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Book Review – Brave Water

By Leslea Wahl

Brave Water by Sarah Robsdottir

Review:

Brave Water is a moving tale about a single day in the life of a teenage girl from a remote African village. This book highlights many difficult topics that sadly are daily struggles for many people around the world. The unique story is told through multiple viewpoints, as well as numerous flashbacks, but mainly unfolds from Talitha’s point of view. During her long daily trek to the only fresh water source for her village, Talitha experiences a day that completely alters her life.

In this one story the author skillfully highlights the life-saving importance of clean drinking water, the horrors of human trafficking, the vital yet dangerous role of Christian missionaries, the brutality and corruption of wealthy mine owners, heart-breaking poverty, and the beautifully rich culture of an African village.

Living in an abundance of food, water, and medicine, it can be easy to forget that there are still places in this world that have none of that. The author has created an intriguing story that doesn’t shy away from these difficult topics but addresses them in a sensitive way at a teen level. Brave Water is a gripping story about redemption, forgiveness, love, and faith that will stay with you for a very long time.

 

Summary:

Girls are disappearing on their way to the spring…

Will fear stop Talitha, the sole water gatherer for her hut, from searching for her friend—even if it means scaling the walls of the mine owners’ compound, where locals are shot on sight?

And will terror block Moses’ path—or can this teenage hunter battle an underground human trafficking ring with ties to the cities on the other side of Great Mountain?

Join Talitha and Moses on their journey, one marked with violent drug lords, crippling jealousy, blinding anger, but also…tremendous beauty. And, the flutters of first love.

Meet other villagers and colorful characters along the way, all of whom are grappling with dire loss after a recent mine explosion. Become acquainted with multiple generations of a missionary family who sacrificed all, moving out to the African bush to fulfill a driving passion—one that most would call a crazy dream. Listen, as ageless questions are carried in on the hot winds of the Great Red Valley: Do you know what it means to truly be brave? And, what if you had to risk your life for a simple cup of water?

 

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School Tagged With: book review, Brave Water, Leslea Wahl, Sarah Robsdottir

Class Begins!

By Deanna Bartalini

In the best possible scenario, your whole class arrives at the same time, sits down, and you can begin the great lesson you have prepared. In reality, well, that’s not quite what happens. And we all know that the longer you wait to engage your group, the more difficult it is to get their attention when you are ready to begin.

What to do?

This is where some seatwork or something to watch or listen to is helpful. I’ve rounded up a few podcasts and YouTube video channels created for Catholic kids that can be a good start and place to focus.

Podcasts

Saint Stories for Kids: I don’t think new episodes are being added, but there are over 150 past episodes to choose from.

Catholic Sprouts Podcast: Each day a new episode drops with topics ranging from virtues to sacraments to prayers. They are short and focused!

YouTube

Spirit Juice Kids: Lego stories, praying together, saint stories, ABCs – something for everyone on this channel for sure.

Marcam!: Short videos that take kids on a tour of the sacristy, how a church is built, the Mass and more. It has moved to Formed, so you can access it there if you have a subscription. But if not, there are at least 20 videos here.

Engage Them

As soon as your students come in, engage them. If you prefer pencil and paper activities, take a look at these Sunday Gospel activities from Catholic Mom. You can print those out as a review of the past Sunday’s Mass.

Be prepared to start your time together on the right foot.

What do you like to do during that time before class officially begins?

 

Read all posts by Deanna Bartalini Filed Under: Elementary School, Featured, Middle School, Resources, Sunday's Gospel, Video Tagged With: Catholic, class time, Faith Formation, kids podcasts, podcast, video resources

Book Review – The Secret Tomb

By Leslea Wahl

The Secret Tomb by Sophie de Mullenheim

Review:

This middle-grade book is part of the In the Shadows of Rome series published by Ignatius Press. I had not read any of the previous books before reading this novel and was easily able to understand the characters and the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am now quite curious about the other books in the series.

Titus and Maximus are young teen boys living in ancient Rome. They’ve shared numerous adventures together, but nothing has prepared them for this latest quest. They live in a very precarious time—the Roman Emperor is governing with an iron fist, dissenters are not tolerated, and Christians are being hunted down and persecuted. As youngsters, life has been fairly easy for this pair of friends, but as they near adulthood, much is now expected of them.

