Give a Catholic Book for Christmas: 15 Gift Ideas

Barb Szyszkiewicz introduces 15 newly released books for Catholic authors, in time for your Christmas gift giving.

Books to give and books to get: Here are some of my favorite new books for all ages from Catholic authors.

Devotionals

Catholic Mom founder Lisa M. Hendey has written a one-of-a-kind devotional in Jesus Every Day, Jesus Every Way: A Weekly Devotional. Lisa invites you to pray, sharing her thoughts on a Scripture passage and guiding you through a full week of mini-meditations in this comfortable, approachable, and beautifully designed yearly devotional. Start anytime! This book is perfect for the prayer beginner and anyone feeling too busy or overwhelmed to pray. It's called a weekly devotional, but it's structured so you can use it a little bit every day. I've already given away a copy of this wonderful book, published by Loyola Press.

Daily Devotions for Grandmothers is Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle at her gentle, encouraging best. This author is one I've followed for a good 20 years. Her earlier books were a great inspiration in the middle of my days of mothering little kids and teenagers. In this book from Pauline Books & Media, you'll find 366 daily entries, each beginning with a Scripture verse or a quote from a saint or the Catechism. The daily entries also include a meditation ("Steep"), call to action, brief prayer, and an observation or affirmation to consider through the day ("Savor"). Bonus content includes the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, other prayers and litanies, and meditations for the Seven Sorrows Chaplet, which one of my own grandmothers used to pray — I now treasure her chaplet. 

New from Melanie Rigney, 12 Unforgettable Men of the Gospels: Reflections and Portraits of the Apostles (Twenty-Third Publications) is a combination Bible study, biographical look, and devotional about the twelve apostles (yes, including Judas: as Melanie comments, we can learn from him too). I've taken this book to Adoration with me; the questions to ponder that are found toward the end of each chapter lend themselves well to prayerful journaling. You can read through this book in any order; of course, I flipped straight to the entry for my favorite apostle, Thomas. Melanie offers new perspective on the apostles that's not an excuse for bad behavior but a charitable explanation for why they might have spoken, reacted, and behaved as they did. Keep a Bible by your side as you read this book; you'll need it! 

Fiction

Stephanie Landsem's latest novel, The Fault Between Us, is set in Yellowstone in 1959, when a severe earthquake and flood tore through the national park and surrounding area, leaving residents and visitors in peril (many of whom did not survive). Stephanie tells the story of three sisters, all young women who are already going through their own personal crises when the earthquake endangers them all. The second half of this book — the quake and its aftermath — was so intense that I felt like I was running on the adrenalin the characters must have been feeling as they struggled to live through the disaster. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and readers who enjoy visiting national parks.

For Teen Readers

Set in 18th-century Milan, Playing by Heart is a symphony of romance and faith with an undercurrent of social commentary. Will Maria and Emilia’s father sacrifice their futures on the altar of his own ambitions to join the noble class? Carmela Martino’s newly re-released novel for teen readers explores family ties, vocations, and discernment of the best ways to use God-given gifts. This historical novel is based on the lives of two sisters, Maria Gaetana Agnesi and Maria Teresa Agnesi, who were gifted in much the same ways as the characters Maria and Emilia are. In the novel, Maria is deeply religious; her only desire is to enter a convent so she can work to serve the poor. But her father is unwilling to give up the social advantages he believes he can gain by showing off Maria’s abilities in languages and mathematics, as well as her younger sister Emilia’s musical talents. This book is written for a YA audience; I’d recommend it for readers in high school and up, and adult readers as well. The story is intriguing and beautifully told, and really invites the reader into the world of the social climber in 18th-century Milan. This novel is a clean romance, steeped in history. 

Books for Kids of All Ages

Perfect for middle-schoolers, Catholic Mom contributing writer Amy J. Cattapan's middle-grade novel, 7 Riddles to Nowhere, centers on a cyber-scavenger hunt reminiscent of The Westing Game but with higher stakes: the survival of a beloved Catholic school. Kam, who suffers from selective mutism, and his friends are challenged by bullies as they make their way through unfamiliar neighborhoods, seeking clues in churches and racing against time to win an inheritance. This suspense-filled story was recently re-released with a brand-new cover design.

Are your children fascinated by our new pope? Colleen Pressprich has written OSV Kids Discover: The Pope in the style of those DK books that were all the rage when my kids were in school. The large-size book is packed with fun facts galore: the history of the papacy, how a pope is elected, the pope's role as a world leader and the leader of the Church, what a pope wears, and more. It's full of pictures, a new vocabulary word with a definition on every two-page spread, maps, and historical timelines. There's plenty here to explore; this book will be read again and again! 

