Father Drew, What Do You Do?

Barb Szyszkiewicz reviews a new picture book by Rebecca W. Martin that opens the door to family conversations about priestly vocations. 

Father Drew, What Do You Do?

By Rebecca W. Martin; illustrated by Steliyana Doneva

Publisher: OSV Kids

At this time of year, your diocese is probably about to celebrate priestly ordinations, so now is the perfect time for OSV Kids to launch a new picture book about the daily lives of priests! In Father Drew, What Do You Do?  Rebecca W. Martin, author of Meet Sister Mary Margaret, tells what a parish priest does on a typical day and shows the many ways priests serve God and bring God's love to the people they encounter. Best of all, it opens the door for young children to start thinking about how they can serve God when they grow up.

A Lesson on Vocation, Sacraments, Prayer, and Friendship

In a friendly, approachable tone, the title character introduces himself and explains what a priest does. Steliyana Doneva's illustrations bring the book to life, showing Father Drew celebrating Mass, preaching a homily, visiting the sick, administering sacraments, and even grocery shopping.

The pages highlighting the sacraments explain the different ways God reaches out to people through each sacrament. The book also mentions that priests pray, both by spending time with Jesus in Adoration and by praying the Liturgy of the Hours (I loved that "you can learn to pray it, too" is emphasized here). 

Father Drew is also depicted visiting families at their homes, serving the poor, and enjoying hobbies like cooking or playing musical instruments. Priests from a few religious orders are also mentioned in the book and shown wearing their habits.

Father Drew, What Do You Do?  ends with a prayer for the child to pray, asking God to help them know His will for them; this would be an excellent addition to your family's morning or bedtime prayer routine. Bonus pages for parents include a note about vocabulary and a brief explanation of why only men can be priests, as well as a beautiful prayer for our children's vocations (of all kinds). I'd recommend that prayer to every parent of young children!

Learning New Words While Learning About Priestly Life

As parents (or teachers, or catechists) read this book with children, they'll notice that some words are larger and bolder than others. Some of these include ordained, parish, homily, sacraments, and vocation. Those words are explained through context clues and will help children enrich their vocabulary as they learn about the life of a priest. 

Is this a book you'd like to read? Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: (top, center) copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.
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