Life suddenly changes drastically for Titus when his father decides that it is time for his son to become a man. After an elaborate ceremony to mark the life change, Titus must now wear the garments of a man and be expected to put his childhood games and friendships behind him. What he doesn’t expect is that his father has paired him up with a Roman police officer to help toughen him up. While this is the last thing that Titus wants, he knows he cannot disappoint his father and works hard, using his unique skills to impress his mentor.

Meanwhile, Maximus is facing his own problems. He is harboring a deadly secret that must remain hidden—he has become a follower of Christ. Danger grows as the secret Christian community is being targeted and persecuted. As scared as he is, Maximus cannot deny his newfound beliefs. When Maximus is tasked with a most precarious mission, he finds himself in even more danger. With his slave and friend, Aghiles, at his side, he embarks on a search of finding where Saint Peter has been buried to protect the great Apostle’s remains from being destroyed. Little does Maximus know that Titus has also been tasked with the same mission but for very different reasons.

This book was a great read, fast-paced and full of excitement. While I haven’t read the previous books, I do feel this would be a fantastic series for young teens. Set in ancient Rome, the reader will learn about the early church and what Roman society was like during that time through the adventures of these likable characters. This series is definitely one to check out!

Summary:

The Secret Tomb is the 5th volume of the gripping series titled In the Shadows of Rome (6 books total). Being a Christian in ancient Rome was very dangerous. To spread the faith and stay alive, you had to live in the shadows . . .

Titus’ father thinks his son is a coward and arranges a stay with the police to make a man out of him. Soon, Titus finds himself hunting down Christians and trying to discover where they’ve hidden the body of Peter, Apostle of Jesus, who died 250 years earlier. Meanwhile, his friend Maximus is given the mission to find Peter’s tomb before it’s destroyed. Will their friendship survive the test of their loyalties?

Follow their adventures as they forge priceless friendships—and discover the many secrets lurking in the shadows of the Rome.

 

 

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, Middle School Tagged With: book review, Leslea Wahl

Book Review – Charting the Course

By Leslea Wahl

Today, I’ll be sharing about my latest faith-based teen adventure—Charting the Course.

Summary:

Hang on tight as the twists and turns of this high-seas adventure leave you bracing for the next wave of intrigue.

Ever since Liz’s parents divorced, she and her father have endured a strained relationship. So, she’s surprised when he invites her to spend part of the holidays with him on a Caribbean cruise. However, this is not just any cruise but his 30th high school reunion. While Liz dreamt of such a vacation, being stranded on a ship with her estranged father is not her idea of a merry holiday.

While an anonymous note, an onboard mystery, and a cute boy help turn the tide on the unwanted trip, Liz and her father drift even further apart. Then when Liz’s reckless actions create a tsunami of unintended consequences, she recognizes that she’s drowning in pent-up hurt and anger. As her carefully created façade begins to ebb away, she turns to her faith and sets off to chart a new course for her life.

Set amid the beauty of the Caribbean islands, Charting the Course delves into the topics of fractured families, generational high-school dramas, taking responsibility for your actions, and focusing on faith to keep us anchored.

 

Background Information:

Through this novel, I was able to bring together several elements that I’d wanted to write about for years—a mystery aboard a cruise ship, a parent’s high school drama, and a non-Catholic discovering the faith.

A cruise ship with its secluded setting always seemed like an ideal location for a mystery. Throughout the story I also include several real incidents that my family experienced on cruises, such as many family card games, shore excursions, a favorite piano player, and an onboard scavenger hunt.

One of the interesting aspects of the story is the class reunion that Liz’s father is attending while on the cruise. For years I’d thought it would be fun for a teen character to get a glimpse into the adolescence of a parent to see that many issues that teens deal with today are ones that their parents also struggled with. Liz and her father have a strained relationship due to divorce, so this was the perfect story for that element.

The main character Liz is the best friend of Josie, the main character in my novel, Into the Spotlight. Liz was a relatively small character in the first book, but over the years, I thought about her often and eventually decided it was time to explore her story. Liz is not Catholic but has attended Catholic church with Josie in the past. When Josie gives Liz a novena to pray while on her trip, Liz begins to learn more about the Church. I actually wrote more about Liz’s conversion in my short story, Finishing the Journey, which is part of the CatholicTeenBooks anthology, Ashes: Visible & Invisible.

