Customer Reviews

The Catechist's Magic Kit: 80 Simple Tricks for Teaching Catholicism to Kids

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I teach CCD (religious instruction) and I've been searching for a way to make my classes more interesting for my kids. Frankly, I was a bit surprised at finding a book that uses magic (i.e., sleight-of-hand) to teach kids. Now that I've used a couple of the tricks used in the book, I think I'm having more fun than the kids are! The book is replete with beautiful drawings and the instructions are very clear. They look like come out of a Boy's Life magazine I use to get as a scout. The most reassuring thing about the book is that it received an imprimatur from the Catholic Church. Without that, I would have been a great deal more hesitant about using the book. All in all, I think it's a great book, very useful and I've already had great reactions from my kids.

This book contains useful magical tricks to engage kids' attention and to impart to them the essentials of the Catholic faith. It follows in the tradition of Saint John Bosco, who also was known to use magic tricks as a tool for catechesis. The descriptions of the tricks are clear, and the doctrinal content is faithful to Catholic teaching. The author is both an accomplished magician and a veteran writer for the Catholic press.

In writing The Catechist's Magic Kit, Angelo has taken magic principles to demonstrate and teach the basics and foundations of Catholicism in an easy to grasp manner which the students can easily learn with the help of magical visualization. I highly recommend this book to anyone who teaches CCD, performs at religious affairs such as baptisms and communions, not to use to teach there but to entertain while reinforcing the principles - even without words.

The section in the back which is several pages in length and which shows the comparison between the Catholic teachings and how these apply to other religions is an invaluable tool for those who wish to use the book to teach in their own faith. It is also a good comparative chart which demonstrates how similar we all are in this very small world.

Thank you Angelo Stagnaro and I only wish this had been available when I was taking my CCD classes as a child.

This is a fascinating way of learning your catechism while learning the mysteries of magician's tricks. Woven well together it fits individual tricks with important lessons on God's love, mercy and grace. If you ever want to capture a child's (or adult)attention and then give them a gift of who God is and the wonders of his love then get this book. Made for serious catholics who want to have fun.

This book is well written and has tricks all based on Chruch Catechism. However I was expecting more small science experiment type tricks and this book is truely magic tricks, many using the slight of hand. I found the book a bit overwhelming at first. It does give step by step instructions so I will need to try a few to see if I can pull it off.

The original has to be about, oh, 2000 years old? I hope this was written with a bit of tongue-in-cheek.

I have to say I was just curious, and I could not stop laughing ...... but then it struck me like a bolt out of the blue..... YOU GUYS ARE SERIOUS!!! With absolutely no hint of irony you have sleight of hand and religion side by side.
May I suggest The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins as your next serious book purchase, and read it cover to cover.