On the Feast of Saint Brigid

We filled our February Book Basket this afternoon and read a short story about Saint Brigid from Saints for Girls for today's feast. Happy feast of Saint Brigid!

.: From the Archives :. 

Celebrating the Saints :: Saint Brigid of Ireland

Saint Brigid's Hearty Healing Beef Stew

Feasts & Seasons :: Our February Book Basket

Pro-Life Prints :: Helping Others

"Yet Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay and You our Potter: we are all the work of Your hand." ~ Isaiah 64:7

We are three-quarters of the way through this week's Pro-Life Prints project! Today's Lesson 3 was all about "Helping Others." We discussed the importance of helping others and how we always need to treat others with respect, kindness, and love. 

Our five year old loves to include his toys whenever possible and brought out the elephants he received for his birthday last month as soon as he saw that we were going to be rereading Horton Hears a Who! I also pulled out a couple other books that tied in nicely to today's theme: Roses in the Snow: A Tale of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and LOVE from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 

.: Standing Up for Others :. 

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

- Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss

Horton Hears a Who!

.: Pro-Life Rose :. 

"Like a rose, every human being is beautiful and delicate."

Roses in the Snow: A Tale of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary 

.: Pro-Life Butterfly :. 

"Preborn babies are delicate like a butterfly.

We have to protect and pray for them!" 

LOVE from The Very Hungry Caterpillar

(We also talked about all the flutters I've been feeling lately... Our own preborn baby is very active!) 

.: Today's Pro-Life Prints & Picture Books :. 

Roses in the Snow: A Tale of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
LOVE from The Very Hungry Caterpillar • Horton Hears a Who!

I received another coupon code from Culture of Life Studies Program today! 

Here's one for 35% OFF this project using M4LSALE2017

Saints on the Go!

November 3rd - Feast of St. Martin de Porres

St. Martin always preached, "Love every creature that you meet." 

So when he found sick animals, he saved them off the street. 

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! 

You could hear him walking by, 

Whether mice, cats, dogs, or donkeys: none he would deny.

- Saints on the Go!

Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Saints on the Go! along with three of the Shining Light Dolls featured in the book: Saint Martin de Porres, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, and Saint Padre Pio. You can enter the giveaway here!

I'll be back later today with the list of books we've picked out for this year's feast of St. Nicholas (only one month from today!) along with another great giveaway!

New Picture Book for Our November Book Basket: Saints on the Go! {Review & Giveaway}

We are getting ready to celebrate All Saints Day (November 1st) and I have a beautiful brand new book to add to Our November Book Basket this year! Like the author's previous book, The Virgin Mary Around the World and all the coordinating dolls, my little ones are going to love seeing more of their favorite dolls pictured in this story while learning interesting little facts about each of the saints lives. 

The feast of St. Martin de Porres is also coming up this week on November 3rd! 

In addition to Saint Martin de Porres, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, and Saint Padre Pio, this book also features St. Joan of Arc, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Bosco, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, St. Katherine Drexel, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Josemaria Escriva, and St. Pope John Paul II.

.: Giveaway :. 

Shining Light Dolls has generously offered to send one of my visitors a copy of Saints on the Go! plus three of the saints featured in this brand new book: Saint Martin de Porres Shining Light Doll, Saint Padre Pio Shining Light Doll, and the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Shining Light Doll.

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find our complete list of saint books for the month of November here:

Feasts & Seasons :: Our November Book Basket

Two Brand New Mother Teresa Picture Books {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}

I love collecting picture books about the saints! These brand new picture books about Mother Teresa, sent from Ignatius Press for us to review, will be a welcome addition to Our September Book Basket this year, just in time for her canonization on September 4th.

.: Mother Teresa: The Smile of Calcutta :.

Excellent for every age, the timely book Mother Teresa: The Smile of Calcutta is another touching addition to The Life of a Saint series.

Written for children, the story of soon to be canonized Mother Teresa, will certainly move readers of all ages and be treasured by adults and children alike.

