--- title: "Children's Book: 'The Thief Who Stole Heaven'" description: Barb Szyszkiewicz reviews a new book by Raymond Arroyo, which focuses on the biblical character known as the Good Thief. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/booknotes-kids.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/childrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven#) [BOOKS](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/books) # Children's Book: 'The Thief Who Stole Heaven' Feb 16, 2021 7:00:00 AM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/booknotes-kids.jpg) *Barb Szyszkiewicz reviews a new book by Raymond Arroyo, which focuses on the biblical character known as the Good Thief.* Dismas, the "Good Thief," is a Biblical character we encounter only once: at the Crucifixion. Only in the Gospel of Luke does he receive more than a passing mention, and he is never even named in Scripture; his name comes from a fourth-century legend surrounding this character. Raymond Arroyo, author of ***[The Spider Who Saved Christmas](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/childrens-books-the-spider-who-saved-christmas),*** fills in the blanks by creating a backstory for Dismas in the new picture book *[The Thief Who Stole Heaven](https://amzn.to/2NbWkO4).* *![Thief-Who-Stole-Heaven_Cover](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thief-Who-Stole-Heaven_Cover.jpg?width=600&name=Thief-Who-Stole-Heaven_Cover.jpg)* In Arroyo's fictional account, Dismas was abandoned by his parents as a young boy and taken in by a group of bandits, who scorned any attempts he made to care for anyone or anything. He grew up into one of the worst thieves of all. Readers will marvel at the clever tie-in to the Christmas story in this book that centers on a character we only encounter on Good Friday. > [CLICK TO TWEET > Readers will marvel at the clever tie-in to the Christmas story in this book that centers on a character we only encounter on Good Friday. #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/slQdf) An information page at the end of the book sums up the legend of Dismas, who "understood and affirmed the divinity of Christ two days before the rest of the world caught on." Dynamic, colorful illustrations by Randy Gallegos complement this exciting tale. [***The Thief Who Stole Heaven***](https://amzn.to/2NbWkO4) is available for preorder from Sophia Institute Press, and will be published March 9, 2021. --- Copyright 2021 Barb Szyszkiewicz This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.  ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fchildrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fchildrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fchildrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Children%27s%20Book%3A%20%27The%20Thief%20Who%20Stole%20Heaven%27) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fchildrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fchildrens-book-the-thief-who-stole-heaven%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg) ### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor. ## Related Blog Articles [ Children's Book Notes: 'God Made the Moonlight' Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/childrens-book-notes-god-made-the-moonlight) [ Children's Books: 'The Spider Who Saved Christmas' Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/childrens-books-the-spider-who-saved-christmas) [ Relationships: Experiencing Your Adult Children's Changes--and Yours Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/03/09/relationships-experiencing-adult-childrens-changes) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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