This book is the cornerstone of a program called the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and it is a new way to tap into the private relationship that children have with God. This book is translated from Italian and requires careful reading, but Sofia Cavelletti's message is profound. In learning how to teach 3-6 year old children using Sofia's method, I have been transformed.

Sofia Cavalletti picks up where Maria Montessori began. We learn about Cultivating the Gift of Wonder, and how to engage children in such a way that they show us who God might be. I encourage every parent who wonders "How do I teach my child about God?" to read this book and to explore this method.

Developmentally appropriate, respectful of the child's capabilities, and true to the essentials of Christianity, this approach is a quantum leap above traditional Sunday School stuff. It nurtures the child as well as the teacher, and crosses denominational lines in its effectiveness.

This book was an excellent help to me in planning how I can introduce the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to my religious education class. It is simple to follow and easily explained. I bought a second copy to give to my daughter to use with her daughters ages 3 and 5 to introduce them to the wonder and beauty of the Good Shepherd and the Mass. All around our parish I have been recommending it to parents of preschoolers to help them bring the children into the celebration of Mass but also to help them educate their little ones using the parables of Jesus.

In tracing the history recounted in the Bible, Cavalletti makes use of a traditional method of interpretation - typology (prefiguring) - applied in a systematic way: Christological, sacramental, and ecclesial. This is tradition applied more clearly than I have seen before - and I read a great deal of material in the area. She applies this three-fold typology of creation, original sin, the flood, Abraham, Moses ... building a very solid foundation of Biblical and liturgical knowledge in an easy to understanding way. Along with way a variety of other Bible interpretation topics are explored - literary genre, document theory, form criticism - explored in sufficient detail to make the necessary points in language clear enough to be accessible to a very broad audience. This is truly a book to rave about.

This is a great resource for catechists (or would-be catechists) using the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. While it offers a few "nuts and bolts" directions, its emphasis is much more on explaining the philosophy behind the method, and on developing the inner spiritual resources of the catechist. Especially in light of it being translated from Italian, it was easy to read and understand. There are a few technical problems in the printing, though mostly of a minor nature (the most glaring is that the contents of pages 112 and 113 are transposed). Overall, it is a valuable and inspiring addition to the working library of anyone using CGS -- and also of interest to those leading its offshoot, Godly Play.