‘Tis the season for dreaming up the best gift-giving ideas for those special children in your life. Catholic children’s books present a splendid opportunity to impart the true, the good, and the beautiful. If you need a little help navigating the volume of Catholic children’s titles available today, we’re here to help.
This year we hope to help you proclaim His glory to the rest of the world, as He who became Flesh to walk among us is celebrated at Christmas. At Angelico Press, our mission is to preserve the sacred for all ages. For children, wholesome books that seek to engage their hearts and minds for all that is true, good, and beautiful is paramount. To preserve the sacred for all ages in the ages to come is essentially a holy quest meant to bring the heart of Christ to readers and listeners alike.
May you find joy from our list of top picks:
The Seven Champions of Christendom: Author F. J. Harvey Darton provides hours of enchantment in this beautifully revised medieval work which first appeared in print in the 1590s. Lively mythic heroes and warrior saints engage in the earthly combat against evil through memorable battles, jousts, and tournaments. Victory is won over the likes of giants, monsters, and dragons. In this Angelico Press edition, Christian sainthood, heroic folklore, and chivalric romance permeate each endearing story, each enriched with illustrations by Norman Ault. This is the edition to delight readers young and old for today and for ages to come.
The Mystery of Castle MacGorilla: Renowned theologian and author David Bentley Hart has here joined with his son Patrick to craft a witty whodunit that follows the sleuthing of a few treasured toys in this beautifully written tale. When the MacGorilla clan is stolen from their castle in the Scottish Highlands, these soft toy friends must discover where the treasure is and who took it.
The Mystery of the Green Star: To follow up on the Harts’ thrilling adventure, The Mystery of Castle MacGorilla, this new enchanting children’s book welcomes back our intrepid investigators—Teddy, Porculina, and Gorilla—who are once again called upon to solve a baffling mystery. Delightfully illustrated, this engaging story presents families with a suspenseful page-turner for an imaginative read-aloud.
This Way to Christmas: First introduced in 1924, this favorite by master storyteller Ruth Sawyer still engages modern readers young and old today. It recounts the story of a young, lonely boy who meets another lonely creature who just happens to be lonely, too, and introduces him to other lonely neighbors. The stories they told him, the Christmas they shared, and the happy surprise for David at the end make this a charming Christmas story that will live forever in the hearts of every reader and listener.
The Golden Princess and the Moon This classic retelling of “Sleeping Beauty” is steeped in legend and magic. The beautiful but spoiled Princess Rosamund has unfortunately squandered her seven faerie gifts given her on her christening day. When Prince Erik wakes her, all is not well, for she must reclaim these gifts and overcome the curse! With creative genius does author Anna Maria Mendell weave a splendid tale which is quite unforgettable—and a treasure to read over and over.
Glastonbury: Donna Fletcher Crow, author of over 43 books, presents an alluring novel set at Glastonbury Abbey in Christian England. Here, Joseph of Arimathea and his family arrive bearing the most sacred relic in all Christendom, the Holy Grail. The story weaves through time and encounters Druids, Romans, King Arthur and his knights, Vikings, and the Protestors of the Catholic faith. An immense spiritual epic, this is one of the best picks for gifting a stirring novel of our Christian faith to teens and adults.
Sixty Saints for Girls: In one volume, readers will find Joan Windham’s Sixty Saints For Girls everything you would expect from stories that encapsulate virtue. Are saints all cut out of the same pattern? Is holiness less interesting than bad behavior? What is a saint really like? With this carefully curated compilation of stories, readers find that virtue is the path to holiness. It is one of our favorite suggestions of beautiful accounts that will, no doubt, be treasured and enjoyed over and over again.
Sixty Saints for Boys Get lost in these pages where author Joan Windham shares a splendid mix of saints, young and old—from soldiers, clowns, and kings to monks and missionaries. If a good and true and beautiful heroic story beckons you, be inspired by the lessons of virtue in every story here. Timeless tales that engage the imagination and inspire holiness can be enjoyed by children of all ages in this must-have book.
