the discovery of the Mississippi River was one that was dear to Father Spalding, for he had done much of his own research on the life of this great Jesuit. He used details from Volume 59 of the Jesuit Relations (which includes the actual journals kept by Marquette during his travels) to construct this story (though of course he added fictional elements as well). The result is a riveting tale of courage and faith valuable as much for itself as for its historic significance.
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 164 pages
by Corinna Turner
IN MARGO'S WORLD, IF YOU DON'T PASS YOUR SORTING AT 18 YOU ARE RECYCLED.
LITERALLY.
Margaret Verrall dreams of marrying the boy she loves and spending her life with him. But she's part of the underground network of Believers - and that carries the death penalty. And there's just one other problem. She's going to fail her Sorting. But a chance to take on the system ups the stakes beyond mere survival. Now she has to break out of the Facility - or face the worst punishment of all. Conscious Dismantlement.
"Great style - very good characters and pace. Definitely a book worth reading, like The Hunger Games." EOIN COLFER, author of Artemis Fowl
"An intelligent, well-written and enjoyable debut from a young writer with a bright future." STEWART ROSS, author of The Soterion Mission "This book invaded my dreams." SR. MARY CATHERINE BLOOM O.P
Age range: 15+
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 308 pages
by Fr Francis J. Finn, S.J.
George Herbert leaves Campion College for a teaching job in Florida…but little does he know he is walking into a wasp’s nest of anti-Catholic bigotry. How can he help his students and their parents to learn the truth about the Catholic Church, and restore love and joy to this little town?
Paperback, size 5.5" x 8.5", 212 pages
by Tomie dePaola
This beautiful new edition of dePaola's 1978 classic retelling of a French legend stars a little juggler whose unique talent leads him to what might be a Christmas miracle.
Little Giovanni is poor and homeless, but he can do something wonderful: he can juggle.
The people of Sorrento marvel at his talents, and before long, he becomes famous throughout Italy for his rainbow of colored balls that delight the nobility and townspeople alike. But as the years pass, Giovanni grows old, and his talents begin to fail him. No longer a celebrated performer, he is once again poor and homeless, begging for his food.
Until one Christmas Eve, when Giovanni picks up his rainbow of colored balls once more. And what happens next just might be a miracle…
Hardcover, size 11.2" x 8.7", 48 pages
by Tomie dePaola
Based on the 1872 Christmas carol “In the Bleak Midwinter” by English poet Christina Rosetti, this stunning, wintry picture book from acclaimed author-illustrator Tomie dePaola will be cherished all through the holiday season.
One chilly winter’s night, the wind howled over a blanket of snow while in a humble stable, Jesus Christ was born. Angels, shepherds, wise men, and farm animals all gather to share in the still and holy night.
Hardcover, size 9" x 11", 32 pages
The Borrowed House
by Hilda van Stockum
During World War II a young German girl, who has been indoctrinated into the Hitler Youth, travels to occupied Amsterdam to rejoin her parents then comes to realize the truth about the war. New introduction by the author's son, John Tepper Marlin.
"So, you're falsifying papers?" said Janna. "You belong to the Dutch Resistance." She looked at him curiously.
The boy shrugged his shoulders. "You could call it that. I'm just helping the van Arkels rescue innocent people from certain death. They need these identification papers and food cards to keep alive. If you betray me, all these people will either starve or be forced to give themselves up to be sent to the gas chambers of a concentration camp."
"Gas chambers?" Janna looked at the boy with horror. "You mean ... they are killed?"
The boy looked sternly at her. "Do you think," he said, "that Germany is sending Jews to a nice vacation spa, or to pretty villages with geraniums in the windows? That's what they told us at first, though in Holland we never believed it."
This book is based on a true story, and even though it deals with some hard issues brought about by the German occupation of Amsterdam, it provides an opportunity to discuss World War II from a unique perspective.
