Shop by Brand: Sophia Institute Press

"Oh, my little one,

I have great plans for you!

I have chosen you to be

a very important person

whom I will always love."


This beautifully illustrated, delightful story of an imaginary conversation between God and an unborn baby will lead children to see that from the very moment God gave them a soul at conception, He had great plans for them.

In this charming odyssey of self-discovery, the child imagines himself as an astronaut, a baker, a farmer, a doctor, a teacher, a parent, and a child . . . important simply for who he is — a child whom God will always love.

This 3-book set focuses on the Christmas holiday, the birth of Jesus, and stories surrounding the season. This set includes:

Grumpy Old Ox
This children's Christmas book by bestselling author Anthony DeStefano tells the story of a mean-spirited, prideful old ox who has lost his sight — both physically and spiritually — but who nevertheless experiences the transformative power of God's grace after he is present at the birth of Jesus Christ in a humble stable in Bethlehem. Illustrated by New York Times best-selling artist Richard Cowdrey, this new holiday book teaches children the true meaning of Christmas while explaining the central message of Christianity: that faith in Jesus leads us to resurrection and new life. Moreover, it shows the profound connection between spiritual pride and blindness. Like the main character in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this Scrooge of an ox is a slave to his own anger and crippled by his own coldness. He seems destined to live out his days frustrated, unhappy and alone—until he makes a life-altering decision of faith that brings him the miraculous gift of healing and joy. This uplifting, inspiring book will delight all Christians, though Catholics especially will appreciate its powerful Eucharistic message. Connecting the manger in the stable, from which the ox eats his food, to birth of the Son of God, the story shows that Jesus is the Bread of Life; that he came into the world to feed the hungry, to restore sight to the blind, and to set free those who are captive to sin.

Spider Who Saved Christmas
The Spider Who Saved Christmas tells the tale of what happened to the Holy Family on their way to Egypt after receiving the message of the angel. When Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are in danger of being discovered and harmed by Herod's murderous soldiers, a cave-dwelling spider named Nephila risks her and her children's safety to help her hallowed visitors. Majestically illustrated by artist Randy Gallegos, EWTN host Raymond Arroyo's moving story sheds new light on a family of Golden Silk Orb Weavers, whose silk is considered the most precious of all and is displayed at Christmastime in the sparkling tinsel that glints from evergreen trees the world over. After reading this book, you'll always remember Nephila in the twinkling tinsel. Though small and feared, she met divinity and reflected His light as only she could. Like each of us ... she was there for a reason.

First Christmas
Lovingly illustrated by celebrated artist Frank Fraser, Thomas D. Williams's magnificent poem First Christmas tells of the monumental event that Christians have celebrated for more than two thousand years: the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. Replete with glorious angels, joyful shepherds, indifferent townspeople, humble kings, delightful donkeys, cattle, sheep, and, of course, Joseph, Mary, and the adorable baby Jesus, these sublime pages leave Santa Claus behind and bring to vivid life the tender, moving, true story of Christmas. If you love the classic poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas," you'll treasure First Christmas and place it at the center of your family's annual Christmas celebrations.

In the Church's calendar, every day is special because it is a feast for Jesus, Mary, and the saints! In Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, children will befriend a new saint every day as they color in a full-page image of the saint of the day while listening to their parents read aloud the saint's story.

Drawing from the liturgical calendar, this charming coloring book showcases the lives of these holy men and women from the early Church to the modern day. Children will encounter saints from around the world, including old friends such as St. Patrick and St. Catherine of Siena, and new ones too, such as St. Paul Miki and St. Gianna Molla.

By coloring and reading Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, children will learn that each saint has a special day — almost like a birthday — when we remember and celebrate their lives so that we can imitate them in this world and follow them into eternal life in Heaven.

In the Church's calendar, every day is special because it is a feast for Jesus, Mary, and the saints! In Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints: Volume II, children can once again befriend a new saint each day as they color in a full-page image of the saint while listening to their parents read the faith hero's story aloud.

Drawing from the liturgical calendar—this time from July through December—this captivating coloring book showcases the lives of holy men and women from the early Church to the modern day. Children will encounter saints from around the world, including fascinating characters such as St. Pius X, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Martha, and renowned favorites such as St. George, St. Clare, St. Juan Diego, and St. Mary herself.

By coloring and reading Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, children will learn that each saint has a special day when we remember and celebrate their lives so that we can imitate them in this world and follow them into eternal life in the next.

In the Church's calendar, every day is special because it is a feast for Jesus, Mary, and the saints! In Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, children will befriend a new saint every day as they color in a full-page image of the saint of the day while listening to their parents read aloud the saint's story.

Drawing from the liturgical calendar, this charming coloring book showcases the lives of these holy men and women from the early Church to the modern day. Children will encounter saints from around the world. This set includes 2 books: Day-by-Day Coloring Book of Saints, Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Lovingly illustrated by celebrated artist Frank Fraser, Thomas D. Williams's magnificent poem First Christmas tells of the monumental event that Christians have celebrated for more than two thousand years: the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem.

Replete with glorious angels, joyful shepherds, indifferent townspeople, humble kings, delightful donkeys, cattle, sheep, and, of course, Joseph, Mary, and the adorable baby Jesus, these sublime pages leave Santa Claus behind and bring to vivid life the tender, moving, true story of Christmas.

