A Taste of Paradise: Stories of Saints and Animals
$24.00
by Katherine Bolger Hyde
Long ago in Paradise, animals and people walked side by side. When we return to Paradise, the wolf will lie down with the lamb, and a little child shall lead them. In the time in between, many holy men and women have befriended even the fiercest beasts through the power of God's love. Come and meet a few of these saints and their animal friends in this beautifully illustrated collection of inspiring stories!
About the Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde has devoted her life to books as a reader, editor, and writer. Her works include the picture books Lucia, Saint of Light and Everything Tells Us about God; the young adult fantasy The Dome-Singer of Falenda; and the adult mystery series Crime with the Classics. Katherine lives in the redwood country of the California central coast, where she shares a home with two domesticated humans and two wild and crazy cats.
About the Illustrator: Anastasia Sokolova is an artist, designer, illustrator, and teacher who lives and works in Moscow with her husband, four children, and a good-natured cat. Trained as an architect, Anastasia built a cozy wooden house with her own hands in the Russian outback, the interior of which she also designed and decorated with her own paintings. She began illustrating books in 2012. A Taste of Paradise is her first book in English.
Age Range: For children of all ages
Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde
Illustrator: Anastasiya Sokolova
Hardcover: 32 pages
Dimensions: 8.5 x 11 inches
St. Seraphim's Beatitudes
$20.00
Illustrations by Dcn. Paul Drozdowski
Written by priest Daniel Marshall
About This Book:
This hardbound, 32-page, full-color life of St. Seraphim of Sarov delights with lavish, historically-accurate illustrations and inspiring stories that every young Christian will enjoy reading again and again. Short sayings patterned after the Lord’s Beatitudes present St. Seraphim’s wisdom in clear, memorable phrases.
Published with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland.
You and your children (and Godchildren!) will learn:
- St. Seraphim's advice to those who visited him
- The most interesting events in his life
- Virtues toward which all Christians can struggle
- A window to an era of great piety in Russia
Product Reviews:
“This is the best children’s Orthodox book I’ve seen!”
— Heiromonk Alexander, Hermitage of the Holy Cross
"Today, perhaps more then ever before, our young people need lessons to live by, and this book masterfully provides them from the life of one of our favorite Saints."
— Very Rev. Martin Swanson, Rector St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church
This site can only process retail orders. Wholesale orders should be submitted by FAX, phone or email. Click the link below for our wholesale order form.
The Sleepy Bear and the Golden Whispers
$22.00
This hardbound, full-color children's book brings to life the remarkable true story of a bear — inspired by God — saving the life of the Russian New Martyr, Metropolitan Peter of Krutitsy.
Infused with prayer and evocative watercolor illustrations, this warm tale will engage the eyes and hearts of young children while revealing the fruits of the Jesus Prayer.
The author-illustrator is the wife of a Russian Orthodox priest, an accomplished artist, and an iconographer. 48 pages.
Beautiful Pascha: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children (coloring book)
$12.00
Christ is Risen!
Travel through the Lenten season, from Zacchaeus Sunday through Great Lent all the way to Pascha and Bright Week while coloring! Beautiful Pascha, illustrated for children aged 5-12, boldly announces Christ's triumph over death. From the Resurrection Icon to decorated pysanky eggs, young children will develop a visual sensibility to meaningful symbols found in the Church. Printed on thick perforated paper for easy removal, may this book bless those who create within its pages.
Age Range: 5-12 years
Format: Paperback
Page Length: 64 pages
Love Comes Down (board book)
$14.95
by Natasha Frasch, illustrated by Avery Mefford
Love Comes Down is a song about the humble nature of God's love. Within these lushly illustrated pages, children all over the world will connect their everyday experiences to the Incarnation of Christ whether planting seeds, kissing cats, or choosing to be kind to a sibling. Conveying deep truths with joy and simplicity, this is a book children and their caregivers will want to read and sing and dance to again and again.
Written as an original song, the sheet music is found at the end of the book, and a downloadable audio recording is available at the link below. Teaching resources are also available as a complimentary download below.
Age Range: 1 – 5 years
Format: Board book (heavy card stock, with rounded corners)
Dimensions: 6 X 8.5 inches
Page Length: 24 pages
The Man and the Vine
$20.00
A festive children’s book about the joy of a farmer and his little daughter as they work their vineyard and offer the fruit of the vine back to their Creator in Eucharistic celebration. The reader takes in the mystery of grapes becoming the wine of the Holy Communion as the illustrations and the text lead from field to wine cellar to church.
A picture book for preschool and up.
