From explicitly Catholic novels to classics imbued with moral and spiritual themes, these stories encourage virtue, inspire courage, and can help foster a love of God. Take a look at this list of middle and high school-friendly books that we have curated for you.
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Designed to be open-and-go and family-style, Into the Deep's Classical Catholic Religion Curriculum aims to bring the truth, beauty, and goodness of Catholicism to life through the Church's tradition of sacred art, hymns, poetry, nature study, copywork, and story. Learn what each level cover, who it's for, and how to choose the right one here.
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Holy Week is a very special season and great opportunity for families to read books aloud to captivate children's hearts and gently introduce their minds into the mystery of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord.
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Being initiated into the life of Christ through the sacraments is the great gift we can give our children. It is our charge to model a sacramental life for them, witnessing to the grace, peace, and joy found in this kind of union with Christ and His Church.
Wonderfully, we also have a building treasure trove of Catholic picture and chapter books to help form their understanding and love of the Seven Sacraments!
Seven Clues: A Catholic Treasure Hunt by Scott Hahn and Maura Roan McKeegan
Light of the Sacraments by Cory Heimann
Jesus Speaks to Me about My Baptism by Angela Burrin
Chosen by Jenna Guizar
The Soldier of Christ by Mother Mary Loyola (chapter book)
Home for Good by Mother Mary Loyola (chapter book)
Jesus Speaks to Me on My First Holy Communion by Angela M. Burrin
Jesus Speaks to Me about the Mass by Angela M. Burrin
The Supper of the Lamb by Scott Hahn and Emily Stimpson Chapman
Jesus and the Miracle of the Mass by Gracie Jagla
The Weight of a Mass by Josephine Nobisso
Receiving Jesus for Little Ones by Kimberly Fries
The Treasure of Saint Tarcisius: Hero of the Eucharist by Caroline McDonald
First Communion by Mother Mary Loyola (chapter book)
The King of the Golden City by Mother Mary Loyola (chapter book)
Heavenly Hosts: Eucharistic Miracles for Kids by Kathryn Griffin Swegart (chapter book)
Jesus Speaks to Me about Confession by Angela M. Burrin
Peter and Jesus by a Charcoal Fire by Maura Roan McKeegan
First Confession by Mother Mary Loyola (chapter book)
One Holy Marriage by Katie Warner
Father Ben Gets Ready for Mass by Katie Warner
Jack Giorgio: Future Priest by Katie Warner
What books would you add to the list?!
1. Memorize Bible verses with your children easily with our FREE guide: Stocking the Storehouses
2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how.
3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you.
4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!
The Virgin Mary is loved by all, young and old alike! These picture books are all about Our Lady and they will delight your children.
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The stories of the Saints engage our children's imagination and invite them to go on their own faith journey with Christ. Here is a list of our favorite picture books about the Saints.
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Telling our children the Story of Salvation History helps them understand God’s movement in the world since the beginning. Hearing the stories of God’s faithfulness from long ago reminds them that He is faithful to them now. Learning about the men and women God raised up to serve Him points to their call to be saints.
Blessedly, many people have completed the task of making these stories accessible for kids of all ages. There is a variety of Catholic children’s Bibles on the market today, so how do we know which one(s) to choose?
A preliminary consideration is whether or not we should even use a Children’s Bible.
In short, yes… if it’s worthy.
However, the actual Bible holds primacy always. Sacred Scripture is the actual Word of God, and our kids need to hear it. It is this Word that is living and effective, it is this Word that does not return to the Father void. Reading Sacred Scripture to our children plants the seeds deeply in their hearts. (This is why we always encourage reading from the actual Bible throughout our resources).
Of course, our children hear the actual words of Sacred Scripture at every Mass, and they’ll hear them if your family plays the Liturgy of the Hours or a scriptural Rosary.
I like to read from the actual Bible for our formal catechesis, and a Catholic Bible for children on our “off” days when we’re not doing Into the Deep. And of course, these are the Bibles that are pulled up on laps alongside toddlers, and the ones that get brought to Mass.
When combing through the options for Catholic children’s Bibles, I have a few criteria:
This ranks as our favorite Catholic children’s Bible. Although its title implies that it is a collection of Bible stories, I find this to be a much more thorough and complete presentation of Scripture than other smaller collections of Bible stories (see more on those below).
What we love:
When I found this Bible, I thought it was a perfect companion to our full-year resources!
I am continually impressed with what Magnificat is putting out for children. This Bible is another thorough presentation of the Old and New Testaments.
What we love:
I found this while thrifting one day and I hit the jackpot. I absolutely love this children’s Bible written by Father Richard Beron, OSB in 1953. We will begin using this one in the Fall.
What we love:
This is an older book that is out of print. If you can’t find it on Amazon, check no Thriftbooks or Ebay!
The following are not full children’s Bibles, but cover the major highlights of the Story of Salvation History.
Another favorite in our household, these stories are beautifully-written and engaging.
What we love:
Written in 1957, this anthology of Bible stories reads like an epic.
What we love:
This is one I’ll have my kids read as they approach Confirmation as another review of the story God has been writing in the world since the beginning.
From Ascension, this collection of Bible stories is great for younger kids.
What we love:
While the illustration style is not my favorite, the hardcover is sturdy and thus gets brought to Mass with us.
If you love dePaola’s other work, you’ll love this.
What we love:
I treat this like we do with any collection of stories (like Winnie the Pooh or Beatrix Potter)—I select a season in which we will read one story at a time during tea time or afternoon quiet time. It takes us a long time to move through that way since those are less frequent than Morning Time, but it’s a delight for all!