In the new Caitlin and Peter's Rosary Adventures series, Theresa Linden cleverly integrates some of my favorite characters from her West Brothers series (for teens) in a chapter book for young readers. Sharing the Sorrow is the second book in this series, and it focuses on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Caitlin and Peter return to the Holy Land in the time of Jesus and follow Him and the disciples from the Garden of Gethsemane all the way to Jesus' Crucifixion. Along the way, they are challenged to ponder the virtue connected to each of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. When they discover the virtue connected to a particular Mystery, they are transported to the scene of the following Mystery, and finally back home where they must apply the lessons they have learned. (Review copy received from the author)

Catholic Mom contributing writer Leslea Wahl's new picture book, Bertie and the Mommy Mix-up, is a fun story for young children who love animals, especially birds. All the birds were invited to a springtime party, but Bertie, who was very busy reading and not expecting any baby birds this spring, didn't even notice the invitation. Bertie loved reading and learning new things, and her friends didn't seem to understand. While Bertie did join the party, afterward the eggs (which had been tended by Old Owl) hatched, but the baby birds didn't seem to be in the right nests. Bertie uses the knowledge she has learned from books to match the baby birds to right mommy birds. Parents will enjoy the side comments from the squirrels who observe all the action, and kids will learn some fun facts about birds. 

For the board-book crew, Our Sunday Visitor recently published My Catholic ABC and My Catholic 123, both by Alex DeRose and illustrated by Emma Walton. The items chosen to illustrate each letter and number run the gamut from expected (Aa, ark; Bb, Bible) to surprising (Mm, Miraculous Medal; Nn, Nativity), and there's a cute nod to Advent with"4 candles." Some of the numbered items, such as the candles and "9 angels" made sense, but others (8 lambs) seemed to be there to fill the space. This book set is a fun Catholic twist on alphabet and counting books for toddlers. 

A Cookbook for the Whole Family

Open up a Catholic cookbook your whole family can enjoy together. The Catholic Kids’ Cookbook: Holy Days and Heavenly Food by Haley Stewart and Clare Sheaf, published by Word On Fire, includes 33 recipes to help your family celebrate the liturgical year — and as a bonus, encourages kids to develop their cooking skills. I love that this cookbook enables families to choose age-appropriate ways to introduce cooking skills to children. The book boasts clear instructions, difficulty ratings (easy, moderate, and difficult) for each recipe, and reminders to read the whole recipe first, gather up all ingredients, and clean up any messes. I also love that none of the recipes call for exotic or expensive ingredients. I can find everything I need to make any recipe in this cookbook in my local supermarket, which is not a gourmet supermarket by any stretch of the imagination. Each recipe presented comes with a brief introduction to the feast day or liturgical season to which it’s connected. There is also a two-page liturgical year timeline at the front of the book, so you can help your family learn where we are in the Church year at any given time. Each season is introduced with a brief essay that includes suggestions for activities families can enjoy together to celebrate that season. 

Memoir

For years, I enjoyed a radio program on Sirius XM, hosted by Greg Willits and his wife, Jennifer. That was "appointment listening" for me in a time when satellite radio didn't have an app I could use in the house to listen. Instead, I'd schedule my errand time so I'd be in the car when their show was on. Greg has gone through considerable struggles over the years, and details these in his new memoir published by Sophia Institute Press, God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis De Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom. If you (like me) are intimidated by De Montfort, this book will ease you into his spiritual masterpiece, as it is interspersed with Greg's own story, chapter by chapter, as well as included in the memoir sections. It's not an easy book, but it's honest and it's powerful. 

Coloring Book

For anyone who loves to relax by coloring and people who appreciate the art of quilting, Catholic Mom contributing writer Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur has put together The Patron Saint Quilt Coloring Book, featuring 22 holy women. This perfect-bound book is designed to lie flat, and images are printed on only one side, so you can remove pages from the book if you wish to display them after you've colored. On the left-hand side, you'll read a brief biography of a saint and be introduced to a quilt-block design relevant to that saint; on the right-hand side, you can color between 6 and 12 separate quilt blocks in that design. In addition to the Blessed Mother, saints include Saint Barbara, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Saint Monica. I've already given a copy of this book as a gift.

For Wine Lovers

Emily Stimpson Chapman has written a new hardcover book that's oversized enough to qualify as a coffee-table book, though it's not two inches thick. Sacred Wine: The Holy History and Heritage of Catholic Vintners (Marian Press) details a dozen wineries in Italy, France, and Spain that grew from a faith background, many as monasteries. Take an armchair tour of the Southern European wine country and learn more about wines you might already be familiar with, and see photos of the wineries and the winemaking process. The book includes contact information about each winery in case you'd like to plan a visit or explore their websites. 

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images: Canva

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