All my teen novels include an underlying theme. For this book, that theme is the importance of forgiveness. I hope you journey along with Liz on this faith-filled adventure.

Amazon Link

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School Tagged With: book review, Leslea Wahl

Book Review – Friends in High Places

By Leslea Wahl

Friends in High Places: Carlo Acutis by Corinna Turner

Review:

This short story by Corinna Turner is a fabulous introduction to the extraordinary life of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Carlo was an incredible, modern teen who died at the young age of 15 from leukemia. Amazingly, this young man is already on the road to sainthood. It’s incredible for young people to have such an inspirational role model with who they can identify with. Carlo enjoyed playing soccer, video games, and hanging out with friends. He was also deeply devoted to his faith and even used his interest in computers to create a website about Eucharistic miracles.

Turner’s fictional story revolves around another young teen who is also diagnosed with leukemia. Daniel, and his family, are struggling to deal with his devasting diagnosis. When his Priest shares with him the Carlo Acutis Novena, Daniel finally finds a special friend who understands what he is going through. With the help of the prayers of the Novena and learning more about Carlo’s faith and kindness, Daniel is able to come to terms with whatever his future might hold. This story is a wonderful way for anyone to learn about Carlo and provides a powerful reflection on how we are living our own lives.

Summary:

DEAD? DEFINE DEAD.

“You have leukemia.”

Daniel’s just received the worst news a teen can get. The adults in his life are crumbling under the shock. In desperation, he turns to his parish priest for help and is introduced to a boy his age, Carlo Acutis—who just happens to be dead.
Daniel’s convinced the priest is wasting his time. But as he struggles to come to terms with his uncertain future an unlikely friendship develops between him and the holy dead boy—who may not be quite so dead after all.

The Boy Who Knew is the first title in Carnegie Medal nominee Corinna Turner’s new Friends in High Places series. If you’ve always been interested in the saints but find dry biographies boring and hard to get through, this fast-paced story is for you.

 

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School, Middle School Tagged With: Carlo Acutis, Corinna Turner, Friends in High Places, Leslea Wahl

Book Review – The Treasure With a Face

By Leslea Wahl

The Treasure With a Face by Janeen Zaio

Review:

This was a fun, middle-grade story with a fantastic main character. From the very first page, I knew Eli was someone I would enjoy going on an adventure with, and that is exactly what I did. Living in the middle east during the time of Jesus’ ministry is not an easy time to be alive. Especially if you are a boy who longs to hunt for treasure but is stuck living and working for his difficult uncle. When Eli finally gets the chance for adventure, it is not at all what he expected. As he journeys to Jerusalem by order of his uncle, he hopes for a chance to meet Jesus. While the adventures he encounters along the way give him a taste of a life he longs for, he really hopes that Jesus will be able to give him the needed clue to find the treasure that the Jewish people have been searching for. But when he discovers that he’s too late and that Jesus has been killed, will all be lost, or will he discover that the greatest treasure is something that he could never have imagined?

Summary:

Twelve-year-old Eli lives in ancient Israel and dreams of being a treasure hunter instead of his uncle’s metal-smithing apprentice. Uncle Shem is the kind of man who would tell Jesus that He walked on water the wrong way.

When Uncle Shem reluctantly sends the boy on a 120-mile journey to Jerusalem to deliver a fragile mirror, it seems like an impossible mission for a clumsy apprentice. Eli resolves not only to redeem himself in the eyes of his uncle, but also to begin his life as a real treasure hunter. He aims to find nothing less than the Ark of the Covenant! Of course flames reportedly shoot out the bottom of the Ark, and people who touch it tend to die, but that’s not going to deter Eli.

When a mysterious stranger, who seems to share a secret past with Uncle Shem, gives Eli a worn Roman artifact, the boy never imagines how much he’ll appreciate the object during the perilous journey ahead. Enemies await both along the way and within Jerusalem’s imposing walls.

And there’s another reason to visit the City of David in AD 33: Jesus. For who other than the all-knowing Son of God might know where to find the ultimate treasure?

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured Tagged With: book review, Janeen Zaio, Leslea Wahl, The Treasure with a Face

Faith Through Fiction Vlog Post – Making Friends

By Leslea Wahl

About the Faith Through Fiction Vlog Series.

