Get 50% off Catholic Books & eBooks

Discover the Next Tolkien & O'Connor

Join Here for FREE to Never Miss a Deal

Find new favorites & Support Catholic Authors

Genre

Children’s Books

Audience

Ages 3-9

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2020

Themes

Prayer, Offering it up, offer it up, schools, vocations, sisters, catholic schools, religious vocations, praying without ceasing, catholic education

 

Reviewed by

A.R.K. Watson

It’s Sister Aloysius’s first day of teaching! She leads the children in a discussion of what it means to pray ceaselessly. One of the students asks a question that many adults have, “How can we pray ceaselessly and have time to eat, sleep, work and play?” Sister Aloysius shows them that by adopting short daily prayers at mealtimes, bedtimes, and at special moments like Mass and the hour of mercy, you can lead a life defined by prayer. The children also discuss actions that they can offer up in prayer to Jesus, like doing their chores.

If you have already read some of the other Sister Aloysius books, you will appreciate how this one shows that the sister’s words are backed up by how she lives and goes through her day. It also sums up a lot of the major themes of the whole series: living mindful of God; praying with an active mind and heart; offering up sufferings; giving young minds an authentic picture of what a vocation to religious life is all about. But even more importantly it shows children that holiness is not reserved just those people pursuing a religious vocation.

The back page has scripture and catechism passages related to prayer, along with excerpts from the letters of Joan Carroll Cruz who wrote about the mystics St. Josepha Menenedez and Gabrielle Bossis. These references provide an easy-to-follow lesson plan for families seeking to teach their children theology in terms they can understand.

The author also has free activity sheets she will send to any parent who requests them. The activity sheets reinforce themes in the stories and provide thought provoking activities and vocabulary reinforcement for terms which might be new to them. They include a variety of levels of activities including fill in the blanks, matching, coloring, writing, drawing, crosswords, word searches, sentence scrambles, and others.

Parents can contact the author to get free activity sheets through this address: linda@sisteraloysius.com

Denise Plumlee-Tadlock provides hand-painted illustrations that give us a diverse picture of the church militant. Though the previous volumes have mostly white characters, this volume does a great job of showing the wide range of peoples who are part of the Church. The large font makes this a great book for a beginning reader. The passages are also a lot shorter than in the other Sister Aloysius volumes, so it can work as a bedtime story for young readers.

When the books arrived at my house, my one year old immediately demanded to see them and spent a full ten minutes turning the pages and pointing at things in the pictures (a whole ten minutes for my one year-old is like an hour!). Whenever he does this I must give all the credit to the artist.

If you are a convert to Catholicism seeking for a way to raise Catholic children when you didn’t have an example in your own life, or if you just want to make sure your children get catechesis at a young age, the Sister Aloysius books are a must-have on your bookshelf. With the lesson plans at the back, it’s easy to adapt these stories to fit the needs of children between the ages of three and nine.

 

Get Catholic Books & eBooks for as little as $1 to FREE

Zeal & Zest: Where to Begin with Hillaire Belloc

Belloc was known as a Catholic polemicist with a vicious talent for skewering his opponents. Anyone struggling to persevere as a Christian in the fields of journalism or media should read him. His children’s books have an acerbic humor that will appeal to bored veterans of political correctness, especially teens.

Molly McBride and the Plaid Jumper by Jean Schoonover-Egolf

Molly doesn’t want to take off her purple habit the Children of Mary sisters wear but mom’s says she has to put on the school uniform.

Molly McBride and the Party Invitation by Jean Schoonover-Egolf 

This children’s book teaches compassion for bullies and the courage to act rightly regardless of others.

The Monks’ Daily Bread by Sylvia Dorham

A nursery rhyme for toddlers showing them the daily life in a monastery.

The Rose and the Snake by Mark Restaino, Illustrated by J.P. Alcemendas

This thought-provoking children’s tale is tailor made to improve reading comprehension and teach a child where real self-worth comes from.

Silly Sophie’s Summer Sunday Morning By: Alexandra Sizemore

Keep holy the Lord’s Day—joyfully–with Silly Sophie the Spaniel.

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

God Made the Moonlight by Erin Broestl, Illustrated by Jean Schoonover-Egolf

A beautifully illustrated bedtime story that helps your child see the beauty of nature as God’s personal love letter to humanity

Sister Aloysius Comes to Mercyville By Linda Etchison, Illustrated by Denise Plumlee-Tadlock

A young nun teaches children how to offer up their daily irritations to God.

2021 Summer Reading List for Preteens

Six series that are a must-have for your Preteen’s library ages 8-13

August & September New Book Releases

Step into Fall with a Good Book

The Light of Christmas Morning by Susan Joy Bellavance, Illustrated by Anne Kissanne Engelhart

A cozy Christmas bed time story that puts Catholic traditions front and center

 

Jesus Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Mark Restaino, Illustrations by J.P. Alcomendas

This delightful picture book lets young readers imagine the daily life of the Christ Child while also teaching simple prayers.

Extraordinary! by Jacqueline Brown, Illustrated by Katie Anne Ennis

Make your child feel secure and loved by God and their Catholic family.

Feel-Good Books For Pandemic Summer

Book Therapy to chase the blues away

Best Books of 2022

Our favorite book finds of the year!

Books for Lent

Deepen your Lenten reflection with these stories of repentance and forgiveness

The Fruit Tree by Mark Restaino, Illustrations by J.P. Alcomendas

This children’s fable will teach the whole family Biblical literacy and the Christian symbolic language.

Books to Pray With, March: For the New Martyrs

Every month in 2024 Pope Francis has a monthly prayer intention. Every month we will release a book list that will draw your heart and soul deeper into prayer on these topics.

Good Morning God by Ginger Swift, Illustrated by Pamela Barbieri

This baby book teaches gratitude for God though it’s interactive pages.