Grades 6-8

St. Therese and the Roses

Book cover: 'St. Therese and the Roses'
Author(s): 
Helen Walker Homan
Therese Martin (1873 - 1897) was the youngest of five girls growing up in a devout Catholic family in France in the late nineteenth century. We all know how, in just over one hundred years she has become one of the most beloved Saints in the Church and has recently been named "Doctor of the Church" by Pope John Paul II. This is the delightful and moving story of a little girl who became a great saint; of five sisters who were all called to religious vocations.

The Sinking of the Bismarck

Author(s): 
William L. Shirer

Back in print! It was May 1941 and the British were struggling to hold back the Germans (this is of course before the United States had entered World War II). Since the summer of 1940 the Germans had access to the harbors and airfields of western Europe from Norway to southern France. Their submarines, warships and bombers were wreaking havoc on Britain's supply convoys crossing the Atlantic which was seriously threatening Britain's survival.

Beorn the Proud

Book cover: 'Beorn the Proud'
Author(s): 
Madeleine Polland
While I believe that textbooks are useful tools in the study of history, they tend to quickly lose the interest of the student if used alone. "Living books" work well when read alongside history textbooks because they bring to life the characters and events related - engaging the imagination and helping the student to more fully understand the signifiance of the people and events being studied. Beorn the Proud is such a story - an exciting, dramatic tale, full of real characters and accurate historical information.

American Cardinal Readers: Book 6

Book cover: American Cardinal Readers: Book Six
Author(s): 
Edith M. McLaughlin
Adrian T. Curtis

Fifty-nine stories including "Bethlehem 1918", "Daniel Boone" by Teddy Roosevelt, " St Aloysisus", "O Captain! My Captian" by Walt Whitman","St Isaac Jogues", "The Address of the Roman Catholics to George Washington, Esq. President of the United States". Includes study suggestions for each story and a glossary. A few black and white pictures.

American Cardinal Readers: Book 8

Book cover: American Cardinal Readers: Book 8
Author(s): 
Edith M. McLaughlin
Adrian T. Curtis

Sixty-one stories including "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens, "At High Mass" By Msgr. Benson, "The Names of Our Lady", "The Sign of the Cross" by John Henry Cardinal Newman, and "The New School" by Joyce Kilmer. Includes study suggestions for each story. A few black and white pictures. Includes a glossary and home reading list.

Mother Cabrini

Book cover: 'Mother Cabrini: Missionary to the World'
Author(s): 
Frances Parkinson Keyes
The story of the great Italian missionary to the United States is told to two young students in one of the schools she founded. The story especially elaborates on the history of the schools and works founded by Mother Cabrini in New Orleans, Louisiana. A very beautiful story already, this particular rendition has the unique angle of being told by one of the Sisters of Charity who had come to America from Italy with Mother Cabrini. This would make a good read aloud story for the whole family and would be a helpful supplement to your American History curriculum.

Birds of the World

Book cover: Birds of the World
Author(s): 
Colin Harrison
Alan Greensmith

This is my favorite of the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbooks and I would venture to guess that it's probably the best bird handbook you can find. Hundreds of birds, from doves and swallows, to hawks and falcons and tropical birds are included with clear photos, a small map of where they can be found, an icon showing how large they are in comparison to the book, and other basic information about their habitat, migration, etc. Our family has used this guide extensively in identifying and learning more about the substantial variety of birds we find in our own backyard.

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