A Cozy Pandemic Novel for Catholic Families

Katie Fitzgerald reviews The Second Skater of the Apocalypse, the latest middle grade novel by Fiorella de Maria.  

The Second Skater of the Apocalypse

By Fiorella de Maria

Publisher: Ignatius Press

The Second Skater of the Apocalypse is the sequel to Fiorella de Maria’s 2023 middle grade novel, My Family and Other Skaters, and it takes us all the way back to spring 2020 and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the heels of a wonderful Christmas, everyone in Rosaria’s family is excited for the new year ahead. They are thrown a huge curveball when suddenly everything shuts down due to a new virus.

Seemingly overnight, ice skating is canceled, Uncle Harry, who just started working as a nurse, is in immediate danger every day, and whenever people go out anywhere, they have to wear masks. Through it all, though, these family members rely on each other and their faith to pull them through.  

Though the circumstances in which the characters find themselves in this book are somewhat grim, it’s still a lovely cozy story about the bonds of family. It describes the universally strange experiences people all over the world were having in the early days of the pandemic without getting political or making any kind of statement or judgment call.

Rosaria narrates her experiences with the same innocent curiosity my own kids showed during this time, and this first-person narration really brings the experience to life on the page. I also love that the climax of the story coincides with Easter, which infuses the book with a strong sense of hope. Seeing how the family celebrates even without attending Mass is very inspiring.  

Pandemic Memories  

The target age range for this book is ages 8 to 12, meaning its intended readers were between the ages of 3 and 7 when the pandemic began in 2020. My two readers in this age range have limited memories of that strange time when everything shut down and there were no public Masses for Easter. Sharing this book with them has been an interesting way to prompt discussions of what they do remember, and it also gives them a better, more mature perspective on the experience than what they were capable of at the time.  

My youngest kids were born in March 2020, so it will be really interesting to share this book with them in another few years to help them learn more about what life was like when they came into the world. It’s nice to have a children’s book that can serve as a time capsule for this unique event that shaped our kids’ lives, whether they remember it or not. 

Recommended for Catholic Kids of All Ages  

The Second Skater of the Apocalypse can be read on its own, but the experience will be richer if you read My Family and Other Skaters first. Either way, this is the type of middle grade fiction I really want for my kids, and it’s so much fun to get excited with them over a book that accurately, affectionately, and beautifully portrays life in a big Catholic family. Whether you’re looking for a great book for your middle grade reader to enjoy independently, or a family read-aloud to be shared by all, this is the book you want to bring into your home. I hope this isn’t the last we will see of this skating family!  

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Copyright 2025 Katie Fitzgerald
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