Books published by publisher Aunt Dee's Attic (2006-06-06)

This charming book begins with a heartwarming story of a baby baptism day. The story is written from the perspective of the baby and brings out all the newness and specialness of this day. The illustrations are by Bill Shurtliff who masterfully uses the family, home, and church settings, accentuated by angels, babies, and a few pets, to create an illustrated guide to the Sacrament of Baptism. The illustrated story is enough to make this a treasured book. But there is more. The Short Essays on Baptism that follow the story section are particularly enlightening for older children and adults. They serve to remind us of the history, meaning, and the absolute importance of the Sacrament of Baptism. Another feature that makes Today I Was Baptized special is the ability to personalize the book, making it a cherished memento of the baptism day. There is space for Mom and Dad, godparents, and others to write messages to the baby and describe the day. There is also an area for photographs and ot

Book #1 in the series, 'Adventures With Sister Philomena, Special Agent for the Pope. Riley and Delaney are supposed to stay with their aunt, Sister Philomena, in her convent near Rome for the summer. Riley expects this to be a horrible summer living in a convent with a bunch of nuns with nothing to do but pray and go to church. Not surprisingly that attitude starts to change when the secret nature of their aunt's work begins to unfold. On their first morning in Italy, Sister Philomena rushes Riley and Delaney to the Vatican to help the Pope with an intruder in the Apostolic Palace. The real Pope? How can his aunt know the real Pope? She must be nuts, thinks Riley. As it turns out, not only does she know the Pope, but Sister Philomena is his special agent and private investigator. In 'Lost In Peter's Tomb' the children learn about St. Peter and his role as Apostle, explore the Vatican Gardens, follow a mischievous white cat, make friends with a Swiss Guard, sidcover the grandeur of T. Peter's Basilica, and fall upon the mystery of Peter's tomb and relics. Unexpectedly they help the Pope and their aunt solve the mystery of the intruder and the theft of St. Peter's bones. In the end, Riley's fear of a horrible summer begins to fade away. It helps that his new friend, Capitano Leo, a Swiss Guard, hints that there will be other adventures coming their way because of the work of their aunt, Sister Philomena.

What happens when an affable parish priest is confronted by a pair of curious second graders who want to help him solve the Mystery of the Eucharist? Why, he turns it into a teaching opportunity for the entire First Communion class. The book is a wonderful combination of storybook, reference book, and keepsake book. The storybook section mixes a bit of 'who-done-it' drama with traditional religious education to uncover the mystery of faith. Father Hugo challenges the children to look throughout the church for clues to solve the Mystery. Then he and the parish staff together explain how the things they find, the prayers they say, and the music they sing all relate to Jesus Christ and the Eucharist. The reference section of the book contains a rendering of 'our church' that identifies the sacramentals and other items the children find. It also includes information children should know when making their First Communion. The last section of the book allows the First Communicant and his or her family to record the events of this special day, making it a lasting keepsake.

Break-In At The Basilica is the second book in the series of Adventures With Sister Philomena, Special Agent to the Pope. This time the Pope sends Sister Philomena to Assisi to investigate a break-in at the Basilica of Saint Francis. Unable to leave her summer visitiors, niece Delaney and nephew Riley, alone at her convent, Sister Philomena has them tag-along. Eager to assist their aunt in a search for clues the children explore the basilica, study its frescoes, sneak into the tomb of St. Francis, wander through the hilltown of Assisi and end up at the little church of San Damiano. Every once-in-a-while they spot a wolf or hear its howl or feel its presence. Is it real or a spirit? Good or evil? What is it trying to tell them? A turn of events brings the Abbess of the Sisters of Saint Clare of Assisi into the center of the investigation. She helps to catch the thief and determine his unusual punishment. The personal stories of Saint Francis and Saint Clare and the sights and sounds of Assisi are woven into this great tale of adventure in Italy.

Curse of the Coins is the third book in a series designed to help young readers discover elements of faith through stories of mystery, adventure, and travel. Set in modern Italy, this book takes Sister Philomena (the Pope s special agent!) and her niece and nephew (who just happen to be staying with her in the convent this summer) on a hunt through Rome to find the lost 30 pieces of silver that Judas was paid to betray Christ. Readers will learn about the Sistine Chapel, the great basilicas of Rome, the Passion of Christ, the lifestyle of Romans, Italian words and phrases, and famous works of art and architecture in the Vatican and Rome.

A childrens read-to-me story about a baby's baptism day. The story is written from the perspective of the baby watching the goings-on of the day. The story helps children to understand the Sacrament of Baptism and is especially helpful to prepare siblings for the Baptism of their new brother or sister. Six short essays explain the significance and traditions associated with Baptism. The essays are nice 'refreshers' for Christians who might not have thought about Baptism for a while, and are helpful to explain Baptism to individuals who have not received formal religious education. It becomes a keepsake book with pages for parents and godparents to write their own special message to the baby, include photos of the day, insert a copy of the baptism certificate, and more. It makes a perfect gift and keepsake to commemorate this special day.

Book #4 in the series, Adventures with Sister Philomena, Special Agent to the Pope. Even nuns get to take a holiday! In this adventure, Sister Philomena, her niece Delaney, and nephew Riley, are invited to Siena, Italy for the famous Palio horse race and festival. Their vacation plans abruptly change when they stumble upon mysterious documents while visiting the childhood home of Saint Catherine of Siena. It's possible they have found a centuries-old letter written by Saint Catherine along with a ransom note addressed to the Pope. Of course they must investigate! Their search for answers takes them on a fast trip across Europe to Avignon, France, and the famous Palace of the Popes. In the course of their investigation, the children learn about Saint Catherine and the history of the Church in the 1300s when the papacy was forced to flee from Rome to Avignon for safety. The book features peeks into the cultures of both Italy and France and teaches a few Italian and French words and phrases.