Hardcover: 32 pages
Beyond the White Fence
$14.95
by Edith M. Humphrey
Katie discovers that the valley behind her grandmother’s garden is more mysterious than it seems. After tumbling into tenth-century England and encountering Saint Edith of Wilton along with her wild animal menagerie, she is helped home, wondering whether her adventure was truly real. But after Katie, her cousins, and a neighborhood friend are drawn back in time once again, she realizes her grandmother’s garden gate is a portal into faraway worlds, where patron saints are real people making real-life decisions.
Join Katie and her cousins as they mingle with Rachel and Jacob, meet Saint Mary Magdalene up close, trek across the sand with the matriarchs Naomi and Ruth, and have a nail-biting adventure with the heroic Saint Katherine of Alexandria. In seeing the richness of the family of God, they glimpse how very much they are a part of it all.
About the Author: Edith M. Humphrey is an Orthodox mother of three grown daughters and a grandmother of twenty. She teaches Scripture and theology, and she loves to play with her red cavadoodle, Angus. Edith taught for eighteen years at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and before then in various institutions across Canada and the US, while lecturing around the globe in various lay and academic contexts. Besides writing and speaking, she enjoys participating in church activities with her husband, Chris, performing piano duos with a friend, playing oboe in a community band, caring for her koi pond, and writing on topics as diverse as Scripture and C. S. Lewis. This is her first children’s book; writing it has brought her great joy!
Praise for Beyond the White Fence
"This book is a delight! Readers will be enchanted by the plot and characters both ancient and modern, who come alive on the page. Fans of the Chronicles of Narnia will love Beyond the White Fence." -Leslie Baynes, Associate Professor, New Testament and Second Temple Judaism, Department of Religious Studies, Missouri State University
"Beyond the White Fence is a great adventure story told by a seasoned New Testament scholar and theologian who knows a thing or two about great adventure stories. As readers follow these characters into the past, they move beyond the confines of their own imaginations to experience history and Scripture afresh. Perhaps it takes a magical world to remind us of the important truth that the "great cloud of witnesses" is very near to us indeed, and that God's story might actually include, and bring together, the family dog and the characters of Genesis. I look forward to reading this book to my children." -Dr. Tucker S. Ferda, Associate Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary & father of two
"This engaging troupe of kids and cousins take the reader on a series of visits to holy women in the 'great cloud of witnesses.' By turns lively, funny, and suspenseful, these fascinating stories, enhanced by lovely illustrations, enable the reader to know these holy women as real people of their era and community - and as examples to follow in our own time." -Frederica Mathewes-Green, author and speaker
"Simple and deep - like all great children's books - this book is also rich in history and faith. I can't wait to place it in the hands of my grandchildren." -Scott W. Hahn, Founder & President of the St. Paul Center; Author of The Lamb’s Supper; Scanlan Professor of Biblical Theology, Franciscan University of Steubenville
Age Range: 9 - 15 years
Author: Edith M. Humphrey
Paperback: 216 pages
101 Orthodox Saints
$25.00
Did you know there was a saint who used a dogsled for transportation? Or a saint who turned down a marriage proposal from the Roman Emperor? How about the saint who jumped from building to building during a siege to bring the Eucharist to his parishioners?
Discover all of these stories and more in 101 Orthodox Saints. Written for children and those with a childlike curiosity, this visual encyclopedia will enhance your family’s understanding and celebration of the saints of the Church. Each page is filled with illustrations, icons, graphics, and fascinating facts about the martyrs, monks, and mothers who boldly lived out their Faith to the glory of God.
About the Authors:
Presbytera Sarah Wright is an Orthodox Christian, wife, mother of three, and teacher. As a teacher, the highlight of her job is helping kids get hooked on reading. She hopes to write books that will encourage that love of reading and, more importantly, a love for Christ and His Church. She and her family live in Waco, Texas, where her husband is the priest of a lovely and loving parish. Sarah also writes the popular blog Orthodox Motherhood, and she can usually be found at her Texas home watching an old movie, hiking, or eating Mexican food with her family.
Alexandra Schmalzbach is a lifelong Virginian and Orthodox Christian. Alexandra was born in Arlington to second-generation Greek Americans. Alexandra majored in American history and religious studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, graduated in 2007, and three weeks later married her husband, Brian. They now reside in Richmond with their five children: Stella Virginia, Peter, Josiah, Sebastian, and Raphael.
About the Illustrator:
Nicholas Malara grew up in Denver, Colorado, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration. Over the course of his twenty-year-long career, he has illustrated books, designed games, and created products of all kinds for children. Using his talents to serve the Kingdom of heaven is his greatest passion. He currently resides in Spokane, Washington, with his wife and two children.