Ages 14 +
Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 208 pages
or Seasoning for Young Folk
by Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle (1853-1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people, best known for his illustrations of pirates. Pyle is credited with creating the modern stereotype of pirate dress.
His 1885 Pepper and Salt contains eight traditional stories written and illustrated by Pyle. It also contained 24 illustrated poems.
These stories are told by a jolly old jester who lays aside his cap and bells and settles down to entertain the children. His tales are quite as fascinating as the famous ones of Grimm, and they are, besides, entirely new and original, with a whimsy of their own. Besides the stories there are many quaint verses, each pointed with a shrewd and comic moral, and bubbling with so genuine a humor that all children from seven to seventy will chuckle over them and want to memorize them to quote to their friends.
The illustrations, drawn by one of the greatest illustrators who ever lived-the author himself-are both rollicking and lovely, and perfectly complete this gay and clever and altogether delightful book.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 150 pages
by John H. Haaren and A. B. Poland
Attractive biographical sketches of thirty-five of the most prominent characters in the history of ancient Greece, from legendary times to its fall in 146 B.C. Each story is told in a clear, simple manner, and is well calculated to awaken and stimulate the youthful imagination.
Ideal introduction to ancient Greece for ages 9 and up.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 252 pages
100 Memorable Events in Catholic History Told in Picture and Story
by Rev Edward Lodge Curran, Ph.D.
Father Curran describes one-hundred events in Catholic history from the Annunciation to the 1930s. Each event includes a beautiful drawing and a brief one-page description. Events include stories from the life of Christ, works of the saints, important discoveries and contributions to culture, persecutions, as well as critical conflicts. The text includes 500 review questions for use by students.
Recommended for families or for 5th or 6th grade students.
Paperback, size 10" x 8", 132 pages
In the Sadows of Rome Vol 4
by Sophie de Mullenhein
Troubled Waters is the fourth volume of the gripping new series for 10 yr. olds and up titled In the Shadows of Rome (6 books total).
Being a Christian in ancient Rome was very dangerous. To spread the faith and stay alive, you had to live in the shadows . . .
When Maximus discovers that more than half the water piped into Rome is stolen and sold on a black market, he needs proof in order to expose the traffickers, especially when everything seems to be pointing at a Christian conspiracy. With the help of his two friends Titus and Aghiles, Maximus is once again ready to face the most perilous situations without any idea of what truly awaits him.
Follow their adventures as they forge priceless friendships—and discover the many secrets lurking in the shadows of Rome.
Paperback, size 8.25" x 5.5", 220 pages
In the Sadows of Rome Vol 6
by Sophie de Mullenhein
The Missing Maid is the sixth volume of the gripping new series for 10 yr. olds and up titled In the Shadows of Rome (6 books total).
Being a Christian in ancient Rome was very dangerous. To spread the faith and stay alive, you had to live in the shadows . . .
Titus’ cousin Octavia, a maiden who guards the sacred fire in the Temple of Vesta, is missing! Has she been kidnapped? Has she run away? Titus and his friends Maximus and Aghiles set out to solve the mystery. They encounter puzzling evidence and lurking danger along the way while learning important lessons about freedom, duty, and devotion.
Follow their adventures as Blandula and her new companions forge priceless friendships—and discover the many secrets lurking in the shadows of the Colosseum.
Paperback, size 8.25" x 5.5", 208 pages
by David Bentley Hart and Patrick Robert Hart
It is known, of course, that soft toys — teddy bears, cotton-stuffed rabbits, velveteen squids, and the like — are all but incapable of deceit, greed, or criminality. And yet, when the treasure of the ancient MacGorilla clan is stolen from their castle in the Scottish Highlands, it seems that one or more of the soft toys gathered there must surely be the culprit, or culprits. Trapped in the castle with his fellow toys by an unexpected snow storm, one small bear, with the aid of an even smaller pig and an easily distracted ape, must discover where the treasure is and who took it. Along the way adventures and perils abound: hidden passages, a lost library, a chase through a moonlit maze, flooding stairwells, rubber balls, paper clips, waffles, garbled aphorisms, and ever so much more. Never has such a weight of responsibility rested upon such soft, fluffy shoulders.
