Through Living Waters: An Origin Story About Baptism

Lorelei Savaryn reviews the final installment of Claudia Cangilla McAdam’s children's book series on the sacraments. 

Through Living Waters: An Origin Story About Baptism

By Claudia Cangilla McAdam; illustrated by Gina Capaldi

Published by Ascension Press

About The Book 

Written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam, Through Living Waters: An Origin Story About Baptism (Ascension) introduces young Catholics to the power and grace that is poured out in the Sacrament of Baptism. It is the final installment in her series on sacraments (there are similar books on Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and Confirmation). Featuring moving illustrations by Gina Capaldi, this book is intended to draw children out of their day-to-day lives, and into the time of Christ where the story takes place. 

The main character, a young girl named Rachel, has a deathly fear of water. She hears Jesus tell His followers that if they believe and are baptized, they will be saved, but she is confused and still frightened. When she learns that the waters of Baptism make her a child of God and bring eternal life, her fears get washed away. 

Review 

This book would be a nice addition for families who enjoy explaining and revisiting the sacraments with their children through beautiful stories, or a wonderful Baptism gift to a family. There is also a spread at the end that goes more in depth into the sacrament itself and is a good resource to prompt further discussion. 

Through Living Waters is as beautifully illustrated as the other books in McAdam’s series on the sacraments. I very much appreciate how the stories in this collection take significant moments in the Bible and view them through the lens of a child. As a mom, I trust that this approach will help kids feel even closer to the precious gifts our faith provides, and that it will give them a framework for understanding how they can relate to these all-important moments in the Bible.

This book also has the potential to spark interesting conversation about how Rachel was baptized as a child because she was alive when the Sacrament was initiated, but how now we are able to bring our babies into the Church since Baptism has long been established.  

All in all, this book, along with the others in the series, would make a great addition to any family’s collection of religious stories.  

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 Lorelei Savaryn
Images: page spreads from book copyright 2025 Ascension Press, all rights reserved.