Format: Hardcover
Page Length: 120 pages
Ages: 7-14
Nine Deer & Me (board book)
$14.95
Abigail is happy on the island of Inisheer, but God has other plans for her! An angel asks Abigail to search for nine white deer in the woods across the sea. When she finds them, Abigail will also find the place where God wants her to be. Journey with Abigail as she listens to ONE angel, sails with TWO fishermen, finds THREE deer, then SIX, then more! Count with Abigail all the way to her true home.
Format: board book
Page Length: 24 pages
Ages: 1-5
Friends of Christ - November
$22.00
Pages: 98
Binding: Hardcover
Introducing Friends of Christ, a new twelve volume hardcover series of books for young people. Each beautifully illustrated volume contains the lives of five Saints, which take children on a journey where the real events of history inspire them to love the Lord and His wondrous deeds in the lives of the Friends of Christ!
The November volume contains the lives of : Venerable David of Evia (Nov 1), St. St. Porphyrios the Mime (Nov 4), Sts. Galaktion and Episteme (Nov 5), St. John Chrysostom (Nov 13), and the Holy Great Martyr Katherine (Nov 25).
Each volume includes a large decal.
Beneath the Magnificent Dome
$20.00
Pages: 38
Binding: Hardcover
Beneath the Magnificent Dome, by Anna Iakovou, and illustrated by Spyros Gousis. Translated by Dimitri Kagaras.
Beneath the Magnificent Dome tells the story of Fr. Eleftherios Noufrakis, a Cretan military chaplain, who dared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Great Church--Agia Sophia--465 years after the city of Constantinople fell to the Turks on May 29, 1453.
The Complete Illustrated Children's Bible
$25.00
The Illustrated Children's Bible is the perfect picture and storybook for young ones and an ideal first reader your children will treasure. Lead your child into a lifetime love of the Bible with this colorful storybook. With nearly 300 beautiful two-page illustrations to capture even the youngest child's imagination and heart, this vast collection of the Bible's most-loved stories is just right for sharing together or reading alone throughout the day.
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 607
Love at Lent (Activity Cards)
$15.00
by Michelle Bonanno Triant, illustrated by Maria Constantinescu
Love at Lent is a project for the whole family, with daily tasks that reinforce the Lenten values of kindness, forgiveness, prayer, generosity, gratitude, and love. Choose one card each day of Great Lent and Holy Week to discover a new task to complete! Tasks such as "Connect with Your Elders" or "Celebrate a Saint" encourage behavior toward the greater good, contribution to community, mindfulness, prayer, and spiritual devotion for families. The Love at Lent cards also work well in other settings, such as Sunday school classes, church ministry groups, and homeschool cooperatives. This beautifully illustrated set includes an introduction, fifty activity cards, and three prayer cards.
Age Range: 2 – 12 years
Format: 54 illustrated cards in a hinged-lid box
Dimensions: 3 x 4.25 inch cards
Friends of Christ - January
$22.00
Pages: 72
Binding: Hardcover
Introducing Friends of Christ, a new twelve volume hardcover series of books for young people. Each beautifully illustrated volume contains the lives of five Saints, which take children on a journey where the real events of history inspire them to love the Lord and His wondrous deeds in the lives of the Friends of Christ!
The January volume contains the lives of : St. Basil the Great (Jan 1), St. George the Neo-Martyr of Ioannina (Jan 17), St. Mark of Ephesus (Jan 19), the Venerable Ascetic Xenia (Jan 24), and the Venerable Ascetics Xenofon, his wife Maria and their two children Arkadios and John (Jan 26).
Each volume includes a large decal.
Friends of Christ - February
$22.00
Pages: 68
Binding: Hardcover
Introducing Friends of Christ, a new twelve volume hardcover series of books for young people. Each beautifully illustrated volume contains the lives of five Saints, which take children on a journey where the real events of history inspire them to love the Lord and His wondrous deeds in the lives of the Friends of Christ!
The February volume contains the lives of : St. Nikiphoros (Feb 9), St. Haralambos the Hieromartyr (Feb 10), St. Theodora the Empress (Feb 11), the Venerable ascetic Philothei the Athenian (Feb 19), and the Great Martyr Photini the Samaritan woman (Feb 26).
Each volume includes a large decal.
Friends of Christ - March
$22.00
Pages: 60
Binding: Hardcover
Introducing Friends of Christ, a new twelve volume hardcover series of books for young people. Each beautifully illustrated volume contains the lives of five Saints, which take children on a journey where the real events of history inspire them to love the Lord and His wondrous deeds in the lives of the Friends of Christ!
The March volume contains the lives of : Venerable Lavrentios (Mar 7), St. Gregory the Dialogist (Mar 12), St. Alexios the Man of God (Mar 17), the Venerable Serapion (Mar 21), and the St. Ipatios Bishop of Gangra (Mar 21).
