In one week, BELT OF TRUTH, the first in my Armor of God fantasy-adventure children’s chapter book series comes out! To celebrate, I am hosting a virtual scavenger hunt on the release day (April 23, the Feast of St. George). On this scavenger hunt, players will get to know 7 authors and their Catholic children’s books and more.
Today, I will introduce those authors.
I’ve loved Susan Peek’s books long before I came to know her through the Catholic Writers Guild. My boys love her saint stories for teens. Her stories are unlike any other saint stories. They are fast-paced, engaging, and powerful. Her characters come alive and are easy to identify with. And every story reveals the transformational grace of God in an amazing way. These stories stay with readers long after they’ve finished the books and they inspire holiness.
And isn’t that what we want? We want our children to grow in their relationship with Jesus and to strive to please Him with lives of holiness. The example we give our children is vital. The entertainment we provide our children is important too. Susan Peek’s books for children and her books for teens are sure to entertain while at the same time inspiring readers to come to know, love and serve Our Lord in this world!
Martina Parnelli is multi-talented. She is a poet, author, and illustrator who writes for adults, teens, and children. Her artwork is beautiful and adds a wonderful dimension to her stories. I especially love the way she draws animals: they are so detailed and cute! Please check out her Little Runty series to see what I mean! And it’s interesting to note that the Little Runty series is inspired by The Mystical City of God by Blessed Maria D’Agreda.
As Catholics, we have a great treasure that not only consists in the sacraments (the amazing channels of God’s grace) but it also consists of sacramentals, saints, apparitions, and miracles. These awe-inspiring “extras” were the things that spoke to me as a young person. They not only brought the faith alive for me, they helped me become more aware of the spiritual realities. Let Martina Parnelli’s wonderful stories enrich your faith and the faith of your children.
Karen Kelly Boyce is an author of adult Catholic fiction (including Down Right Good, which won the 2012 Eric Hoffer Award), but I came to learn of her because of her delightful series of children’s books. Her Sisters of the Last Straw is an entertaining series that combines faith, mystery, trials, and humor. The message of perseverance really comes through in these stories because each of the sisters has a bad habit that they struggle to overcome. Your children will be laughing out loud with the books in this series, proving that faith can be fun!
Humor is a fun gift of God and another powerful instrument for the faith. It is tied to joy! G. K. Chesterton said of St. Francis of Assisi, “The sense of humor salts all his escapades.” So I pray, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13.
In addition to being an author, Virginia Lieto is a speaker and evangelists. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Pastoral Theology from St. Joseph’s College of Main, and she evangelizes through the Catholic arts. Her book, Finding Patience, is something every child—and even us adults—can relate to.
Waiting is never easy. And sometimes the things we are waiting for feel so important that it shakes our peace. The virtue of patience is pivotal in a Christian’s life. When we have patience, we have trust in God’s holy will for our lives. Virginia Lieto’s book will inspire children to prayer and trust, and to wait on the Lord who can do all things and who knows what is best.
I am glad to discover Aleesa McCarthy, of My Little Patron, and another Catholic author and illustrator! I wish that this scavenger hunt had taken place earlier. She has the perfect Easter gifts for your children. As you are buying candy for their Easter baskets, don’t you wish you had something else that would make them just as happy– but not contain sugar? Well, Aleesa McCarthy has what you are looking for: an Easter coloring book! But she also has a Lenten activity book that you can get now for next year.
Her products offer fun ways to deepen your family’s faith, celebrate the saints and the seasons of the Church year, and supplement your preschoolers curriculum: a flash card game book, a saint book that journeys through the alphabet with the saints, saints coloring books (one for boys and one for girls), printables, stickers, and so much more!
I have actually met this talented and amazing author in person! Jean Schoonover-Egolf and I both attended the Columbus Catholic Women’s Conference, making our books available to attendees. At one point, a sister in a purple habit approached Jean Egolf’s table and the two of them stood talking for a moment. Well, I was impressed. This woman loves Jeanie Egolf’s books so much, I thought, that she dressed up like the main character in her Molly McBride and the Purple Habit series!
Well, I was wrong. She was a real Sister! There really is an order of Sisters who wear purple habits! They are called the Children of Mary and they are a new community in the service of the Church “to satiate the thirst of Jesus to be loved in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”
Through entertaining and beautifully illustrated stories, the Molly McBride and the Purple Habit series promotes charity, virtue and even plants the seeds for vocations in little hearts.
Amy Cattapan is not only the author of the fun, faith-filled and engaging children’s book 7 Riddles to Nowhere and one of the authors at www.CatholicTeenBooks.com, she is also the host of BOOK.eD, the new Catholic book review radio program on Shalom World TV!
Her book 7 Riddles to Nowhere won a Catholic Press Association award and is sweeping its way through schools. The main character in this story loves his little Catholic school but the school might have to close—unless he becomes the heir to a large fortune. In order to become the heir, he needs to race to solve the riddles first! Through this story, readers will visit churches and gain insight into several mysteries and symbols of our Catholic faith. This story will also inspire young readers to trust that they can make a difference in the world.
Looking for books for your Catholic teens? Visit www.CatholicTeenBooks.com
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