Marianna's Secret Family

Betsy Kerekes reviews a sweet children’s story about befriending the saints.

Marianna is having a rough day. To start, she loses a race to a kid who’s always mean to her. She cheers herself by getting creative and building a rocket ship. When her ship crash lands and breaks, she is crushed once again. Finally, she winds up getting lost and struggles to find her way home.

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Throughout her trials, Marianna is comforted by her “secret family”: Saint Anne, Mother Mary, and Saint Joseph, AKA Grandma Anne, Mama Mary, and Papa Joe, who appear when she needs them and provide her with strength and encouragement to carry on.

This is a great story for kids with strong imaginations, who will relate to Marianna’s exploits. The illustrations, done by my daughter Gemma Kerekes, are a colorful and engaging addition to the story written by Janna Tierney, her former teacher.

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Marianna’s Secret Family is a creative tale, perfect for reminding children, and even their parents reading to them, that when times are tough, or they’re having a difficult day, they always have the saints to turn to for comfort.

This book would be a nice Christmas gift for imaginative youngsters, or even to boost their imagination, and to strengthen our connection and reliance on the Church Triumphant.

Marianna’s Secret Family can be found at Lulu.com.

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