Each volume includes a large decal.
Friends of Christ - October
$22.00
Pages: 80
Binding: Hardcover
Introducing Friends of Christ, a new twelve volume hardcover series of books for young people. Each beautifully illustrated volume contains the lives of five Saints, which take children on a journey where the real events of history inspire them to love the Lord and His wondrous deeds in the lives of the Friends of Christ!
The October volume contains the lives of : St. John Koukouzelis (Oct 1), St. Thomas the Apostle (Oct 6), St. Athanasia and Andronikos (Oct 9), St. Longinos the Centurios (Oct 16), and St. Demetrios the Myrrhstreamer (Oct 26).
Each volume includes a large decal.
The Lion and the Saint
$13.00
Many centuries ago in the wilds of Africa, a startling and mystical friendship developed between a lion and a saint. St. Gerasim served the lion by removing a thorn from its paw, and in turn the lion served St. Gerasim and his monastery for the rest of his life. This small gem of a story shows us this extraordinary friendship through the eyes of the lion, and of a baboon he befriends along the way, allowing us to participate in the lion's transformation - through contact with holiness - from an undifferentiated dumb beast to a particular lion with his own name and destiny.
The Lion and the Saint may be enjoyed by good readers from preteen to adult.
About the Author: Laura E. Wolfe is the author of the beloved picture book Sasha and the Dragon (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2017). A wide-eyed nature lover her entire life, Laura has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in philosophy, and she still thinks the best place to read a good novel is halfway up a tree. She and her family are members of St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.
Paperback: 120 pages
The Broken Wheel: The Triumph of Saint Katherine
$15.00
"It was a cruel invention, this wheel. A wheel that forced submission from those beneath it..."
Young Katherine, born into noble wealth with an insatiable hunger for knowledge, surpasses even her tutors when it comes to learning. But her learning counts for nothing when she meets the only man worthy of her - her heavenly Bridegroom. Trading worldly knowledge for eternal wisdom, Katherine challenges even the emperor himself - and he prepares a cruel invention to break her. Meet this great bride of Christ in the second graphic novel in the Among the Saints series - written to inspire both children and adults.
About the Author: Gabriel lives near his childhood home in rural Indiana with his wife Emily and their three daughters. Their home is over 100 years old - a true fixer-upper - and the subject of many of his woodworking projects. In his free time, he pursues carpentry and music and enjoys making homemade tacos with his wife and sketching with his daughters. Graphic novels are his favorite form of artwork, and aside from his comics based on the lives of saints, he has other secular novels in the works.
Author: Gabriel Wilson
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 7 x 10 inches
Page Length: 104 pages
The Lost Saint
$14.95
Marko’s life changes in an instant when he spies an armada of Ottoman ships on the horizon. After a battle separates him from his family, he finds help and guidance with a small group of monks. But when they stumble upon an abandoned church and a mysterious icon, Marko must conquer his own fears in order to make peace with God and to reunite with his family. Journey back to 1522, Rhodes, Greece, and experience with Marko what it means to be lost, then found.
Age Range: 10 - 14 years
Author: Christine Rogers
Paperback: 264 pages
Dimensions: 5.25 x 7.5 inches
Beautiful Christmas: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children (coloring book)
$11.00
Beautiful Christmas is a 64-page coloring book for children aged 5-12. As they color Christ in the cave or the shepherds glorifying God with the angels, they are cultivating their own sensibility to beauty while learning to recognize some of the meaningful symbols, elements, and motifs of the Church. May this small book bless those children who color and create within its pages.
Age Range: 5-12 years
Format: Paperback
Page Length: 64 pages
Sam and Saucer 3-Book Set (Shepherding Sam, The Barn and the Book, Painting Angels)
$28.00
A chapter book series for ages 7 - 12
Shepherding Sam (Sam and Saucer, Book 1)
Sam’s Aunt Eva says he’s like a tornado—he causes a ruckus everywhere he goes. But Aunt Eva won’t give up on Sam, and neither will Saucer, the monastery’s corgi puppy. Saucer lives at the monastery, but he dreams of herding sheep. With no sheep in his life, Saucer tries to herd everyone else—farm animals, nuns, and especially Sam. Sam doesn’t want to follow anyone, not even a funny puppy. But Saucer knows that if he just keeps trying, he can bring this lonely boy back to the flock.
