Grades 6-8

The Legend of Odysseus

Book cover: The Legend of Odysseus
Author(s): 
Peter Connolly
The Legend of Odysseus, by British author Peter Connolly, was first published in 1986. It tells the legend of the Trojan War and of the homecoming of Odysseus. The Legend of Odysseus is a wonderful recounting of Homer's classic tales, The Iliad and The Odyessey. The most outstanding feature is the vivid, full-color drawings in every page. This book is suitable for most children, ages 10-16. There are additonal informative pages telling about life in Ancient Greece. My only caution is that it has some questionable pictures in it.

The Assisi Underground

A true story of Italian Catholics helping Jews escape from the clutches of the Nazis during the Holocaust. It focuses on Padre Rufino, the superior of St. Francis' own church of San Damiano. I especially love the scene where a Mother Abbess who is hiding Jews in her cloister stands up to the Nazi officials and refuses to allow them to search the convent. Most appropriate for upper grade school or high school, depending on the sensitivity of your children. The movie is very well done, appears to be very carefully researched and was filmed on location is Assisi, Italy.

The King's Daughter

Book cover: The King's Daughter
Author(s): 
Suzanne Martel

This engaging novel is centered around a young orphan from France, who is married off to a Canadian coureur de bois. The heroine, Jeanne Chatel, is spunky and determined to succeed in the wilds of 17th century Canada. There is considerable Catholic content in the novel. Jeanne is an orphan, and is raised by Catholic nuns in France. She travels to America with Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, who went on to found schools and chapels, and started the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal, Quebec.

Mother Cabrini

Book cover: Mother Cabrini
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.

Faith and Life Religion Series

Book cover: 'Faith and Life Religion Series, Book 1'
Author(s): 
Catholics United for the Faith

This is a very popular religion series for Catholic homeschoolers. There are probably many reasons for this: they're reasonably priced, they're filled with beautiful selections of fine religious art, and they're unquestionably orthodox. The series incorporates questions from The Baltimore Catechism for memorization. Some homeschoolers don't like the brief content (the text contains approximately one lesson per week - although there is also a work book, teacher's manual and extensive resource guide available for each grade).

My Temple of the Holy Spirit

Book cover: 'My Temple of the Holy Spirit'
Author(s): 
Katherine Rode, R.N.

Subtitled a Catholic Science Hands On Program of the Human Body, this is a program best used with kids in grades 4 to 8. My Temple of the Holy Spirit is a very practical study of seven of the systems of the body from a Catholic and pro-life perspective. It covers various systems of the body, but not the reproductive systems, the integumentary system, or all of the excretory system. It is thoroughly Catholic, with the Faith integrated throughout.

Great Moments in Catholic History

Book cover: Great Moments in Catholic History
Author(s): 
Father Edward Lodge Curran

Inviting the reader in with its black and white illustrations on each page, Great Moments in Catholic History presents one hundred exceptional events in the history of the Catholic Church. Originally published in 1938, each page presents a great moment beginning with the Annunciation and ending with Pope Pius XI's 1937 Encyclical letter on Atheistic Communism. At the end of the book there are 500 quiz questions, 5 for each of the 100 historical events, to review the lessons learned.

Redwall

Book cover: Redwall
Author(s): 
Brian Jacques

This is a novel about a mouse among mice. There is a community of mice that lives in Redwall Abbey. The newest novice, Matthias, cuts a willing but uninspiring figure. He has an inordinate passion for Martin the warrior mouse whose legend is like that of Arthur – except that it lacks everything but the ability to swing a sword for the right side. There isn't much depth to Martin. But thanks to his efforts the abbey is become a place of peace and goodness to the surrounding forest community of animals.

Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt

Book cover: Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt
Author(s): 
Jean Fritz
Illustrator(s): 
Mike Wimmer

This is an interesting biography of one of our nation's most colorful presidents. It was interesting to discover that Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919) was a rather sickly youth who suffered from asthma. His determination in overcoming his illness and living a full life despite his rather frail body help to make him a man who loved life and tried to live his life to the fullest – especially enjoying the world around him.

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