CatholicTeenBooks.com was founded upon the desire to provide entertaining Catholic fiction that can build your faith. And with this goal in mind, authors T.M. Gaouette and Leslea Wahl have taken it a step further by creating the Faith Through Fiction video blogs. With these vlogs we will dive into issues that teens face and present fiction that addresses relevant themes.

When it comes to friends, maybe your only question is if you have enough. Maybe you only have a few friends, or maybe you don’t have any. But there’s a truth about making friends that you really should consider. A. J. Cattapan joins T. M. Gaouette and Leslea Wahl to discuss friendship.

 

Featured Author: A. J. Cattapan

Featured Books:

7 Riddles to Nowhere by A.J. Cattapan

The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl

An Unexpected Role (Now titled Into the Spotlight)  by Leslea Wahl 

Saint Michael the Archangel Academy series by Andrea Jo Rodgers

8 Notes to a Nobody by Cynthia T. Toney

Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden 

Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon by Corinna Turner

Freeing Tanner Rose by T. M. Gaouette

Saving Faith  by T. M. Gaouette


Making Friends (catholicteenbooks.com)

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School, Middle School, Values Tagged With: A.J. Cattapan, Bookreviews, CatholicTeenBooks, Faith Through Fiction, Leslea Wahl, TM Gaouette

Teen Book Review – Miracle at the Mission

By Leslea Wahl

Miracle at the Mission by Joseph Lewis

Review:

Looking for the perfect blend of relatable characters, fascinating history, intriguing mystery, and strong faith? Look no further than Miracle at the Mission. Author Joseph Lewis’ vivid descriptions of the California coast help sweep the reader away on an epic adventure.

High school friends Joe and Pete are honored with a trip to California. Their exciting trip leads to one they will never forget. This story is told from many different angles, creating a richly compelling story. I also enjoyed how the current historical elements make this story a time capsule of the unique era we are living in.

Summary:

After recovering from their daring exploits in the exciting first book of the series, The Ghosts of Westthorpe Academy, best friends Joe Pryce and Pete Figueroa return for another thrilling, action-adventure in Miracle at the Mission.

During a summer trip to California, Joe and Pete visit Mission San Antonio de Padua where they meet an old Franciscan monk who warns them of the dangers they will soon face. The boys are drawn into a series of events filled with suspense, mystery, espionage, a high-speed car chase, and an assassination attempt by Russian operatives on the President of the United States.

Caught up in the pursuit of the assassins, the boys discover they have become suspects in the investigation. They must prove their innocence while also counting on the guidance of the old padre, who happens to bear a strange resemblance to Saint Junipero Serra himself.

With the world teetering on the brink of an international crisis, the story reaches its climax at another mission—Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel—where the boys and a large gathering of people witness an incredible miracle that changes their lives forever.

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School Tagged With: book review, Joe Lewis, Leslea Wahl, Miracle at the Mission

Faith Through Fiction Vlog Post – Temptation

By Leslea Wahl

 

About the Faith Through Fiction Vlog Series.

CatholicTeenBooks.com was founded upon the desire to provide entertaining Catholic fiction that can build your faith. And with this goal in mind, authors T.M. Gaouette and Leslea Wahl have taken it a step further by creating the Faith Through Fiction video blogs. With these vlogs we will dive into issues that teens face and present fiction that addresses relevant themes.

While temptation is an issue that affects all of us, and in so many different ways, teens deal with it at a more potent level. Why? Because as teens, you’re at a point in life where you’re given more responsibility and freedoms, opening you up to many different temptations. Join CatholicTeenBooks authors as we discuss this very relevant topic.

 

Featured author: Carolyn Astfalk

 

Featured Books:

Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk

Standing Strong by Theresa Linden

The Siege of Reginald Hill by Corinna Turner

Freeing Tanner Rose by T. M. Gaouette

6 Dates to Disaster by Cynthia T. Toney

Secrets: Visible & Invisible by CTB authors

Where You Lead by Leslea Wahl

Temptation (catholicteenbooks.com)

Read all posts by Leslea Wahl Filed Under: Book Reviews, Featured, High School, Video Tagged With: Carolyn Astfalk, CatholicTeenBooks, Faith Through Fiction, teen novels, teens

The Woman At the Well

By Tanja Cilia

as retold by Tanja Cilia

The woman was looking around her furtively.  She was feeling uncomfortable, knowing that she did not “belong” where she was. This woman was from Samaria, and Samaritans were the mixed race of the Assyrians and the Jews of the former northern kingdom.  So they were neither one, nor the other.

