St Augustine Academy Press

Little Children's Prayer Book
by Mother Mary Loyola

This beautiful, newly illustrated hardcover edition of the classic 1911 title by Mother Mary Loyola is the perfect gift for a First Communicant!

This little 4" x 6" pocket gem contains more than just daily prayers: Two different sets of meditations for the Mass are accompanied by illustrations showing what the priest is doing at each stage.  Add Mother Loyola's excellent examination of conscience, geared especially for children, devotional stories that foster a loving obedience, and the gorgeous full-color illustrations, and you'll be wishing you had such a book as a child!

Note: the verses in this book can be found set to music in The Child's Book of Hymns.

Hardcover, size 6.25" x 4.5", 144 pages

Yourself and Your House Wonderful
by Helene Adeline Guerber

Tired of cringing at what's included in children's "health education" nowadays? It's good to learn about our bodies, but whatever happened to respecting them as well?

In Yourself and Your House Wonderful, you will find a refreshingly old-fashioned view of the care and keeping of you! Charming and quaint, it is suitable for reading with young children as well as for tweens who need sound advice as they journey toward adulthood.

It may seem strange to read a book about health written over a century ago, especially when there are so many excellent science books for children today. But there's so much more to understanding our bodies than just drawings and diagrams and digestion! Our bodies are the home for our souls here on earth, and they need special care beyond just bathing and brushing and keeping warm! All throughout your life you will be making choices: some as simple as what to eat or to wear; some as difficult as what to do with your life. Managing your "house" well means making wise choices.

This book is a high-quality photographic reproduction of the original 1913 edition by Uplift Publishing Company.

Paperback, size 9" x 6", 328 pages

Jesus of Nazareth
The Story of His Life Written for Children
by Mother Mary Loyola

James Cardinal Gibbons was Archbishop of Baltimore when he asked Mother Loyola to write this story of the Life of our Lord. As a revered author himself, and considering the number of such stories available even then, we can only imagine the admiration he must have held for Mother Loyola's rare talent for narrative. She does not disappoint in this story, for as always, she brings to life the most vivid images of our Lord, such that the children who read it will feel almost as if they were following the dusty paths our Saviour trod.

Now enhanced with an abundance of contemporary engravings and lithographs, this newly typeset edition is an invaluable means of impressing upon the minds of young children the reality of our God become Man.

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 460 pages

Our Sacraments
by Rev. William R. Kelly

Instructions in Story Form for Use in the Primary Grades

Follow Tom and Ann as they learn about the Sacraments from their Uncle John. What is grace, and how do we get it? And how do the Sacraments help us? What are the outward signs of each Sacrament? Find the answers to these questions and more in Our Sacraments.

Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 130 pages

Heroes of God's Church
by Rev P. Henry Matimore

The purpose of this beautiful book is to acquaint our children with biographies that will have some particular influence on the development of their characters. Each story has been planned as a real character training project, not merely as a reading lesson, to inspire admiration for faith and religious heroism.

"To accomplish this purpose, we have endeavored to stimulate interest in each saint by presenting him or her as a real human being who lived in a real world among real people and not as a super-being surrounded by miraculous wonders. We have tried to make the saints human, admirable, and lovable, and therefore imitate-able." (from the Foreword). Questions and Things to Do are found at the end of each story.

St Cecilia	St Sebastian of Rome	St Agnes of Rome	St Monica	St Patrick
St Columba	St Boniface	St Thomas of Canterbury	St Francis of Assisi	St Hedwig
St Hyacinth	St Louis IX	St Gertrude	St John Nepomucene	St Joan of Arc
St Thomas More	St Franis Xavier	St Aloysius	St Vincent de Paul	St Issac Jogues
St Gerard Majella	The Cure of Ars	St Theophane Venard	St Damien of Molokai	St Therese of Lisieux

Ages: 9 - 12

Paperback, size 8.2" x 5.8", 302 pages

Heavenward Bound
by E.T.W. Branscombe

Come along on a journey toward our Heavenly Home as we learn about God and His Church, how to talk to Him in Prayer, and how to receive His graces for the journey through the Sacraments.

Why did God make us?
Why is it sometimes hard to be good?
What can we do when we have hurt our best friend Jesus through sin?

Find the answers to these questions and more in Heavenward Bound.

Paperback, size 7.5" x 9.25", 96 pages

Soldier of Christ
Talks before Confirmation
by Mother Mary Loyola

Any book on the sacrament of Confirmation can explain what Confirmation is, but this is the only book that explains, in the most original and engaging manner, what Confirmation does. It is both a dialogue and a travelogue, taking the reader on a journey from the Crusades to the Crimea; from medieval ceremonies of Knighthood to early modern methods of warfare.What does it mean to be a Soldier of Christ? For the true child of God, life is a daily battle against a well-concealed foe--that is, our own flaws and failings--and Mother Mary Loyola proposes to arm young recruits adequately for this task, leaving no stone unturned in her quest to root out this 'enemy at home'. This is the sort of basic training no young Catholic should be without.