The Barn and the Book (Sam and Saucer, Book 2)
Sam wants to know if animals (especially Saucer!) can speak at midnight on Christmas Eve. Grace and Macrina are competing to write a story, and Elias is losing his patience. Meanwhile, Sister Anna hopes God will rescue her from teaching Sunday school. Christmas is coming, but hearts are full of secrets and frustrations. The Barn and the Book is a story about the traps we build when we try to see in the dark. We tumble into trouble and confusion on our own, but God can steer us clear of our traps and shine His kindly light into our darkness.
Painting Angels (Sam and Saucer, Book 3)
What happens when you can’t get away from the person who drives you craziest? Sam and Macrina are about to find out. Stuck working together to help the nuns, Sam and Macrina come up with a thousand reasons to disagree. Sam is too rude. Macrina is too bossy. Summer at the monastery will be miserable if they can’t find some common ground. With the help of three friendly nuns, a runaway bunny, and Saucer the trusty corgi, Macrina and Sam discover a big secret that helps put them on the road toward peace.
I Pray Today (board book)
$14.95
by Angela Isaacs, illustrated by Amandine Wanert
Good morning, God.
The day is new.
I say my first small prayer to You.
Lord, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy! When you're a toddler, every day is full of beautiful ups and difficult downs. And yet from sunrise to sunset, each day, each moment even, can be met with a powerful prayer that young children can remember: Lord, have mercy.
About the Author: Angela Isaacs didn’t realize she should be a writer until after getting an MA in Cognitive Psychology. Now she juggles freelance editing with book writing and raising her two daughters. Her first book for children, Goodnight Jesus, was published by Ancient Faith Publishing in 2016. She also has a forthcoming educational children’s book series, The Little Elephants' Big Adventures. When not writing or reading, Angela can usually be found knitting or cycling around the Illinois flatlands with her two daughters in tow.
About the Illustrator: Amandine Wanert is a French illustrator who currently lives in Paris. She illustrates both for the medical field and for children's book publishers, especially enjoying those projects that illuminate the world of young children. She previously illustrated In the Candle's Glow for Ancient Faith Publishing and has appreciated working on I Pray Today, bringing to life one little girl's quest to pray throughout the day. Amandine has two sons and a baby daughter.
Age Range: 2 – 6 years
Author: Angela Isaacs
Illustrator: Amandine Wanert
Format: Board book (heavy card stock, with rounded corners)
Dimensions: 6 X 8.5 inches
Page Length: 24 pages
Maria the Mother of God
$20.00
Pages: 50
Format: Hardcover
This youth title tells the wondrous story of Maria, who became the Mother of God by God's grace and her willing assent to His holy will, from her conception to her barren mother St. Anna, to her Falling Asleep. This amazing account of the Theotokos is told through story, hymnology, and captivating illustrations.
This book is dedicated to every child – that they may come to know the life of the Panagia – and to every adult who wants to speak to them about the Mother of God.
Laurel and the Wind
$19.95
At night, the wind blows through the rigging of the boat where Laurel lives. Sweet aromas float across the water and surprise her—as though they’d traveled from another land. One night, Laurel is transported across the water to an ancient world of mystery.
In this gorgeously illustrated and poetically written story, you will discover the wonder of Byzantium’s capital city, Constantinople, at the height of its glory. At the center is the magnificent church of Holy Wisdom, where the worship of God unfolds in splendor while the wind dances through the trees. This book will cultivate in the young a taste for the mystical and rekindle wonder in adult readers. In the waking dreams of a single little girl, this edifying tale explores in an alluring whirlwind both the power of remembrance and the beauty of truth, all centered around Christ’s glorious resurrection.
Age Range: 2-10 years
Author: Gaelan Gilbert
Illustrator: Ned Gannon
Hardcover: 32 pages
Dimensions: 8.5 x 11 inches
The Holy Hierarch Spyridon, The Good Shepherd
$18.00
An illustrated life of the great and holy bishop of Tremithus in Cyprus. Though formally uneducated, he took part in the First Ecumenical Council and expounded the dogmas of the Faith with divine wisdom. Renowned for his hospitality and charity, St. Spyridon was a truly living icon of Christ. His holy life will be an inspiration for children and adults alike.
Age 7 and up.
Softcover, 30 pp.
A Boy’s Journey to Sainthood: St. Paisios the Athonite
$22.00
Pages: 48
Binding: Hardcover
The saints of our Church, even the greatest elders and ascetics, were once children!
On one summer day, in Konitsa of Epirus (Northern Greece), the young Arseny beheld the “Light of the world” with his own eyes. Over the years, this very child grew up to become the beloved saint we know today as St. Paisios the Athonite.
In this book, children will learn about the life of St. Paisios through sweet and moving stories, filled with wisdom and joy.
