Sunday, August 23, 2026

Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week- Children's Book and Free Activity Book!

Do you know the story of when young Fulton Sheen was altar serving and dropped the wine cruet during Mass? He  happened to be in a cathedral (St. Mary's in Peoria) serving for a bishop (Bishop John Lancaster Spalding), making the mistake even more memorable. This is one of my students' favorite stories of Sheen, I think because it makes him so relatable- they all know what it is like to make a mistake. They also love that afterwards he didn't get in trouble, but instead received from the Bishop a prediction of the plans God might have in store for his future.

As they look to the Saints, kids can benefit from remembering that the saints were all once children themselves. Most didn't achieve heroic virtue immediately, and all give witness to how following God changed the course of their lives. However, biographies that contain real details from the childhood of Saints are pretty hard to come by.

That's one reason that I am so excited to share with you Bonnie Engstrom's the brand new edition of the book Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week! Sharing true stories from the childhood of little Fulton, Bonnie created a collection of tales that are real and relatable for today's kids. Each of the stories is adapted from events Sheen wrote about in his autobiography Treasure in Clay. 

This book is super fun to read aloud. With a recognizable days-of-the-week format, the rhythm of events connects with wonderful storytelling. The full color watercolor illustrations on every spread enhance the book. They share rich details and are based on real locations and photographs. I also love the little hidden symbols and connections to Sheen, which are revealed in a key at the end- they are perfect for going back to search for!

Most importantly, the theme that God is with us, is so close to us, even in our "very bad" moments is taught to the reader. Fulton's mom and dad and the Afterward of the book reveal that His plans are far bigger than what we might see in our current circumstances. The Lord is calling us to Himself through our particular path to holiness, and that is a message I want every kid to hear.

Click here to order the book from the publisher at StPaulCenter.com and click here to find it on Amazon.


Click here for the FREE activity book



I've taught about Fulton Sheen in my 5th-8th Grade classrooms over many years, and have collected those resources into the Teaching with Fulton Sheen Curriculum.  To help expand its impact in homes and classrooms, I had the honor of working with Bonnie and the illustrator Mari to create a companion activity book that we all are so excited to offer you for FREE!

The activities are intended to be a companion to Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week with matching fonts, illustrations, and topics. The pages start simple and easy and get more challenging, offering a range of activities for K-4th Grade. 

The activities work on basic skills like copywork and coloring, but also include reading strategies like matching, sequencing, and recalling facts. The pages for older kids include reflection prompts and room to write.

Within the activities, kids will come to know Fulton Sheen, but more importantly grow in understanding of the love that God has for each one of us. You can see a preview of the activity pages below, and the full pdf also includes a couple more coloring pages, a table of contents with recommended ages, a letter to teachers and parents, and an answer key for the necessary activities. :)

I hope you consider adding  Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week to your home or classroom library! It would also make a great gift for your nieces and nephews, godchildren, and grandchildren. Plus, you can print and include a copy of activity book too!

Click here to download your own Fulton Sheen and the Very Bad Week Activity Book:

(almost) Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us!

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Saturday, August 1, 2026

August Radiant Roundup: Back-to-School, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and August Feast Days!

 

August: The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary



Marian Medallion Circle Stickers* (print, color, and add to your new back-to-school folders and notebooks! These fit on 3" circle sticker labels, or you can print on full sheet label stickers and cut out, or just print on your favorite paper and glue/tape on!)

The Transfiguration: August 6th

St. Philomena: August 11th

St. Maximilian Kolbe: August 14th
Teaching about St. Maximilian Kolbe* (Cross curricular literature, writing, spelling, art, religion, and research unit) (4th-6th)

Assumption of Mary: August 15th
Queenship of Mary: August 22nd 

This activity incorporates art, quotes from Scripture and the catechism, a couple short videos, and a set of worksheets to show the differences and similarities between the Ascension and the Assumption.

If you missed out on crowing Mary in May (or just love honoring Our Lady!), making a little Marian shine is a perfect way to celebrate her Assumption and Coronation! You also can crown your own statue of Mary with flowers or a homemade crown, and then pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary or sing a Marian Hymn.

