Neumann Press has reprinted another delightful novel by Father Brennan in one of its lovely hardbound editions (they also offer it in a quality softcover edition). This short, easy-to-read novel was a wonderful addition to a rainy afternoon for our family. Although aimed at an 8th-grade boy typical of the 1940s, the diary format and "everyday" charm appealed to my entire family. It would be an especially good book for a reluctant or struggling reader to tackle successfully on their own.

The story follows Pompey Briggs through his eighth grade year at Holy Cross Catholic School, through all of his ups and downs from September to graduation in June. We meet his family and friends, cheer him on at basketball games, follow the antics of the "Beaver Chiefs", and agonize with him over algebra exams. The little snippets from Pompey's diary are often hilarious, sometimes sad, but they are always flavored by a truly Catholic outlook on life. The surprise twist at the end was the perfect way for the story to end.

At the rate Laura Berquist is going, homeschoolers are going to need an extra shelf just for her books. Her first, Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, has already become a classic in its own right. And now Berquist has another book that requires a place in your home: The Harp and The Laurel Wreath. The author begins with the premise that early exposure to poetry encourages a love of the true and the beautiful; memorization of poetry trains the intellect and the imagination; and all of this is good for the soul. Berquist recognized, however, that some homeschoolers may neglect poetry and other fine arts in favor of the "basics". So, she chose over 200 of the most beautiful poems and prose selections in Western Literature, added wonderfully helpful instructor's materials, including discussion questions (with answers), definitions, and indices, and ended up with a work so eminently usable that even the most time-pressed homeschoolers can include poetry in their curriculum.

Her choice of poems is flawless. She has included all those listed in Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, and leans heavily on the classics, as you would expect (Shakespeare, Browning, Keats, Longfellow), but rounds it out with a variety of other authors and poems (including my mother's favorite, High Flight: "Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth....") In addition to poetry, there are "Selections to Memorize": great works of prose such as Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and Patrick Henry's famous oration. and "Selections for Dictation". She's organized the book according to the stages in the classical curriculum: Grammatical, Dialectical, or Rhetorical. There's even a section for "The Early Years", with lots of favorites from Robert Louis Stevenson and others, as well as a page of Bible verses. And to make this section even more appealing to the littlest homeschoolers, the font is larger there than in the rest of the book.

If this book is a starting point for you, then you'll want to add additional anthologies. To really infuse a love of poetry in your children, and to have a broad enough range of poems for reading aloud as well as memorization, you need work by children's poets such as Dorothy Aldis and Christina Rossetti. In addition, consider purchasing a beautifully illustrated version of Stevenson's Leaves from a Child's Garden of Verses, such as the one by Donna Green (even though many of the poems are reprinted in The Harp and Laurel Wreath), as well as a more eclectic volume such as "Talking Like the Rain" (X. J. Kennedy and Dorothy M. Kennedy).

But even if you already have dozens of volumes of poetry, you need this book. Berquist understands the true purpose of education, she knows what homeschooling moms need, and she knows how to put it all together in an attractive package. Start building another shelf!

This book takes place in the year immediately following the murder of Saint Thomas Becket (who died in 1170 AD). Hugh, the young crippled son of one of the knights who commited the dreadful dead, is left in the care of the Monastery of Glaston, allowing his father to flee the country in the wake of riots and uprisings against the nobles who were involved in Becket's death. Although Hugh is haunted for a time with painful memories of the riots, he has inherited a love for books from his mother and settles down rather happily into a position of assistant to the scriptorium monk where he learns to make the beautiful inks and dyes used for illuminated manuscripts.

Life gets more interesting when Hugh teams up with Dickon, a young oblate at the monastery, to investigate secret underground treasure caves. A mystery unfolds envolving the monastery, King Arthur, Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail.

How neat to read a Catholic adventure story for children! While reading an engrossing, fast paced story, they are also given a positive impression of piety and monastic life and the importance of amending one's life (the side-plot regarding his father which ends happily).

I also like the fact that the book includes "a word to those who like to ask of a story, especially one with an historical background, 'Is it true?'" The story, as much as possible, is rooted in historical truths. Although I have not read it yet, The Flowering Hawthorn (published by Neumann Press) appears to cover some of the historical background that this story is based on and might make an interesting follow-up book.

The Hidden Treasure of Glaston is a Newbery Honor book from 1946. There are some similarities to The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli, but I think this book is more interesting and fast-paced.

The Douay Rheims Bible is supposed to be the most accurate, Catholic, translation of the Bible available in the English language. The Old Testament was translated into English in 1609 and the New Testament in 1582 and revised in its entirety (and "diligently] compared with the Latin Vulgate") by Bishop Richard Challoner from 1749-1752. Although the some of the language would be considered archaic today (lots of "thees" and "thous") but it really is beautiful. Although you will probably want a more modern translation as well, the Douay Rheims is especially good for memorizing passages and as a reference for points (and discussions) in which accuracy is especially important. TAN Books also publishes the Douay New Testament in a less expensive edition.

Sample passages: Genesis 1:1-3In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said: Be light made. And light was made.

Psalm 26: 1-2The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.

John 1: 1-5In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.