The Holy Trinity Explained to Children
Contents
Introduction 1. The Mystery of the Holy Trinity 2. St. Augustine and the Holy Trinity 3. St. Patrick and the Holy Trinity 4. The Holy Trinity, a Model of Love 5. Some Ways to Explain the Holy Trinity 6. Our Devotion to the Holy Trinity 7. A Quiz on the Holy Trinity |
In this book, Juan Pablo Pérez introduces the Most Holy Trinity in a simple way that makes the central dogma of the Catholic faith easy to learn by children. As he writes in his introduction, "I hope this book will help many kids understand God better and believe in him with their whole heart."
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About the author
Juan Pablo Pérez is an O'Dea High School student in the Archdiocese of Seattle. Attending Catholic schools all his life, Juan Pablo has developed a strong commitment to his faith, which he takes very seriously. He has served as an altar boy at church and at school and is currently one of the liturgical masters of ceremonies in his parish. He serves as well as a liturgical musician, playing his guitar at mass when he is not serving at the altar. In 2016, Juan Pablo's pro-life piece "A Person is a Person, No Matter How Small" was awarded by the Knights of Columbus with the First Place in their Middle School Essay Contest.
Top customer reviews
The author, Juan Pablo Pérez, has done a stellar job in explaining the Holy Trinity to children, and all the more so when one considers that he is a freshman in high school and was a child not that long ago. Perhaps because of this age proximity, he seems to intuitively know how children learn best: through stories, through object lessons, through opportunities to apply their learning (e.g. prayer) and through a test-yourself quiz.
Pérez starts out with a chapter of theology simply explained, then continues with a story about St. Augustine and a story about St. Patrick as related to their attempts to explain the Trinity, both of which stories contain ancient object lessons. The author then continues with two modern object lessons (you’ll have to get the book to find out what they are – no spoilers here!). He then delves into a short explanation of how Trinitarian theology provides a model for human relationships of love, followed by a short devotional section in which children may pray in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Pérez then closes with a classic tool kids tend to like: a self-check quiz.
Stylistically, Pérez writes very intentionally with simple explanations and straightforward sentences. Though simple, the paragraphs flow smoothly, and his voice comes across as conversational and relatable, like a camp counselor for kids. He uses excellent transitions from one chapter to another, and he stops to define concepts and words when he suspects kids may need it. The pictures throughout the book add concrete images to the descriptions. Through this style of writing, the author makes complex concepts accessible and enjoyable.
One thing I especially appreciate: Children often interpret concepts literally, and Pérez has taken care to explain to children the symbolism used on the front cover. He explainw, for instance, that the Holy Spirit is actually a dove, and God is not an old man with a beard, but that these symbols represent attributes of those persons of the Trinity. In this section, Pérez also explains other symbols used for God. Very well-done.
_The Holy Trinity explained to children_ is an excellent addition to the field of children’s catechesis by a promising new author. Kudos to the high school teacher who asked theology students to write a children’s book. One hopes this project will kick off a long series of theological books for young readers by this author and his classmates!
This review refers to the updated version of the self-published book released on June 12, 2017.
Full Disclosure: This reviewer is part of the social network of the author’s family.
Pérez starts out with a chapter of theology simply explained, then continues with a story about St. Augustine and a story about St. Patrick as related to their attempts to explain the Trinity, both of which stories contain ancient object lessons. The author then continues with two modern object lessons (you’ll have to get the book to find out what they are – no spoilers here!). He then delves into a short explanation of how Trinitarian theology provides a model for human relationships of love, followed by a short devotional section in which children may pray in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Pérez then closes with a classic tool kids tend to like: a self-check quiz.
Stylistically, Pérez writes very intentionally with simple explanations and straightforward sentences. Though simple, the paragraphs flow smoothly, and his voice comes across as conversational and relatable, like a camp counselor for kids. He uses excellent transitions from one chapter to another, and he stops to define concepts and words when he suspects kids may need it. The pictures throughout the book add concrete images to the descriptions. Through this style of writing, the author makes complex concepts accessible and enjoyable.
One thing I especially appreciate: Children often interpret concepts literally, and Pérez has taken care to explain to children the symbolism used on the front cover. He explainw, for instance, that the Holy Spirit is actually a dove, and God is not an old man with a beard, but that these symbols represent attributes of those persons of the Trinity. In this section, Pérez also explains other symbols used for God. Very well-done.
_The Holy Trinity explained to children_ is an excellent addition to the field of children’s catechesis by a promising new author. Kudos to the high school teacher who asked theology students to write a children’s book. One hopes this project will kick off a long series of theological books for young readers by this author and his classmates!
This review refers to the updated version of the self-published book released on June 12, 2017.
Full Disclosure: This reviewer is part of the social network of the author’s family.