St. Tarcisius: August 15th

St. John Eudes: August 19th
St. Bartholomew: August 24th

Our Lady of Częstochowa: August 26th


Back to School

Print.Cut.Pray. Prayer Card ebook* (K-8th) Over 100 prayer cards and mini books
Little Prayer Books (K-8th) Storage solution for prayer cards
Favorite Prayers Printable Mini Book*

Bulletin Board Collection

Dozens of ideas for Catholic bulletin boards with solid Catholic identity! Many of them include free printables to make it as easy as possible for you to replicate!

Saint Feast Day Chalk Boards (photos for display or inspiration)

Looking ahead to Fulton Sheen's Beatification on September 24, 2026:



August Books for Catholic Kids
Click here for a list of great books for Catholic kids for the feast days throughout the month of August.

Check out the rest of the monthly Radiant Roundups here:

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August Books for Catholic Kids

August Catholic Kids Book List
Below are a few favorite titles that fit well with devotions and feast days this month! This list contains Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I'd also love to encourage you to shop directly with the publisher or with your local bookshop, or try to request these at your local library! I'm sure I've missed some books that would be great for this month, so feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments! You can find my giant list of Catholic Kid Books by topic here.


Feast Days this Month

8/4- St. John Vianney

8/6- The Transfiguration

8/8- St. Dominic

8/10- St. Lawrence

8/11- St. Clare of Assisi

8/11- St. Philomena

8/14- St. Maximilian Kolbe
 
8/15- Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8/22- Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

8/15- St. Tarcisius
8/17- Our Lady of Knock

8/18- St. Helen

8/23- St. Rose of Lima

8/28- St. Moses the Black

Book Lists By Month:
Click on the images below for book lists organized by feast days and devotions for each month:
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Tuesday, June 30, 2026

July Radiant Roundup

 

Happy July! If you are looking for some ways to learn, pray, and celebrate with your kids this month, here are a few ideas!


July: The Month of the Most Precious Blood
Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Use any of these activities to celebrate the gift of His Most Precious Blood:
Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity Coloring Page Cursive*
Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity Coloring Page Manuscript*
Seeing Jesus in the Eucharist- Monstrance Art Project*
Reviewing the Eucharist Notebook Activity
Teaching About the Mass Activity Sheets* (2nd-8th)
Peg Doll Saints, church, and Mass Kit (Pre-4th)
Make Your Own Mini Mass Kit (Pre-4th)
Adoration with Kids Printables* (K-8th)
Favorite Books about the Mass (All Ages)
Order of the Mass Activity Cards* (4th-8th)
Using the Multiple Intelligences to Teach about the Mass* (all ages)
Mass Reflection Page Graphic Organizer* (2nd grade and up)
Mass Reflection Slides (all ages)





Special patriotic decor for the 4th of July featuring two of our favorite Americans, Pope Leo XIV and soon-to-be Blessed Fulton J. Sheen:


American Saints
As we celebrate the birthday of our country on July 4th, we can look to those who have gone before us as examples of holiness, asking their prayers for our nation.
American Saints At Home VBS (all ages) Tons of resources highlighting 14 holy men and women from the United States, with both printables and digital resources. (This is actually one of my very favorite collections I've made for the blog! Originally from the summer of 2020 when we were all looking for resources to use at home, I really think that we have a lot to learn from these incredible people- and TONS of them have July Feast Days!)

American Saints Research Project (6th-8th grade) Google Slides project, great for the classroom!

American Eucharistic Witnesses (2nd-8th) Created for the National Eucharistic Revival, this series contains thirteen biographies of holy men and women from America. There are matching activities in two levels of difficulty, as well as matching versions in Spanish.


St. Junipero Serra: July 1st

St. Thomas: July 3rd

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati: July 4th 
Pier Giorgio Frassati* Coloring pages and bulletin board


Bl. Josef and Wiktoria Ulma and Children: July 7th
Ulma Family Biographical Study* (7th & up) Editable/Google Classroom ready

Venerable Augustus Tolton: July 9th (unofficial feast day)
My favorite graphic novel about his life is in this post!

St. Veronica: July 12th

Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin: July 12th

Bl. Carlos Manuel Cecilio: July 13th
St. Kateri Tekakwitha: July 14th


Our Lady of Mt. Carmel: July 16th


St. Mary Magdalene: July 22nd
St. James the Greater: July 25th

Bl. Stanley Rother: July 28th

Bl. Solanus Casey: July 30th

St. Ignatius of Loyola: July 31st


Click here for a list of great books for Catholic kids for the feast days throughout the month of July.


Check out the rest of the monthly Radiant Roundups here:

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