Rave review:
Matthew Kelly is the witty Catholic maverick from Australia who’s been transforming lives with his fresh blend of faith basics and story telling. At his many speaking engagements, Kelly’s message is interrupted only by applause and laughter for his self-deprecating humor. But now, to the delight of time-starved, budget-conscious parents, Kelly has published Building Better Families: A Practical Guide to Raising Amazing Children
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Rave reviews:
Jesus A to Z:
It’s amazing what even preschoolers can learn from the richness of Catholic tradition. The Advent wreath teaches colors and numbers; a rosary helps them count by tens. That’s why the newest book by Brother Michael “Mickey” O’Neill McGrath, Jesus A to Z (World Library Publications, 2007) is such a treasure. Fans of McGrath’s work will readily recognize his kid-friendly treatment of Christian themes: vibrant hues that sing out God’s goodness, faces that steer a steady course between two unfortunate extremes in religious art today—scary and insipid. But it gets even better.

This glossy hardcover collection is part tongue-twister and phonics lesson, in the spirit of Dr. Seuss—try “Heavenly hosts with harps and horns holler Hosanna and Hallelujah.” But it’s religious literacy that captures my heart as a Catholic mom. Kids get vivid visuals with the letter A, for instance: “All the Apostles at the Ascension.” There’s even a glossary for adults.

52 Simple Ways to Talk to Your Kids About Faith
You know how parents will often complain that children “don’t come with an owner’s manual”? Well, thanks to 52 Simple Ways to Talk to Your Kids About Faith by Jim Campbell Loyola Press), there’s now something that comes awfully close. There are many terrific things about 52 Simple Ways, but perhaps the greatest is that it’s easy to use.

Every topic covers three pages and employs a helpful formula that sketches out some major faith themes, lists a few common “teachable moments,” tells a story, guides you with the task, and identifies additional support, including what the church says on the subject.

Finally, it concludes with “A Prayer Moment with Your Child.” In a chapter called “Setting priorities,” for instance, Campbell explains that “Our life priorities are moral choices.” Some topics in this book are predictable—thank God—because challenges such as “Embracing change” and “Coping with sibling rivalry” never go away. But others, such as “Responding to a child who was lost or left waiting,” are an unexpected treat.