The Romanovs: Family of Faith and Charity
$11.00
This book shares the story of the last Russian emperor and his family in which there are both happy memories and great hardships. In their daily life, we find examples of courage, patience, wisdom, love, and faith. Their life was not necessarily what one would expect for an Emperor and his family; there was much more than fancy clothes and delicious food. They nursed the sick, ate porridge, kayaked along the Finnish coastline, and cared for chickens. Now we know them as Royal Martyrs: deeply pious Orthodox Christians who laid down their lives for the Faith, and as role models of Christian virtue who showed kindness even to the guards who taunted them.
Format: Hardcover
56 pages
Beautiful Things: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children (coloring book)
$11.00
The Orthodox Christian experience is infused with beauty. God calls to us through the presence of beautiful things—from the elegant chalice that houses Christ's very body to the icons of beloved saints hanging in our homes. Beautiful Things is a 64-page coloring and activity book for our littlest believers. As they color the Good Shepherd or the Jesus Prayer, they are cultivating their own sensibility to beauty while learning to recognize some of the meaningful symbols, elements, and motifs of the Church.
Age Range: 5-12 years
Format: Paperback
Page Length: 64 pages
Everything Tells Us about God
$19.95
Inspired by a story told by Father Thomas Hopko.
The world is like a giant puzzle God made that teaches us about Himself. Every piece—earth, sea, and sky, plants, animals, and people—reveals something about who He is and why we're here. Everything Tells Us about God will help children recognize the beautiful and sometimes mysterious pieces of this puzzle for themselves.
Katherine Bolger Hyde has devoted her life to books as a reader, editor, and writer. Her works include the picture book Lucia, Saint of Light (AFP, 2009), the YA fantasy The Dome-Singer of Falenda, and the adult mystery series Crime with the Classics. Katherine lives in the redwood country of the California central coast, where she shares a home with her husband, the youngest of her four children, and two obstreperous cats. When not reading, writing, or editing for her day job, she can generally be found knitting while watching British mystery series or singing in the choir at St. Lawrence Orthodox Church.
Livia Coloji makes things up and then paints them with overlying layers of vivid color. She has done this since she was little, but professionally she's been doing it for twelve years now. Most of her projects are in the field of illustration, for clients based all over the world. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards of the Association of Illustrators (AOI). When she's not working on commissions (or petting her two cats) in her shared studio in Timisoara, Romania, she creates artwork inspired by nature and human nature.
Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde, with illustrations by Livia Coloji
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
The Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God (coloring book)
$7.95
The grace of God is made manifest in the marvelous world which surrounds us. This is apparent both in the beauty of the natural world and in the everyday blessings in our lives. Yet history is filled with instances of supernatural grace, or miracles. Such was the appearance of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God found by a hunter in a forest near the Tuscary river. The text for this coloring book gives the history of this icon, miracles associated with it -- including the healing of St Seraphim of Sarov, and the hymns associated with the feast in the Orthodox Christian Church.
The artwork includes lavish borders in an old Russian the style which will be a joy to color. With illustrations and borders to color and interesting text to inspire, this will make an excellent gift or school room resource.
Age Range: 5-12 years
Format: Paperback
Page Length: 32 pages
We Pray
$20.00
By Daniel G. Opperwall with illustrations by Jelena and Marko Grbic
Written in expressive verse, We Pray invites children and their parents to explore some of the unique aspects of Orthodox Christian prayer life. Through reflections on topics like icons, the Jesus Prayer, and the liturgy, children are invited to see the beauty in our way of praying and understand better the purpose of Orthodox prayer.
Distinctives
- Charming, detailed illustrations invite seek-and-find activities
- Helpful lesson-starter on prayer for church and homeschool classrooms
- Ages 2 to 12
About the author
Daniel G. Opperwall is a husband and father of three young children. He teaches Church history and patristics at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, University of Toronto. He and his family live, read, and pray together in Hamilton, Ontario.
About the illustrators
Jelena and Marko Grbic, along with their two children, currently live in Belgrade, Serbia, and have recently discovered their passion for illustration. As Orthodox Christians they have enjoyed working on this beautiful book that brings an ancient Orthodox experience of prayer to children in a simple and inspiring way. The storybook reminds parents and adults alike of Christ’s words, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 8 X 8 inches
Page Length: 32
Lucia: Saint of Light
$19.95
by Katherine Bolger Hyde, illustrated by Daria Fisher
Long revered in both East and West, St. Lucia is an early virgin martyr whose life and legacy shine as a light of faith, hope, and compassion in the darkness of winter and sin. Lucia, Saint of Light introduces young readers to both her life and her delightful festival as it is traditionally celebrated in Sweden and around the world. Daria Fisher is warm and vivid illustrations will make this book a favorite with children and parents alike. A picture book for children preschool age and up.