Please note: this is considered a revised edition due to the correction of errors in the original text, the addition of selected footnotes, and minor clarifications in punctuation or phrasing. No material has been removed or rewritten.

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 354 pages

Nice Going, Red
by Fr Raymond J O'Brien

Frank "Red" Devlin is the best fighter in town--trouble is, he's always getting into scraps over something or other. He just can't stand being teased. He even bristles when his friend, Lieutenant Carroll, spots him smoking and playing craps with Clyde White and Bert Stone, and takes him to task for it. Red wants to be good, honest, but events just always seem to conspire against him. Will he learn to hold his own in the face of peer pressure, or will he give in and go along, even when he knows it's wrong?

From the author of Brass Knuckles and Midget comes this third novel, Nice Going, Red, a coming-of-age drama about a boy who has what it takes to make a great young man...but when it comes to his fear of looking foolish, he always seems to give in and take the easy road.

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 290 pages

Midget
by Fr Raymond J O'Brien

Midget is used to being on his own: after an accident took the lives of his mother and two sisters, neither his father nor his aunt has had much time for him. Left to his own devices, he has managed to develop quite a talent for petty theft. But when his father is killed by a rival gang while secretly delivering beer to speakeasies, his thoughts are filled only with getting revenge at all costs. Will Speed and the boys from St. Leo's be able to save him from himself.

The second book in an action-packed series written by a Chicago priest who was chaplain at the County Jail in the 1930s, boys will love the story of Midget and his friends at the Catholic school who are not willing to turn their backs on him.

Suggested Age Range:9-15

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 194 pages

Brass Knuckles
by Fr Raymond J O'Brien

Speed Austin never meant to get in trouble, but it seems to follow him wherever he goes.  Yet, even though he’s part of the playground gang of toughs, the boys from St. Leo’s are desperate for a shortstop to take the place of Bud Philips—and Speed is the best candidate they can find.  Speed jumps at the chance to get away from the fast life, but the gang wants him back, and they’re out to show him what happens to members that try to “quit.”  Will Jack and the other Catholic school boys manage to help save him, or is it too late?

Written in 1930 by a Chicago Priest who served as chaplain at the County Jail and knew the difficulties faced by boys growing up in the big city, this thrilling story is newly illustrated by Erin Bartholomew.

Suggested Age Range:9-15

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 188 pages

The Old Mill on the Withrose
by Rev. Henry S. Spalding, S.J.

When the doctor declares that Florian Bell’s health is in serious danger, he is sent from his home in Milwaukee to stay with his cousins Hunter and Leo on the banks of Withrose Creek in Kentucky.  There he learns how to fish, hunt, and lay snares…but the boys’ favorite pastime is trying to unravel the mystery of the old mill...what will its secrets unfold?  What is Bob Lindon hiding there?  And will the mysterious night riders manage to make good their threats against the Bell farm?  Only time will tell...

Suggested Age Range:9-15

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 200 pages

The Queen's Festivals
An Explanation of the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Seat of Wisdom Series #2
by Mother Mary St Peter

An Explanation of the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Do you know the story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel?  Can you point to Lepanto on a map?  Have you ever heard about the miraculous August snow that signified where Mary’s basilica was to be built in Rome?  Learn these and many other stories in this sequel to Mary the Queen.  The second book in our Seat of Wisdom Series by Mother Mary St. Peter, this volume may surprise you with many tales you may not have known about Our Lady.  Packed with beautiful black and white illustrations of Our Lady.

If you enjoy the work of Mother Mary Loyola, we think you will be thrilled to discover the work of Mother Mary St. Peter!

Please note: The text has been modified in places in order to render it more accessible to modern readers; this was done with great care and sensitivity toward the age of the material, in order to maintain respect for the era in which it was written, as well as to preserve the original writer’s voice.  Though the wording has been thus modified, very little of the content itself has been changed in any way, except to add select footnotes, expand certain chapters with omitted details, and add the story of Our Lady of Fatima.

Suggested Age Range:5-12

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 154 pages

Mary the Queen
A Life of the Blessed Mother for Her Little Ones
Seat of Wisdom Series #1
by Mother Mary St Peter

Did you know that the Virgin Mary died and was buried before she was Assumed into Heaven? Or that she was raised in the Temple Precinct, along with other Jewish maidens--called Almas--until she reached marriageable age? Learn more about the life of the Mother of Jesus in this book written especially for children. 

Mary the Queen is the first of a series of 8 books on Christian Doctrine written in the early 20th century by a religious of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, which we have named The Seat of Wisdom Series, in honor of Our Lady. These books seek to teach the child not merely the catechetical truths of our Faith, but also the crucial importance of Apostolic Tradition, and how it informs the practice of our Catholic faith in ways we might not expect.

