What's New

Signs and Mysteries

Author(s): 
Mike Aquilina
Illustrator(s): 
Lea Marie Ravotti
Mike Aquilina's newest book, Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols is a great read and a great reference book in one. It's also an exquisite piece of art, thanks to the illustrations by Lea Marie Ravotti. (Do yourself a favor and click through to her site. Her work is gorgeous.) It's so easy to take illustrators for granted, isn't it? But one cannot do so with this book. The illustrations are integral; the book is, after all, about looking more closely at symbols, visual representations of the life of faith.

Cuisenaire Rods

When I first researched homeschooling products and resources, I spent quite some time looking at different math manipulatives. For one thing, there are so many, and for another, I love math. I remember wondering whether these colored rods would really be worth purchasing, as they are on the expensive side. And my math education, as far as I could remember, had been accomplished without a single manipulative. Then I found Miquon Math, and immediately liked the concept.

My First Number Book

Book cover: 'My First Number Book'
Author(s): 
Marie Heinst
This delightful picture book introduces many math concepts to preschoolers. We have enjoyed working through concepts such as counting, matching, sorting, sets, and sequencing. The illustrated pages make it fun for my son to discover more, less, and equal, addition and subtraction, geometric solids, and more. For example, matching begins with familiar matching pairs such as handprints, shoes, and earrings.

The Dot and the Line

Author(s): 
Norton Juster

"Freedom is not a license for chaos" is my son's signature below his email messages. It was written by Norton Juster, of The Phantom Toolbooth fame, and it comes from our almost-17-year-old's favorite book.

To Whom Shall We Go?

Author(s): 
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan
This is a really lovely, very accessible exposition of what St. Peter's life teaches us about how we are called to follow Christ. Written by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the new Archbishop of New York City, the book is centered around the words that Dolan has taken on as his episcopal motto (To Whom Shall We Go?), which is from the Gospel of John 6:67-68. Archbishop Dolan, who we were privileged to have lead our diocese of Milwaukee for the past six years or so, is a plain-speaking, joyful, humble man who speaks to ordinary people in a very helpful way.

Easter

Book cover: 'Easter'
Author(s): 
Fiona French
A gorgeous presentation of the Easter story! Fiona French tells the story in twelve stained glass tableaux: the entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus judged before Pilate, the scourging at the pillar, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, taking him from the cross and laying him in the tomb, the resurrection, meeting with doubting Thomas, the loaves and fishes by the Sea of Tiberius, the Ascension into heaven.

The Donkey and the Golden Light

Book cover: ‘The Donkey and the Golden Light’
Author(s): 
Gill Speirs
Illustrator(s): 
John Speirs
The story follows a donkey, named Bethlehem, who was born on the same night and in the same stable as Jesus and who never forgets that it was a special night, symbolized by the mysterious golden light that shines from the star that guided the Magi. After the Nativity the donkey also accompanies his mother when she carries the Holy Family on their flight to Egypt. When the family returns to Israel, he goes to work in the Temple garden.

Peter Treegate's War

Author(s): 
Leonard Wibberley
Illustrator(s): 
Michael Jaroszko
Benjamin Hatke
Roseanne Sharpe
Will he survive? Although the day started pleasant enough, larks singing and the grass turning a pale gold, the redcoats were forming below, forming a formidable line to overtake their small band of New England militia in the battle of Breed’s Hill. The Treegate saga continues with Peter Treegate’s War.

The Priests

Author(s): 
Fr. Eugene O'Hagan
Fr. Martin O'Hagan
Fr. David Delargy
Call it an impulse buy. I was standing in line to buy some CDs for Christmas when I caught the title of The Priests out of the corner of my eye. Not the typical CD title in a music store. After reading the selections on the back, I thought I would give it a try. It is the best impulse buy I've ever made. I am not alone in calling this CD wonderful. After a few short weeks, over 300,000 copies were sold, making it platinum, and that was a few months ago. What is incredible is who they are and what they sing.