When you're trying to teach important moral lessons to teens, just tell a story—they'll get it every time. Each short story in this series is narrated from the point of view of a biblical or real-life character. The stories provide an inside perspective on those who draw strength from God and the Spirit during times of struggle and strife—and help Catholic teens draw on that same strength. Each book also features a leader's guide with suggestions for using the stories with young people. These stories will touch teens deeply and bring real-life issues into focus. To see each book, go to the Components page.
Components
The short stories in Holy Terrors and Gentle Souls bring to life the real struggles of 10 beloved saints and Christian heroes, inviting readers to reflect on how, throughout Church history, the Holy Spirit has called people to become more than they ever thought they could be. A princess and a Christian, Elizabeth freely shares her husband's wealth with the poor, earning their favor—and a promise of revenge from her husband's jealous brother. When Teresa boldly starts a new convent to reform the Carmelite order, it causes an uproar in Ávila. She's confident that she's following God's will, but her sister isn't so sure. Archbishop Oscar Romero expects to be assassinated by the military any day for speaking out on behalf of El Salvador's poor. As he prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice, he is gripped by fear and doubt.
Engaging and true-to-life, these 10 short stories vividly portray people who are wrestling with important life issues: love, work, money, suffering, communication, vocation, and more. Written from a young person's viewpoint, the stories offer in-depth material for reflecting on the meaning and practice of the Christian life. Lacey escapes spending a drunken night in a Tijuana jail only to be shaken up the next morning by encounters with a world he has never known. Scott and Emily have just gotten engaged, but Emily wonders if they will turn out like her miserable, divorcing parents. Lily's developmentally disabled brother, Christopher, can be exasperating. But he has some lessons to teach her, like how to wake up bees.
The 10 short stories in this collection for young adults put flesh and blood on issues of justice at personal and societal levels and offer in-depth material for reflecting on the meaning and practice of Christian justice. Stanley, a young man with a penchant for moon- and stargazing, struggles to be known and respected by his father. Stopping at a soup kitchen to take pictures for her boyfriend's photo essay, Lia is pressed into serving the soup, and her eyes are opened to a reality that can't be seen through a camera lens. Lucy is someone's mother, someone's wife. To the casual observer, though, she's just a street person wandering the Mall in Washington, DC.
What people are saying about Stories of Faith for Teens Series
Believable characters, smooth narrative, and hopeful endings characterize each story. . . . The author avoids pat answers to complex questions and situations while portraying authentic Christianity. Characters struggle with issues of faith, pray, see God at work in their lives, and grow in understanding in a way recognizable to believers. God is portrayed as loving, faithful, and intimately involved in the lives of his children. With a talent for details recognizable to all readers, Daoust uses simple and humorous language to describe truth.
Review by Heidi Borton, VOYA
