Books relating to the Bible:

• The Beginner's Bible 
• The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones 
• The Illustrated Parables of Jesus by Jean-Francois Kieffer and Christine Ponsard
• Through the Year with Jesus: Gospel Readings and Reflections for Children by Katherine Bogner

Books relating to the Saints:

• Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer
• Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki
• More Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki
• Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints by Ethel Pochocki
• Stories of the Saints by Carey Wallace

Books relating to the Catholic faith:

• Tell Me About the Catholic Faith for Small Children by Christine Pedotti
• Tell Me About the Catholic Faith
• YouCat for Kids

Here are some suggestions for diving deeper into the readings with your children! 

Sunday, April 3 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)​

• Mass Readings: Is 43:16-21; excerpts from Ps 126; Phil 3:8-14; Jn 8:1-11. The Gospel reading is the story of Jesus, the Pharisees, and the woman caught in adultery.
• Parents could read about this Gospel reading at Catholic Answers as some background when explaining the reading to children.
• Read the Gospel story in Jesus Teaches His Disciples on pages 26-27.

Sunday, April 10 (Palm Sunday)

• Mass Readings: Lk 19:28-40; Is 50:4-7; excerpts from Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 22:14-23:56. The Gospel tells the story of Jesus’ passion from the Last Supper through his burial in the tomb.
• Read the Gospel story at home in The Beginner’s Bible on pages 427-432.
• Catholic Sprouts episode 181 discusses the Palm Sunday liturgy.
• There is a short Brother Francis video on Formed.org about palms.
• Wear red, the liturgical color for Palm Sunday.
• Make “Palm Sunday Sundaes” (ice cream with mint or green food coloring). Stick some sprigs (like rosemary) in it to up the “Palm Sunday” factor.

Thursday, April 14 (Holy Thursday)

• Mass Readings: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; excerpts from Ps 116; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15. The Gospel story is Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.
• Read about Holy Thursday in The Beginner’s Bible on pages 442-448 or The Jesus Storybook Bible on pages 286-301. When reading aloud from The Jesus Storybook Bible, make sure to change Jesus' words to “this IS my body” and “this IS my blood”!
• Catholic Sprouts episodes 182, 183, and 184 discuss Holy Thursday.
• Read and reflect on Holy Thursday with your slightly older kids with Through the Year with Jesus on pages 72-74 (Last Supper) and 57-60 (Agony in the Garden).
• Holy Thursday is also discussed in Tell Me About the Catholic Faith on pages 56-57.
• Watch the Brother Francis video “The Bread of Life: Celebrating the Eucharist,” available on Formed.org.
• Eat dinner on nice dishes on a table decorated with lit candles. Bonus: eat unleavened bread!
• Take turns washing one another’s feet. Talk about how you can (or do) serve one another.
• Pray for all priests (and for vocations)!

Friday, April 15 (Good Friday)

• Readings: Is 52:13-53:12; excerpts from Ps 31; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42 The Gospel is the story of Jesus’ passion from his arrest in the garden to his burial.
• Read and reflect on Good Friday with your slightly older kids with Through the Year with Jesus on pages 61-63 (Scourging at the Pillar), 64-66 (Crowning with Thorns), 67-69 (Carrying of the Cross), 75-78 (Crucifixion and Death), and 79-81 (Burial).
• Read about Good Friday in The Beginner’s Bible on pages 450-452 or The Jesus Storybook Bible on pages 302-309.
• Catholic Sprouts episodes 185 and 442 discuss Good Friday.
• Good Friday is also discussed in Tell Me About the Catholic Faith on pages 58-59.
• Wear black, the color of mourning.
• Pray the Stations of the Cross using the Brother Francis Stations of the Cross video on Formed.org (also available in Spanish).
• Attend the MBS Young Families children’s Stations of the Cross and symbolic lunch!
• Pray the first day of the Divine Mercy Novena.

Saturday, April 16 (Holy Saturday)

• Catholic Sprouts episode 445 discusses where Jesus was after his death but before his resurrection.
• Wear black, the color of mourning.
• Pray the second day of the Divine Mercy Novena.

Additional Holy Week and Passion Readings and Resources

• Tell Me About the Catholic Faith for Small Children, pages 42-43
• Into the Sea, Out of the Tomb: Jonah and Jesus by Maura Roan McKeegan

Here are some suggestions for commemorating the liturgical calendar at home with children!

April 2 (St. Mary of Egypt)

• Read about St. Mary in Stories of the Saints (p. 69)

April 9 (St. Casilda of Toledo)

• Read about St. Casilda in Saints Around the World (p. 30)

​​​April 11 (St. Stanislaus)

• Read about St. Stanislaus in Stories of the Saints (p. 104)

April 12 (St. Teresa of the Andes)

• Read about St. Teresa in Saints Around the World (p. 194)

April 13 (Bl. Margaret of Castello)

• Read about Bl. Margaret in Saints Around the World (p. 118)

April 16 (St. Bernadette)

• Read about St. Bernadette in Saints Around the World (p. 197)

April 23 (St. George)

• Read about St. George in Stories of the Saints (p. 86)

April 24 (St. Elizabeth Hesselblad)

• Read about St. Elizabeth in Saints Around the World (p. 56)

April 25 (St. Pedro de San Jose Betancur)

• Read about St. Pedro in Saints Around the World (p. 154)

April 29 (St. Catherine of Siena)

• Read about St. Catherine in Saints Around the World (p. 143) or Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints (p. 92)