Age Range: 3 - 12 years
Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde
Illustrator: Daria Fisher
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 8.25 X 10.25 inches
Page Length: 32 pages
Publisher: Ancient Faith Publishing
When God Made You
$18.95
When God made Elina, He pulled moonlight from the north, starlight from the south, sunlight from the east, and candlelight from the west. He planted the four lights around the steadfast soil of her soul, and beaming with gladness, God said, Elina, pray.
Every child around the globe is specially made by God with a unique set of virtues, talents, and interests. What beautiful things was God thinking when He made you?
About the author:
Jane G. Meyer is a children’s book author and editor who lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband and children. She loves the outdoors, learning new languages, fiddling in her garden, and making things with her hands. Besides her editorial work for Ancient Faith Publishing, she is the author of several books for children, including The Man and the Vine (Saint Vladimir Seminary Press, 2006), and The Suitcase (Paraclete Press, 2017).
Age Range: 3 - 12 years
Author: Jane G. Meyer
Illustrator: Megan Elizabeth Gilbert
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 8 X 10 inches
Page Length: 32 pages
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition
$14.95
With hymns, stories, meditations, and activities for each day as well as suggestions for the whole season, Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas provides an invaluable resource for families looking to restore the season of Christmas to its rightful place in their lives.
About the Author: AmandaEve Wigglesworth has been involved in ministry with children and youth for nineteen years. AmandaEve and her husband, Deacon Kevin, are members of St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox parish in Calgary, Alberta. She is a member of St. Peter's Camp board, where she is affectionately knows as Pegesus and can very occasionally be heard singing funky rap because a clever camper caught her putting her elbows on the table.
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 48 pages
Goodnight Jesus (board book)
$14.95
Goodnight Jesus is a sweet, gentle story that acknowledges all the people we know and love as nighttime draws near and bedtime kisses are given to everyone from saints to siblings. What better way than through a kiss to say goodbye to the day?
This 24-page board book, beautifully illustrated by iconographer and artist Nicholas Malara, is sturdy enough for lots of use and will become the favorite of many little ones who want just one last kiss before drifting off to sleep.
Author: Angela Isaacs
Illustrator: Nicholas Malara
Format: board book (heavy cardstock, with rounded corners)
Dimensions: 6 X 8.5
Page Length: 24 pages
Keeper of the Light: Saint Macrina the Elder
$16.00
The road to sainthood takes a lifetime to travel. . . . Late in the fourth century, Christians are labeled enemies of the Roman Empire--hounded, arrested, tortured, and executed. Macrina and her husband Basil, once-wealthy Christians, flee with their small son to the mountainous forests south of the Black Sea. There, Macrina embarks on a seven-year journey of unexpected tests and trials that will take her through a harsh and hungry wilderness pilgrimage, only to plunge her into poverty and danger on the streets of Neocaesarea. So begins Macrina's adventure in faith, as she undertakes the process of becoming one of the most influential women in sacred history, the mother and grandmother of saints. Readers of all ages will be fascinated by the story of St. Macrina the Elder, who had a profound influence on her grandchildren, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Macrina the Younger. She is truly a great confessor of the Orthodox Christian faith. A chapter book with black-and-white illustrations.
H Is for Holy: An Orthodox Christian Alphabet
$19.95
A is for altar, H is for holy, P is for Prayer. Introduce young children to the Orthodox faith as they explore elements and practices found in the Orthodox Church. From the altar table to Zacchaeus perched in the sycamore tree, this simple book offers not just an alphabet, but a first taste of a lifelong journey hand in hand with Jesus Christ.
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 8 X 10 inches
Page Length: 32 pages
The Hidden Garden: A Story of the Heart (Paperback)
$12.00
Within every heart is a hidden garden. We can neglect it until the weeds take over and the flowers wither and die. Or, with the help of Christ, we can care for it and make it a place of beauty, grace, and joy.
This charming parable will encourage children (and adults) to open the gate to Christ and tend the garden of their heart with loving care.
Age Range: 3 - 12 years
Format: Softcover
Paperback: 32 pages
Holy Hierarch Luke, the Unmercenary Physician
$18.00
Illustrator: Adela Maria Calistru
Year: 2013
Number of pages: 36
Mate coated paper
Paperback, sewed
Format: 20x24 cm
House of God
$11.95
By Vyacheslav Marchenko
A child’s guide to the Orthodox temple. House of God includes prayerful instruction on how to behave in church, as well as description of the various parts of the church building and liturgical items.