If you enjoy the work of Mother Mary Loyola, we think you will be thrilled to discover the work of Mother Mary St. Peter!

Please note: The text has been modified in places in order to render it more accessible to modern readers; this was done with great care and sensitivity toward the age of the material, in order to maintain respect for the era in which it was written, as well as to preserve the original writer’s voice.  Though the wording has been thus modified,  the content itself has not been changed in any way, except to add select footnotes and a reference to Our Lady of Fatima.

Suggested Age Range:5-12

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 122 pages

The Cave by the Beech Fork
A Story of Kentucky
by Rev. Henry S. Spalding, S.J.

From the discovery of a secret cave to the winning of a David-and-Goliath shooting match, there is no lack of action in The Cave by the Beech Fork, as we follow Owen Howard and Martin Cooper through their exploits in early 19th century Kentucky. But there is so much more to this story than history and adventure. A true depth of Catholic character animates these boys and their families, as well as that inspiring patriotism that galvanized the hearts of the early Pioneers.

If you love this story, be sure to follow Owen and Martin in their journey down the Mississippi in The Sheriff of the Beech Fork!

Suggested Age Range:9-15

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 242 pages

Sursum Corda!
Collection of Short Works
by Mother Mary Loyola

This long-awaited anthology of all the minor works by Mother Mary Loyola is the fruit of many years of seeking.  The relatively small size of the many booklets she wrote, mostly for the Catholic Truth Society, seems to have led over the years to the loss of most copies.  Therefore it was no mean feat to assemble the most complete collection possible, including 13 of her 14 known pamphlets, as well as a bonus selection: a short essay published in a school magazine during the last year of Mother Loyola’s life.  From her early How to Help the Sick and Dying to her biographical preface for the Maxims of Mary Ward, they can all be found in this volume.  We hope that this will preserve them to future generations.

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 522 pages

The Sheriff of the Beech Fork
A Story of Kentucky
by Rev. Henry S. Spalding, S.J.

The Sheriff of the Beech Fork continues the adventures of 15-year-old Owen Howard and Martin Cooper in the early 19th century Kentucky wilderness, as begun in The Cave by the Beech Fork. Having befriended the deputy sheriff, Richard Lane (better known as Coon-Hollow Jim), they are invited to accompany him on a hand-hewn raft of poplar beams to New Orleans. Here, in a portion of the United States only recently purchased from the French and defended from the invading British, they hoped to deliver the produce of the Bardstown farmers to market. Along the way they encounter many adventures that test not only their courage but also their wisdom and their trust in God.

Paperback, size 8.5" x 5.5", 232 pages

A Way to Achievement
by Mother Margaret Bolton

In this life, all of us invariably meet with obstacles and problems.  To overcome these difficulties can seem like an impossible task, especially if one has not developed habits of self-discipline, positive thinking and perseverance in faith.

Written during the early years of World War II, as a way to give hope to a world overshadowed with despair and uncertainty, this book seeks to anchor the reader in time-tested methods of self-discipline rooted in scripture and prayer.

Written by the author of The Spiritual Way, and filled with good advice and reflections, this little booklet is an ideal introduction to the spiritual life for young people as well as adults.

Paperback, size 8" x 5.25", 126 pages

Foundation Material for Doctrinal Catholic Action
by Mother Margaret Bolton

After creating the Spiritual Way series, Mother Bolton created a series meant to prepare children for that series, as well as for First Confession and First Communion.  This series, called "A Little Child’s First Communion” was carefully based on Psychological principles as well as Catholic Doctrine. 

This manual, written to accompany that series, seeks to provide a broad spectrum of material on which the teacher may rely to enrich his or her own knowledge and understanding of the subject. Drawing from the Catechism, Scripture and the Church Fathers, this book provides an ample basis for the catechist in this crucial task.

Paperback, size 9" x 6", 240 pages

A Little Child's First Communion
by Mother Margaret Bolton

Mother Margaret Bolton began her career in 1892 as a public school teacher in New York City before entering the Convent of the Cenacle of St. Regis in 1913, where she soon became Director of Religion. To prepare younger children for the series, while also readying them for reception of the sacraments, she developed this series of six booklets called "A Little Child's First Communion."

Book One: God is Love
Book Two: God Loves Truth
Book Three: God Sent His Own Beloved Son
Book Four: The Holy Way, The Straight Way
Book Five: Temples of the Living God
Book Six: Come, Lord Jesus

All six booklets are included in this one volume.

Intended to be used either in parochial schools or in parish catechesis programs, this series involves the parents in their child's formation through stories and activities. When paired with its manual, called Foundational Principles for Catholic Doctrinal Action, the parent or teacher is supplied with an overview of the didactic methods as well as the basis for each of the concepts taught in the series, including quotes from Scripture, the Catechism and the Church Fathers.

Paperback, size 9.25" x 7.5", 256 pages