The book gives readers an in-depth look at the life of a modern day saint and her example provides us a model, foundation, and remedy against modern injustices against life. Mother Teresa’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and unwavering defense of life at all stages is evident in this little story. Mother Teresa’s ability to see God in suffering souls and lift them up from despair and rejection and regain the dignity and hope that God desires in all His children is captured here with soul stirring effect.

The reader will be inspired by her charity and her timeless statements quoted throughout the book, such as: “It’s enough to turn toward Jesus and say, ‘I love you, my God, I have trust in you, I believe in you, I need you.’ Little things as simple as that. These are wonderful prayers.” Strongly encouraged for readers of all ages.

Other books in the series include: Therese: The Little Flower of Lisieux, John Mary Vianney: The Holy Cure of Ars, and Bernadette: The Little Girl from Lourdes which can all be found in our book baskets, as well as Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi and Peter, Apostle of Jesus which are on our "wish list."

.: Mother Teresa of Calcutta :. 

The full color illustrated book Mother Teresa of Calcutta details the life of this soon to be canonized saint of our modern times.

Written for ages 9 and up, Mother Teresa of Calcutta records significant events in the life of Mother Teresa that readers of all ages will find inspirational and appealing.

This picture book shows its readers how with nothing but a burning love in her heart to serve God through the suffering souls in her midst bearing His image, Mother Teresa was able to change the face of an entire region and impress upon the modern world the living Gospel of Christ in action. Catholics will find intriguing facts of how Mother Teresa formed her Order, even explaining in detail the choice of the simple habit and colors Mother Teresa chose for herself and her sisters. The book details significant chapters of Mother Teresa's life including a section under the heading “All Life Is Sacred” where Mother Teresa is quoted saying, “Life is God’s life in us, even in an unborn child.”

The final pages of Francine Bay’s book display a timeline of her life from birth to canonization, a prayer to St. Teresa of Calcutta invoking her saintly intercession, and ending with this beautiful Meditation of Mother Teresa:

“The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.”

.: Giveaway :.

Ignatius Press has offered to give away one of each of these brand new picture books to my visitors here at Shower of Roses as we prepare to celebrate the canonization of Mother Teresa! Two winners will be selected, one for each book.

Mother Teresa: The Smile of Calcutta 

(Giveaway has ended - Congratulations Abigail!)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

(Giveaway has ended - Congratulations Carrie!) 

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter Box here.

You can find additional picture books about Mother Teresa listed in Our September Book Basket.

Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb: Jonah and Jesus {Sponsored Review & Giveaway}

"The New Testament lies hidden in the Old, 

and the Old is unveiled in the New." 

- Saint Augustine (from title page of Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb)

In the same thread as the author's first book in the "Old and New" series, which I was excited to add to our collection last Easter, comes the story of Jonah and Jesus, which I purchased for our children this Easter! This beautiful and colorfully illustrated book for children is a simple way for them to discover biblical typology.

Without having to endure a weighty lecture on this topic, children can easily flip through the pages of the "Old and New" series books and ignite a simple yet deep understanding of the Old Testament foundations prefiguring the New Testament covenant between God and man. 

It is refreshing to see an author realizes the importance of this finely woven thread in our salvation history. Absorbing this material as a child will assuredly provide them a deeper appreciation for the Faith and our place in salvation history.  As a parent my heartfelt thanks to Maura Roan McKeegan for enlightening our children's minds to biblical typology.

The End of the Fiery Sword: Adam & Eve and Jesus & Mary

Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb: Jonah and Jesus

.: Giveaway :.

Emmaus Road Publishing has generously offered to send THREE of my visitors a paperback edition of Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb: Jonah and Jesus!  The winners will be selected and announced in this post next Sunday. The books will be shipped to the winners directly from Emmaus Road Publishing.

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find the rest of the books in Our April Book Basket and Our Lent & Easter Book Baskets in the archives.