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Caddie Woodlawn is the story of a young tom-boyish girl who grew up in pioneer Wisconsin during the Civil War (this story predates the first book of the Little House series by about 25 years - but they are quite close geographically). Caddie's father was the grandson of an English Lord, but as his mother was from the lower classes, his father was disowned and the family grew up impoverished. He emigrated to America where he married a charming Boston lady with whom he raised a family of eight children. They moved to Wisconsin when Caddie (short for Caroline) was very young. Soon after their move (still before the story begins) they lost their five year old girl due to her sickly "constitution". Because of this, Caddie's parents decide to let her grow up in the out-of-doors where she spends a great deal of time adventuring in their nearby woods with her brothers. (This was quite uncommon for girls in those days.) There they meet real-life Indians and develop a curious friendship with them. They also hear somewhat wild Irish folktales from their golden-hearted Irish farmhand (you may want to read these tales yourself before presenting them to little ones), and are involved in a real-life "Incredible Journey" when their dog, Nero, amazingly returns to them after being lost several states away. Caddie's mother still does have an influence on her daughter and over the course of the story (in which Caddie is 11 years old) Caddie begins to develop a sense of what it means to be a lady, despite her rough ways. Like the Little House books, this story is neither Catholic nor particularly religious, but full of good old-fashioned family values and a proper devotion to parents - you particularly see the children's strong admiration for their father, who is simple, honest, hardworking, understanding, and plays a very active role in his children's daily lives.

The story is written by Caddie's granddaughter who, orphaned at a young age, was actually raised by Caddie and grew up listening to these stories from her grandmother's childhood. This grandmotherly wisdom shows through in the book in the way the stories were selected and told.

Our family recently enjoyed visiting Caddie Woodlawn Historic Park, near the Minnesota border in Western Wisconsin. It's a very simple place where you can walk through Caddie's house (no tourist guides or anything - you just walk through the empty house on your own) and visit a memorial to Caddie's sister Mary who is buried in an unknown place on the property. Reading this book (and visiting Caddie's house) were good opportunities for me as a mother to reflect on some of John Senior's ideas from the Restoration of Christian Culture on the benefits of a simpler life.

On a related note: I found the movie (of the same name) done by Wonderworks terribly disappointing. Most notably, they took one of my (and apparently the author's) favorite characters - the noble and loving Robert Ireton, and turned him into a mean and cowardly character.

Canadian Summer continues the story of the Mitchell Family (this is the second book in the series) several years after World War II. Baby Catherine has joined the family. Father is back from the war and has moved to Quebec for his job. He has difficulty finding housing for the family, but finally makes arrangements and sends Mother, Granny and the children up on the train. Upon arriving, the ladies are shocked to find that accomodations consist of a remote ski cabin lacking electricity or running water. Doctors and stores are many miles away and transportation is nearly impossible. Wild animals and a big lake worry Mother, but intrigue the children. Of course they discover the pleasures and difficulties of rural life and have many interesting and humorous adventures.

Hilda Van Stockum is a gifted storyteller whose motherly (and grandmotherly) experience is evident in all of her books. The little details and stories, so grounded in the truth and reality of large loving families, are just plain wonderful. These books are highly recommended.

Vol. 2 Jesus in my Heart
In volume two, the characters include the dad, his two children, and their cousins, Sarah and Jesse. The setting is a camping trip by a lake. As the family with their cousins gathers around the evening campfire, the dad relates stories of what it means to have Jesus in your heart, and how to imitate Jesus even in difficult moments. My only suggestion is that we discuss with our children that as parents we have already invited Jesus into their "hearts" (souls) when they were baptized as infants. But it is always good for children to meditate on what it means to be a good Catholic and consciously invite him into their hearts. The CD also provided a "teaching moment" for my six-year-old daughter who did not understand why the cousins' dad did not love their mother any more. Along with conversation that deepens your children's faith, songs they like to sing and sound effects that catch their attention, the story will lead them to a greater understanding of what the true "ultimate" in life is.

In September 1965, Pope Paul VI issued the encyclical titled Mysterium Fidei (Mystery of Faith) to provide the faithful with the teachings of the Catholic Church on the doctrine and worship of the Holy Eucharist. The first half of Catechism on the Real Presence is an eloquent question-and-answer catechism that carefully details each of the main points of Mysterium Fidei, cross-referenced to specific paragraphs in the document itself. The latter half of the book contains the entire text of the encyclical itself as a convenient reference. Also included are notes which refer to various Bible readings, encyclicals, and the writings of the Church fathers. Finally, a topical index points the reader to both the related questions in the catechism and the paragraph in Mysterium Fidei.

Father Hardon's ability to take a difficult subject and explain it with directness and simplicity shines in this catechism. The very first question tells us why we should make time to study this topic in depth both for ourselves as the catechists of our children and for our children themselves. Question 1 asks, "What is the most precious treasure of the Catholic Church?" The answer is, "The most precious treasure of the Catholic Church is the Holy Eucharist, which is the most fundamental truth of the Catholic faith." This book is a valuable addition to a high school level apologetics or doctrine class, or to a Confirmation preparation course for older students.