Softcover, color illustrations, 32 pages
A Child’s Paradise of Saints
$16.00
By Nun Nectaria McLees, illustrated by Elena Stefarova
Delightful tales of 15 cherished saints, with iconographic full-color paintings of scenes from their lives. Here you’ll find stories from the lives of Saints Constantine and Helen, Cyprian and Justina, Demetrius of Thessalonica, Herman of Alaska, John the Russian, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Egypt, Moses the Black, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nina of Georgia, Great Martyr Panteleimon, Philothei of Athens, Seraphim of Sarov and Xenia of Petersburg, as well as the Guardian Angel.
Softcover, illustrated, 62 pages
The Miracle of the Red Egg
$19.00
At Pascha, Orthodox all over the world dye and bless red eggs. Here is the story of how this tradition started—way back in apostolic times, with St. Mary Magdalene and a blessed miracle that dazzled the unbelieving Roman emperor with the reality and power of Christ's Resurrection.
32 pages; hardcover.
A Child’s Guide to the Divine Liturgy
$20.00
A wonderful new tool for Orthodox children! A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy is designed as an aid to help children negotiate their way through the Divine Liturgy and learn more about the Church and our faith. Small and easy to hold, with engaging illustrations, the guide is divided into six color-coded sections:
- Preparing for the Divine Liturgy
- The Divine Liturgy
- Salt and Light
- The 12 Feasts
- Words to Know
- Glossary
This guide is written to appeal to children ages two to ten. The very young child will learn basic vocabulary and come to recognize the various milestones in the Divine Liturgy. For the older child, the guide includes several longer psalms, quotes, and prayers; the 12 feast icons and kontakia; plus an extensive glossary filled with terms and vocabulary often heard throughout the liturgical year.
The Holy Prophet Moses and the People of Israel
$18.00
Born of the people of Israel, but raised in the treasure-filled palace belonging to the Pharaoh of Egypt, Moses was called by God to take His people out of the bondage of the pagans and to guide them to the land promised to their fathers. He would become the prophet who, strengthened by faith and the desire for freedom, and endowed with the power to perform miracles, received from the very hand of God the Ten Commandments for the people of Israel before the coming of the Saviour. The entire Orthodox Church lives today following the same commandments.
The attractive text and vivid illustrations teach children that true slavery is the lack of faith in the true God, which no wealth can replace or buy.
Author: Cătălin Grigore
Illustrator: Adela Maria Calistru
Year of publishing: 2012
Number of pages: 32
Paperback
Format: 20x24 cm
Saint Sergius: A Beacon in the Wilderness of Radonezh
$20.00
Saint Sergius: A Beacon in the Wilderness of Radonezh, by George and Christian Danias, authors of Christ Amongst Us and Vested in Christ. Translated by Fr. Peter Chamberas.
About 700 years ago, in the dense forest of Radonezh not far from Moscow, a humble monk built a small wooden church and dedicated it to the Holy Trinity. In the span of a few years, that ascetic’s reputation began to spread far and wide. People began to visit the area in order to consult with the elder — even royalty considered it an honor to speak with him! Today, there is a magnificent monastery in the place where that small Church once stood. But what happened to that humble monk?
In the pages of this book, you will read all about the wondrous life of that monk — Saint Sergius of Radonezh — and how he became a beacon of the holy Orthodox faith and a river of holiness!
Format: hardcover
Pages: 49
A Child’s Guide to Prayer
$20.00
A Child's Guide to Prayer is a beautifully illustrated prayer book for Orthodox Christian children aged 5-10 who are just developing a habit of prayer. The selection includes morning and evening prayers, prayers during the day, at mealtimes, for family and friends, and prayers of and to the saints - along with psalms to pray and prayers that have to do with communion and confession. All the prayers were carefully selected by priests and youth workers to ensure their age-appropriateness. The 120-page guide also includes brief instructions on how to pray, why we pray, and a list of different ways to pray. The book concludes with several blank pages for personal prayer requests.
Format: paperback
Pages: 120
Spyridon's Shoes
$13.00
By Christine Rogers
Young Spyros spends his days fishing, octopus hunting, and dreaming of attending school like his best friend, Niko. When he encounters an elderly man on the beach after an accident, his whole life begins to shift and change. But who is this mysterious, saintly man, and why is his friendship so important? Take a short trip back in time to the Greek island of Corfu and discover the real reason for the mystery surrounding Spyridon's shoes.
About the Author: Kh. Christine Rogers is married to Fr. John Rogers and is the mother of four. She is also the author of The Road to Golgotha. A life-long Alaskan, she enjoys indoorsy activities like reading, sewing and not camping, and can often be found in the church kitchen cooking for anywhere from 50-300 people.
Age Range: 7 - 12 years
Author: Christine Rogers
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 5.25 X 7.5 inches
Page Length: 104 pages