She was a woman at a time when women were treated as second-class citizens.  She was a foreigner, living in a strange country.  She was not married, but she lived with a man, and this meant that the other women looked down upon her.

This is why we find her at the well in the oppressive noon heat, “the sixth hour”.  This well was dug on the plot of ground that Jacob gave His son Joseph.  The other women used to fetch the water in the early morning, or in the evening, when it was cool.  So in order not to meet them, she used to go when the sun beat down mercilessly upon her; but at least she did not have to avoid the eyes of the others, knowing that their malicious whispers were gossip about her.

This story happened when Jesus was traveling to Samaria. Now we must realize that the Jews avoided all contact with the Samaritans, and even with their country, if at all possible.  For a Jew to call another Jew “A Samaritan” was a grave insult – in fact, in the Gospel of John [8:42] we find how during a quarrel, some of His fellow countrymen told Jesus “You are a  Samaritan, and you are possessed by a demon.”

Jesus could have taken another road, skirting past Samaria, but He did not.  He wanted this event to happen. He and the disciples came to a town called Sychar.

So, imagine her surprise when a man comes to the well, and talks to her.  From His clothes, she realized that He was a Jew – and at that time, men just didn’t walk up to women and engage them in conversation – not even if the women were related them and especially so if the women were foreigners.

So it is to be expected, somehow, that the conversation which follows is not one that would have occurred between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman. For instance, there was the quasi-theological discussion about where God prefers to be worshipped – in Jerusalem, or on Mount Gerizim.

Jesus tells her “Believe me; the hour is coming when we will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. Indeed, the hour is already here when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.”

Jesus, of course, knew all the answers.  But He had a lesson to teach her – and us. That is why when the disciples had gone into the town to buy food, Jesus stayed behind.

He asked the woman to slake His thirst – and she was taken aback.   This would entail her lending Him a cup – and that was unthinkable. “What? You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan!”

The Gospel explains that ‘Jews will not use the same cups or dishes that Samaritans use’, because Jews considered themselves as pure, whereas to them Samaritans were racially impure. Then He told her that He, too, had water, but His water was special because it gave eternal life.

She could not comprehend the deep meaning to His words.  She stated the obvious – that He could not bring up water from the well, because He did not have a bucket.  Perhaps with a bit of sarcasm in her voice, she asked whether He was greater than the forefather Jacob; who, it was said, had constructed the ancestral well, used by generations of people, each father and mother taking the children to it as a necessary part of tradition.

Then, she though better of it.  How much better it would be to have the water that this person would give her, and never thirst again. Oh, this would mean she could steer clear of the well, and she would never, ever, have to see those women again.

Then, something inside her moved, and she realized that Jesus was special.  She told Him, not asked Him, whether He was a prophet. She stated adamantly that she knew the Messiah was coming, and that when He came, He would make known all the things that until then would have been hidden. It is pertinent to note that the conversation between Jesus and the woman takes up nearly 40 verses in the Bible.

At this point, Jesus said the beautiful words that she treasured forever after: “I am He, the One who is speaking to you.”

Can you blame the woman for being so excited?  She dropped everything – and this is an important thing – and ran into the village, telling everyone what had happened.  She begged them to go to the well and meet Jesus. “He told me everything I have ever done!”

Later, when the disciples returned with food for Jesus, He told them He had food they didn’t know about. They assumed the woman had shared her lunch with Him.

Exactly because she was a Samaritan, people from her nation went to look for Jesus, something they might not have done if the Good News had been told by a Jew.

We do not know the name of this woman – but the Eastern Orthodox Church gives her the name Saint Photina (from the word for “light”), and celebrate her feast on February 28. The well is re-named as The Well of Jacob and Jesus.

The woman, like Saint Paul, is honored as an Apostle and as an Evangelist who spread The Good News, and there are apocryphal stories about her that say she went to Carthage and Smyrna in Asia Minor.

This is the hymn sung in her honor:

 

By the well of Jacob, O holy one, thou didst find

The water of eternal and blessed life.

And having partaken thereof,

O wise Photina,

thou went forth proclaiming

Christ, the Anointed One and the light of the world.

Great Photina, equal-to-the-Apostles,

Pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.

Read all posts by Tanja Cilia Filed Under: Bible Stories, Featured Tagged With: The Samaritan Woman

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