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JennyMaine
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Trying to find something for my teens to read for an Advent devotional this year. Anything your family has used that your teens enjoyed?
Thanks!
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--JennyMaine, Mom to Catherine (17) and Sam (15) "The countenance is a reflection of the soul. You should always have a calm and serene countenance." -- Therese of Lisieux
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ekbell
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My teen has enjoyed Not Without Parables by Catherine Doherty so I was considering sharing Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas
by the same author.
Donkey Bells is divided into three sections; Meditations, Customs and Feasts, and Stories, making it both a devotional and a good guide for celebrating the season in a simple and meaningful fashion suitable for the sometimes tender dignity of young adults.
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JennGM
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ekbell wrote:
My teen has enjoyed Not Without Parables by Catherine Doherty so I was considering sharing Donkey Bells: Advent and Christmas
by the same author.
Donkey Bells is divided into three sections; Meditations, Customs and Feasts, and Stories, making it both a devotional and a good guide for celebrating the season in a simple and meaningful fashion suitable for the sometimes tender dignity of young adults.
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I think that is a GREAT idea! I love her writing.
I love her My Russian Yesterdays which is OOP, but readily available for under $10 when I just checked. It was originally published in 1951 by Bruce Publishing company. This book covers the whole liturgical year, but so rich with the images of "Liturgical Living" when she grew up in Russia. Her descriptions of preparing for Christmas and Easter makes this a great book for both seasons of preparation.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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I thought of another one, again, it would cover the whole life of Christ, so perhaps only the first section "Yesterday" but Maria Augusta Trapp's book Yesterday, Today, and Forever is another good one.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Mackfam
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Adding more Advent reading material. From Mary Chris' Advent read aloud with teens thread:
Mackfam wrote:
I have a few recommendations, Mary Chris. These are mostly compilation books, and many/all (??) may be oop.
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Christmas Stories from Many Lands by Herbert Wernecke (1961) - this is a compilation of 35 stories from 35 different countries of the world, all by different authors. There are some beautiful stories gathered here, two of which are by a favorite author of mine, Ruth Sawyer. This book would make a fine read aloud for any age, but lends itself particularly well for an older child (tween/teen) as independent Advent reading. (Please note that Mr. Wernecke is not Catholic, and therefore does not write from a Catholic perspective, however his book, Christmas Stories From Many Lands is a compilation from several different authors, all of whom share rich and varied Christmas stories from various countries. Some of these authors are Catholic, like St. Francis of Assisi.)Worth checking out by the same author, Herbert Wernecke:
** Christmas Customs Around the World (I don't have this book so I can't review it, but it does look interesting.)
** Christmas Songs and Their Stories (I ordered this book for my teen for this year's reading, but don't have it yet. I'll review it after I get it if anyone is interested.) Joy To The World: Christmas Legends (1966) by Ruth Sawyer - As mentioned above, Ruth Sawyer is a favorite author of mine. She weaves an amazing story! In Joy To The World, Ms. Sawyer takes 6 stories and retells them. They're all quite delightful!The Two Lambs: A Legend from Ancient Arabia
This is the Christmas: A Legend from Serbia
The Precious Herbs of Christmas: An Irish Fairytale
What the Three Kings Brought: A Personal Christmas Story
San Frolian of the Wilderness: An Old Spanish Legend
The Miracle of Saint Cumgall: A Legend of a Lost Saint
The God in the Cave by G.K. Chesterton. This is just a short essay from Chesterton's book, The Everlasting Man, but Chesterton is a favorite here, and this essay is certainly a part of any teen's reading basket. Be sure to click through to part 2 of the essay.
The Gifts of the Christ Child and Other Stories by George MacDonald. FULL DISCLOSURE: I don't have this book, and I haven't previewed it yet. I've been intrigued by this book because of Lewis' admiration for MacDonald and ordered it for my dd to read this year. Also recommended, but out of print is, The Christmas Stories of George MacDonald by George MacDonald (some of these stories have been reprinted in The Gifts of the Christ Child and Other Stories.
The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke - for reading after Christmas around Epiphany.
Christmas in Prose and Verse edited and compiled by Alison Putala. Though most of this book works well as a read aloud, overall, I think it makes a nice collection/compilation for a teen/older reader.
