Book Week! & A Little Book about Confession

Welcome to Book Week!

wooooo-hoooooo!

Over the last month or so I have read a handful of books that were each so very good I knew I wanted to tell you about them. I decided to set aside a week to do a review each day and, thanks to the generous folks at Ignatius Press and Magnificat, I also have a free copy of Kendra Tierney's A Little Book about Confession for Children to give away at the end of the week.

If you have read any of the books I'm reviewing I'd love to hear your thoughts, too! Leave a comment or link to your own post in the combox.

A Little Book about Confession for Children

Written by Kendra Tierney

Illustrations by Maria Ashton

As far as I'm concerned every Catholic home should have a copy of this book.

A Little Book about Confession for Children is ordered in a logical way, with all of its sections building upon the previous content: a glossary in the beginning, a QandA section next, a review of the Ten Commandments, saints who can help us prepare for and make a good confession, and an excellent examination of conscience. The book ends with a word-by-word write up of the dialogue in the confessional with directions for what to do and say and what the priest will do and say. Throughout the book are warm, sweet illustrations, my favorite being of the priest listening to a boy's confession.

Kendra wrote A Little Book about Confession for Children because she couldn't find a good resource to prepare her son for his first confession. Pamphlets and books did exist but none of them were really age appropriate. The reason, I believe, that this book is so perfect is because she wrote it not only as a catechist and educator but as a mom.

Because she is writing as an educator everything is clear, intelligent, and applicable. Because she is writing as a catechist everything is orthodox and written to illuminate the beauty of the Catholic faith and the Sacrament of Reconcilliation. Because she is writing as a mom everything is written in a warm tone and in a voice that does not speak down to the child asking the questions and preparing for the Sacrament (or even the parents!) but with much respect and encouragement.

Some of my favorite details about A Little Book about Confession for Children are the flaps on the book's cover that serve as easy-to-use guides to making a confession, praying an Act of Contrition, and doing an examination of conscience, and the excellent examination of conscience that reviews each of the Ten Commandments and gives age appropriate questions to make sure they're keeping the commandment. For example, "You Shall Not Kill" is followed by, "Did I try to make other people happy? Did I try to help them when they needed it?" and so on.

I know Kendra wrote this book for second graders but I think it is a powerful and useful tool for kids throughout grade school and on. I could see this book being helpful to converts, reverts, and even to non believers who just want to understand what Catholics believe about confession. Heck, I even got something out of the book and I'm a 32 year old woman who's been actively practicing the Catholic faith my whole life!

Do yourself a favor, enter to win a free, autographed copy of A Little Book about Confession for Children. And if you don't win, go ahead and buy one. You won't be sorry you did.

"Happy Confessing!"

Kendra Tierney

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