Catholic Review of: Our Holy Faith

 I specifically have a copy of the Grade 3 God's Truth Help Us Live in my hands, so that's mainly what I'll be reviewing.

The Neumann Press series "Our Holy Faith" is an excellent source of information for children on a grade appropriate reading level.  When my children's excitement  has waned in the Faith and Life Series, this series has increased interest and enjoyment in the subject of Religion Class. 

Book 3 has 280 pages divided into 7 units with between 7-12 parts (or chapters) in each unit.  Following the numbered parts (or chapters) of a unit are a series of Catechism lessons that pertain to that topic. 

In each part (or chapter) are numbered paragraphs with the main sentence bolded.  These parts are short, roughly 1-2 pages, sometimes followed by instructions "What to do in the confessional", always followed by a prayer.  The part (or chapter) ends with "Things to Remember," and "Things to Do."  Sometimes the part (or chapter) is ended with "Problems," which are real-life scenarios in which the child needs to apply what he's learned to different circumstances.

Each unit is ended in a Catechism lesson; bolded questions with answers given "Who made us? God made us." Prayers are reviewed here, then there are questions (without answers) that review the catechism lesson.  Tests are next and come in several "parts" and various types : yes/no, multiple choice, short answer, etc.

I really like this series.

Since the books are hardbound, it makes passing them from one child to the next much easier.

I LOVE the tiny pieces each unit is divided into.  For a young child or struggling reader it has been a God-send.  The children feel like they're accomplishing so much without a lot of struggle. 

I also like the variations of testing options at the back of the chapters.  While I never used them for grades, we did discuss many of the questions to determine understanding and retention of the concepts.  Some of the boys thought it was like a Jeopardy game to have all those questions asked and answered orally of things they just learned.

I find the writing style a little old fashioned (since it was written decades ago, it's to be expected).  While that may not be my reading choice, my younger children have found it engaging rather than being turned away by it.

Overall, I think there's probably more reading involved in this series than Faith and Life Series, but there is also a LOT more review.  After doing this series for a year, most of my children have gone back to Faith and Life, but all have appreciated the time they spend in Our Holy Faith.

I'm so glad to have this on my shelf and several of my children have really benefited from it.

You can purchase this item here.