1. Reviews
  2. Stories for Children

Stories for Children

The Princess and the Kiss

Book cover: 'The Princess and the Kiss'
Author(s): 
Jennie Bishop
Subject(s): 
Stories for Children
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Resource Type: 
Picture Books
Copyright: 
2000
Review: 

"Long ago, in a wonderful castle on a mountain of splendor, a beautiful princess was born." So begins the story of The Princess and the Kiss, a tale of a young woman's - in this case princess's - first kiss. On the day she is born, her parents present her with this special gift from God. In a secret room in a castle tower, it is kept safely hidden away under glass. When she is old enough, her parents explain the treasured value of this precious gift and warn her to not give it to just anybody. Heeding their wise advice, she is not one to be bamboozled by the many interesting suitors who vie for her hand, from Prince Peacock to Prince Romance to Prince Treasurechest. She wonders if there ever will be a young man special enough for her to give her first kiss. At last, she meets a young man who impresses her with the purity of his heart.

In this day and age of sexual amorality, the ideal of purity and saving one's first kiss for another pure heart is refreshingly beautiful, especially since both of them have saved their first kiss for each other. For my four-year-old and seven-year-old daughters, this is one of their favorite stories, quite worn out already.

Publisher: 
Warner Press
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Additional notes: 

originally appeared in Heart and Mind Magazine, Summer 2005 - used with permission

Review Date: 
1999
Reviewed by: 
Elizabeth Yank
TitleSort: 
Princess and the Kiss

The Squire and the Scroll

Author(s): 
Jennie Bishop
Subject(s): 
Stories for Children
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Resource Type: 
Picture Books
Copyright: 
2004
Review: 

With colorful, dramatic illustrations and a story to inspire children, The Squire and the Scroll is sure to be a favorite. Written as a parable set in an imaginary kingodm, a wicked dragon has stolen the Lantern of Purest Light. This is not just any ordinary light, but a "Lantern that gave freedom to all the kingdom." Who will be brave enough to bring back this precious Lantern? Although many young men try, none return, until one day a poor squire who had been taught by his parents "how to guard his pure heart by the words from a simple scroll" accompanies another daring knight.

As in the journey of Ulysses, they encounter several trials along their quest, in their case, testing the purity of their senses. Will they survive the tests or succumb to the same fate as all the other knights? In the story, children will be challenged on many levels. Will they follow the example of the squire or the knight? Will they obey their parents and listen to the wisdom of God's word or will they succumb to the enticements of the world? Will they guard their purity or squander it? Will they receive as the squire hopes "the promise of a reward from God in return for faithfully guarding his heart?"

Publisher: 
Warner Press
Binding: 
Sewn Hardcover
Number of pages: 
36 pages
Additional notes: 

originally appeared in Heart and Mind Magazine, Summer 2005 - used with permission

Review Date: 
1999
Reviewed by: 
Elizabeth Yank
TitleSort: 
Squire and the Scroll

The Story About Ping

Book cover: 'The Story About Ping'
Author(s): 
Marjorie Flack
Kurt Wiese
Subject(s): 
Stories for Children
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Resource Type: 
Picture Books
Copyright: 
1933
Review: 

This charming, classic children's story tells of Ping, a young duck who lives on a boat in the Yangtzee River in China. He runs away from the boat and his family in order to avoid a spanking for returning late to the boat. He has some interesting adventures and sees many aspects of life on the Yangtzee River, but discovers that it's much happier to face the consequences in order to be back at home with his family.

This is a well-loved book in our family - particularly in the preschool set. The illustrations are beautiful, the story simple and meaningful and the lessons timeless.

Publisher: 
Puffin Books
Binding: 
Softcover
Number of pages: 
32 pages
Review Date: 
12-17-99
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
TitleSort: 
Story About Ping

26 Fairmount Avenue Series

Book cover: '26 Fairmount Avenue Series'
Author(s): 
Tomie de Paola
Subject(s): 
Literature
"Bridge" Books B
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Review: 

See below for review of the first book in the series.

Individual Titles in Chronological Order:

  • 26 Fairmount Avenue
  • Here We All Are
  • On My Way
  • What a Year!
  • Things Will Never be the Same

These books also make delightful read-alouds.

Series: 
26 Fairmount Avenue
Review Date: 
1999
Reviewed by: 
Alicia Van Hecke
TitleSort: 
26 Fairmount Avenue Series

26 Fairmount Avenue

Book cover: '26 Fairmount Avenue'
Author(s): 
Tomie de Paola
Subject(s): 
Authors
"Bridge" Books B
Grade / Age level: 
Grades K-2
Copyright: 
1999
Review: 

With 26 Fairmount Avenue, Tomie dePaola has written an account of when he was four and five years old and awaiting the building of his new home on Fairmount Ave. The story opens in 1938 with a huge hurricane blowing into town, upsetting life as well as trees. Mama calms everyone's fears by sprinkling the neighbors and the children with holy water. (Direct Catholic references are few, but nice to see.)

Primarily, his Catholic faith is witnessed through his family's relationships with one another, as well as their friends and neighbors. For instance, Tomie's relationship with his great grandmother is a beautiful example of a young child loving and respecting an elderly person. Tomie likes to spend time with his great grandmother. "...my Nana upstairs was a special person to me. I loved her and every Sunday I spent all my time with her." This is quite amazing for a child his age when you realize that Nana upstairs is so old that she has to be tied into a chair so that she won't fall over.

Written with warmth and amusing anecdotes, this book is a delight to read. I highly recommend reading his numerous other books as well.

If you are interested in reading more about his childhood, Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs is about his visiting his great grandmother. Now One Foot, Now the Other and Tom are about his grandfather. The Baby Sister is about his joyful anticipation of his baby sister and the difficulties of waiting for her arrival. The Art Lesson is about his love of art, his desire to be an artist someday, and his hope to take a "real" art lesson in school with a "real" art teacher. All these books are picture books, expressing a child's point of view with reverence for others and respect and joy for life.

Publisher: 
G.P.Putnam's Sons or Scholastic
Series: 
26 Fairmount Avenue
Perspective: 
Catholic
Number of pages: 
58 pages
Additional notes: 

This is a really delightful little book. In addition to its historical value and charming family relationships, the author's experiences as a young boy who loved stories and was frustrated by his kindergarten class that wouldn't teach him to read and the changes made to his favorite stories in movie form will be easy for many homeschooled children to relate to. - Alicia Van Hecke (1-4-01)

Review Date: 
1999
Reviewed by: 
Elizabeth Yank
TitleSort: 
26 Fairmount Avenue