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For slightly younger readers....say between 8 (or reading well independently) and tweens, A Newberry Christmas edited and compiled by Charles Waugh.
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I have a few more recommendations after pulling books out for my teen this Advent. Teens that read (are accustomed to reading) worthy/living books are often used to reading deeper material, and more poetic writing, and therefore the majority of these recommendations would work well for adult/older teen reading. Most of these recommendations are within the reach of my 15 yo daughter (as well as for me!  ) so I'm adding them to this thread.Hail! Full of Grace: Simple Thoughts on the Rosary by Mother Mary Loyola (2011, St. Augustine Academy Press reprinted from the 1906 version, B. Herder). All of Mother's reflections on the Rosary are beautiful in this little book, but especially the first three Joyful for the season of Advent and Christmas: The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity. Mother's reflections are profound while still being quite accessible to the teen reader. The Nativity alone would suffice for short reading and sharing together for an entire Advent.
The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander (2006, Christian Classics....but the version I have is copyright 1944, Sheed and Ward). I am such a fan of Caryll Houselander's writing. She writes in a way that echoes a place deep in your heart. The Reed of God is a perfect book for Advent reading for an adult or older/mature teen (not because of adult content, just because there is so much richness conveyed through the language in this book.) While the entire book is rich and worthy and could be read during any season, Part 1 with chapters Emptiness, Fiat, and Advent work particularly well as part of Advent reading.
Holy Mary, Mother of God: Help of all Christians by Father John A. Kane (2005, Sophia Institute Press). Originally published in 1942 under the title: The School of Mary: Forty Essential Lessons for Sinners by St. Anthony Guild Press. You can read the table of contents and Chapter 1 here. Father Kane follows Our Lady through scripture and directs us, through her, to Our Lord. The earlier chapters especially make wonderful Advent reading as Father Kane shows through Mary how we can prepare our hearts for the great grace of Our Lord.
Advent of the Heart: Seasonal Sermons and Prison Writings by Father Alfred Delp (2006, Ignatius Press). I don't have this book yet, but I'm adding it here for consideration. It would probably be best suited for an older teen. Written by a German Jesuit priest who was martyred in a Nazi prison camp. From Ignatius Press:
Quote:
| His approach to Advent, the season that prepares us for Christmas, is what Fr. Delp called an "Advent of the heart." More than just preparing us for Christmas, it is a spiritual program, a way of life. He proclaimed that our personal, social and historical circumstances, even suffering, offer us entry into the true Advent, our personal journey toward a meeting and dialogue with God. Indeed, his own life, and great sufferings, illustrated the true Advent he preached and wrote about. |
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Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting by Mother Mary Frances (2010, Ignatius Press). Would work well in assisting prayer or morning devotions during Advent.
The Family for Families by Father Francis Filas, S.J (1947, Bruce Publishing Company). This book is wonderful, walking the reader through the story of the Holy Family living in Nazareth. It is simply fantastic for setting the scene within the imagination. The only chapter I would recommend excluding for a teen reading is Your Marriage: Prayer to be said by Husband and Wife. Though this chapter is, of course, very good (!!!), it really isn't applicable to teen reading with an eye toward Advent preparing. The book lends itself well to being divided up and read through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany. The Setting is my favorite chapter, containing a map of Palestine at the time of Jesus. Keep in mind that this book is really written to "husbands and wives" with the family in mind. Of the 10 chapters included though, many make wonderful context for Advent reading for an older teen.
Our Lord: An Elementary Life of Christ by Gerard Lake (1952, Newman Press) My daughter read this as part of her religion reading this past term and it's wonderful. Father Lake takes the entire life of Christ, arranges it chronologically and retells it based on the words of Christ in the gospels, and uses some little bits of historical and geographical information when they are pertinent. It is written in a very readable narrative/story form and is quite enjoyable. The first few chapters on the birth of Christ would be especially good reading for Advent.
Audio Recording
Audiosancto - Advent and the Three Comings of Christ
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JennGM
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It's been a while since I read it, but The First Christmas by Denis O'Shea is wonderful reading, and walks through the conditions and life of the Holy Family and the Holy Land during the First Christmas.
It was reprinted by Neumann Press in 2002, but they no longer carry it. I see Kessinger Publishing has a print on demand version, but the one I have is 1952 from Bruce Publishing.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Topic: Advent reading for teens
