Book Reviews2 “E” is for Eucharist: A Catholic children's ABC book

Jun 21, 2021

If you are looking for a children’s book to catechize your children on major Catholic themes, “E” is for Eucharist can assist you, rhyming the teachable terms along the way: A is for ashes, “At Lent, they’re smudged upon your head;” B is for Blessed Sacrament, “The Body of the Lord, once bread.”

Published by Tan Books and written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam, the book is a deep dive into some of the headier theological topics a child can enter into: the Eucharist, the role of incense, the Kyrie Eleison.

Because three to five-year-old children are some of the greatest theologians I have ever met, this book could meet the expansiveness of their curiosity in the same way that Catechesis of the Good Shepherd does. At the same time, I have little doubt the children will ask follow-up questions for each of the pages.

Given the exalted nature of the word and the explanations they require, this book could also be good for older children to read to the younger children. 

Illustrated by Anna-Maria Crum, the art helps to communicate the reality of the words and the book comes with a downloadable activity sheet to give the children even more time to absorb the theological concepts.  

I would be remiss not to mention that the inclusion of the Divine Name signified by the Sacred Tetragrammaton YHWH, spelled out, violates the tenant of respect Pope Benedict XVI wanted to foster among our Jewish brethren. In line with the Pope’s recommendations for revision of all liturgical texts, I would recommend a reprint with the word Yeshua for Y.