Paperback, size 11" x 8.5", 178 pages
Also available in Hardcover on request (additional cost)
by Jakub Bednarz
Many of the social structures that once formed strong and virtuous Catholic men and women have disappeared. Catholics are aware of the detrimental impact this reality has on their faith, families, and future. Yet there is still edifying literature available the signals a turning of the tide while providing examples of strong characters that can serve as models for young Catholics in their formative years.
This fairy tale draws deeply from Holy Scripture and Christian Tradition to create a world of Catholic mice and men. Filled with lessons of chivalry, honor, and courage, this literary work instills young readers with a deeper appreciation for their Catholic Faith while strengthening their devotion to God. Written with young readers (11+) in mind, this volume is an excellent addition to any Catholic library.
Beautiful, cloth-bound, hardback cover with gold foil stamping, size 10" x 10", 66 pages
by John H. Haaren and A. B. Poland
Attractive biographical sketches of thirty-five of the most prominent characters in the history of the Middle Ages, from the barbarian invasions to the invention of the printing press. Each story is told in a clear, simple manner, and is well calculated to awaken and stimulate the youthful imagination.
Paperback, size 9" x 6", 246 pages
Or the Adventures of a Newcomer
by Fr Francis J. Finn, S.J.
In Ethelred Preston, Fr. Finn's engaging narration entertains readers with a new student, Ethelred, who livens things up at Henryton Boarding Academy. The adventures intertwine a host of Catholic topics and present an entertaining and inspiring vision of childhood.
Paperback, size 7" x 4.25", 237 pages
by Howard Pyle
Written and illustrated in 1903, at the height of children’s literature, these books have inspired generations to greatness of thought and the acquisition of true virtue. The first book in this four volume series for children focuses on the tale of the future King Arthur and how he came to win his famous sword and to create his round table.
Give your children a vision of a world in which virtue and beauty matters and these truths will stay with them for their entire lives!
Paperback, size 10" x 7", 313 pages
by Josephine Nobisso
When a poor devout widow begs for a scrap of bread from a rich faithless baker, she promises to participate in the king’s wedding mass as payment for the baker’s generosity. The baker writes “One Mass” on a scrap of paper and places it on his scale to determine how much bread it is worth. To his and the entire town’s surprise, nothing in the shop, not even the gigantic wedding cakes made for the king, outweighs the simple piece of paper representing the true worth of a Mass.
Luminous old-world watercolor paintings grace the interior of the book and gold foil artwork lends an air of solemnity and sacred beauty to the story. This has been a best-selling children's book since it was first published.
Also available in hardcover.
Paperbackk, size 11.5" x 8", 32 pages
by John O'Brien
Around the Boree Log is a delightful book of verse written by the Irish-Australian Father Patrick Joseph Hartigan (under the penname “John O’Brien”). Hartigan writes in simple, accessible language about his own people, the profoundly Catholic community of Irish settlers in Australia. His love for them and their adopted country shines through in every line.
In this book, we rediscover a lost way of life – a way of life that was simple, human, full of fun and merriment and never far from the thought of God. Hartigan stresses the central role of the “little Irish mother” who had such a deep influence on her family and children and through them on society at large. Although his humorous pen doesn’t shy away from shining a light on some of the faults of his people, he always does so in a gentle, respectful way, and we sense that his sympathy is in no way tarnished by it.
This edition of the collection contains a poetic introduction in the style of Father Hartigan and includes the following much-loved poems, among others:
- Around the Boree Log
- The Trimmin’s of the Rosary
- Said Hanrahan
- Tangmalangaloo
- Down at Casey’s after Mass
- Vale, Father Pat
- The Church upon the Hill
- The Old Mass Shandrydan
- A Stranger in the Church
Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 184 pages