I really wish I could broadly recommend this Bible. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. It’s a favorite among Christians, and for good reason. What I particularly love about this Bible is that it shows how the New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and how the Old is fulfilled in the New. Jesus is the through-thread in this book, and it makes clear God’s plan for salvation since the Fall.
However, I cannot broadly recommend this title because there are some inclusions that contradict Catholic Church teaching. I can remember two off the top of my head:
When we read through this Bible, I self-edited these sections; however, because these subtleties can be easily missed, I cannot broadly recommend it for Catholic families.
What matters most is that we share the Word of God with our children. Let the Word dwell in them richly, forming their consciences and inspiring them to the greatness for which they were created!
What’s your favorite Catholic children’s Bible? Let us know in the comments!
2. Make your dreams of family prayer a reality with The Daily Feast framework, making it possible in just a few minutes a day. This free guide shows you how. 3. Want to steward your own prayer life? Check out this Scripture prayer journal we made just for you. 4. Looking to level-up in your family faith formation? Join over 10,000 families that use our resources. We make open-and-go, family-style resources to make your role as primary catechist easy AND delightful. Click here to browse!
Telling the Story of Salvation History as lived through Sacred Scripture is one of the most fantastic ways we can capture the holy imaginations of our children. An added layer of of illustration comes through picture books about the Bible.
Looking for solid Catholic children's Bibles? Check out this post.
Many authors throughout the years have presented Bible stories through sketches and stories, paintings and prose. We've gathered some of our favorites below, broken into the Old and New Testaments.
Creation by Gennady Spirin
Paradise by Fiona French
The End of the Fiery Sword by Maura Roan McKeegan
Noah's Ark by Peter Spier
Noah's Ark by Jerry Pinkney
The Tower of Babel by William Wiesner
Sarah Laughs by Jacqueline Jules Moses + the Exodus
Jacob and Esau by Mary Auld
Joseph by Brian Wildsmith
The Coat of Many Colors by Jenny Koralek
Benjamin and the Silver Goblet by Jacqueline Jules
Moses by Margaret Hodges
Moses: The Long Road to Freedom by Ann Keay Beneduce
Exodus by Brian Wildsmith
Jonah and the Whale by Rosemary Lanning
The Book of Jonah by Peter Spier
Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb by Maura Roan McKeegan
Daniel and the Lord of the Lions by Gloria Jean Pinkney
The Story of the Call of Samuel by Bryn J. Brock and Karin A. Childs
The Story of Ruth by Maxine Rose Schur
The Angel & the Donkey by Katherine Paterson
David and Goliath by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers
The Lord is My Shepherd by Gennady Spirin
The Wisest Man in the World: A Legend of Ancient Israel by Benjamin ElkinNew Testament
To Everything There is a Season by Diane and Leo Dillon
Kings and Queens of the Bible by Mary Hoffman
Queen Esther Saves Her People by Rita Golden Gelman
The Story of Esther by Eric A. Kimmel
Mary by Brian Wildsmith
St. Joseph's Story by Geraldine Guadagno
Jesus by Brian Wildsmith
The Twelve Apostles by Marianna Mayer
St. Peter's Story by Marion Thomas
The Miracles of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
Loaves and Fishes by Helen Caswell
The Parables of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
Parable of the Good Samaritan by Helen Caswell
Parable of the Vineyard by Helen Caswell
Parable of the Sower by Helen Caswell
Parable of the Bridesmaids by Helen Caswell
The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith
The Way of the Cross by Inos Biffi
The Thornbush by Michael Laughlin
Easter by Fiona French
Do you or your children have favorite children's books about the Bible? Let us know in the comments!
April showers bring May flowers! With Easter and warm weather just around the corner, 'spring' into spring with these Catholic picture books for April! This month celebrates Saints such as Saint Bernadette and Saint George.
Based on the beloved children's song Jesus Loves Me, this book has playful rhymes and colorful illustrations that your children will love.
Packed full of beautiful illustrations, this book serves as an excellent introduction to the life of Saint Bernadette.
"'Twas the morning of Easter, before the sun rose, Two guards on a hillside were trying to doze. Now Jesus had died, only three days before, A huge stone was in place, sealed over the door." Written with a catchy rhythm, 'Twas the Morning of Easter is the perfect Easter basket gift.
This board book is a sweet read while still providing thoughtful insight. Follow Papa Bear and Little Bear as they discuss Easter.
Saint George and the Dragon is a Caldecott Medal Winner and on top of that an altogether beautiful read.
With simple, short quotes from each saint and an illustration to accompany it, Cloud of Witnesses is the perfect book for introducing saints to littles.
This book tells of a Jewish queen who not only loved her people and the Lord but stood by her Faith in times of distress.
Pascual, patron saint of kitchens, would not cook. But he trusted in the Lord and when he prayed, the angels cooked.
That Grand Easter Day! takes us to that day Mary came to the tomb and Jesus was nowhere to be seen.
Written by renowned author Scott Hahn and children's author Maura McKeegan, Seven Clues follows three children on their treasure hunt that aids in deepening their Catholic Faith. A great read during Sacraments season!
Born in France, Bernadette was a young girl who had a miraculous encounter with Our Lady of Lourdes.
Saint George was one of the first martyrs of the early Church. He is usually regarded as almost a mythical man. Jim Forest writes of the legend of Saint George, a brave Christian soldier who staunchly defends the princess and the villagers, while also addressing the symbolism behind the legend.
What are YOUR favorite picture books for the Easter season? Drop in the comments!
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