If you love the classic poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas," you'll treasure First Christmas and place it at the center of your family's annual Christmas celebrations.

This children's Christmas book by bestselling author Anthony DeStefano tells the story of a mean-spirited, prideful old ox who has lost his sight — both physically and spiritually — but who nevertheless experiences the transformative power of God's grace after he is present at the birth of Jesus Christ in a humble stable in Bethlehem.

Illustrated by New York Times best-selling artist Richard Cowdrey, this new holiday book teaches children the true meaning of Christmas while explaining the central message of Christianity: that faith in Jesus leads us to resurrection and new life.

Moreover, it shows the profound connection between spiritual pride and blindness. Like the main character in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this Scrooge of an ox is a slave to his own anger and crippled by his own coldness. He seems destined to live out his days frustrated, unhappy and alone—until he makes a life-altering decision of faith that brings him the miraculous gift of healing and joy.

This uplifting, inspiring book will delight all Christians, though Catholics especially will appreciate its powerful Eucharistic message. Connecting the manger in the stable, from which the ox eats his food, to birth of the Son of God, the story shows that Jesus is the Bread of Life; that he came into the world to feed the hungry, to restore sight to the blind, and to set free those who are captive to sin.

All of this is contained in a 36-page picture book that, with its adorable rhymes and beautiful illustrations, is sure to entertain and enthrall children for years to come.

This delightful rhyming book introduces Catholic children to the Blessed Virgin Mary in a fun and simple way—through her clothes!

When Our Lady lived in Nazareth two thousand years ago, she was very poor and probably didn't have many nice things to wear. But now that she's in Heaven, she has an enormous mansion. And in that mansion she has an incredibly beautiful wardrobe filled with a great variety of dresses, veils, slippers, sashes, robes, rings and crowns.

Over the centuries, Our Lady has visited the people of Earth many times. On each of these occasions she has dressed very differently. Our Lady's Wardrobe tells the story of some of her most famous apparitions, highlighting the clothes she wore and the things she did.

By reading this book, children will not only learn about the Mother of God, but will also learn the main purpose of her life—to love and serve her son, Jesus Christ, and to lead others to do the same.

Here's the perfect book for young football fans who want to meet Philip Rivers: the eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has united his love of the Catholic Faith to his love of football.

In page after page of full color photographs, you'll follow Philip since he was a boy and had big dreams — and an even bigger love of football. You'll see him rise through the ranks, from Athens High School to North Carolina State, and finally to the Chargers. You'll discover those qualities of character that separated Philip from so many other young NFL hopefuls. Most importantly, you'll find out how he proudly united his love of the Catholic Faith to his love of football, relying constantly on God and the saints in the face of challenges on and off the field.

Here you'll read about some of the key moments in Philip's career, including:
• His reputation for dramatic comebacks in college and professional football
• His storied competition with quarterback Drew Brees, which fostered an unlikely friendship
• His infamous "humble fumble"—and how he turned this embarrassing error into a profound success
• His incredible performance against the New England Patriots despite a torn ACL—and the unexpected help he received just before the game
• The miraculous meeting that helped him recover from a devastating back injury

Whether you hope to become an outstanding athlete, earn good grades, or deepen your faith, Philip's story will encourage you to persevere on your journey, no matter the challenges you face.

The Spider Who Saved Christmas tells the tale of what happened to the Holy Family on their way to Egypt after receiving the message of the angel. When Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are in danger of being discovered and harmed by Herod's murderous soldiers, a cave-dwelling spider named Nephila risks her and her children's safety to help her hallowed visitors.

Majestically illustrated by artist Randy Gallegos, EWTN host Raymond Arroyo's moving story sheds new light on a family of Golden Silk Orb Weavers, whose silk is considered the most precious of all and is displayed at Christmastime in the sparkling tinsel that glints from evergreen trees the world over. After reading this book, you'll always remember Nephila in the twinkling tinsel. Though small and feared, she met divinity and reflected His light as only she could.

Like each of us ... she was there for a reason.

The Saints Chronicles bring vividly to life the stories of courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. All four volumes of this Graphic Novel Series are packed with engaging texts and dramatic images that captivate and inspire readers of all ages.

In this first volume, you'll dive into the life of Christianity's boldest heroes of the Faith, including:

• St. Patrick, a young boy captured by Irish pirates and made a slave, only to escape and later return to convert all of pagan Ireland to Christianity.
• St. Jerome Emiliani, the bold soldier who became a Christian while imprisoned in a dark dungeon, escaping to join the priesthood and lead a life in service to the poor and suffering.
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the wealthy New York widow who made vows of poverty and chastity, creating the very first Catholic schools in the United States and becoming America's first saint.
• St. Henry Morse, the Catholic convert who became a priest and bravely spread the Faith in Protestant England, only to be arrested and martyred for being Catholic.
• St. Joan of Arc, the thirteen-year-old-girl who God called to rally a demoralized army and lead the Catholic French to an overwhelming defeat of the English.

The stirring adventures of these brave Christian souls remind us that God has in mind for each of us a unique mission, worthy of all our imagination and all our daring.

Appealing to readers of all ages, these Graphic Novels will enhance literacy and promote content retention while introducing Catholic saints in a form that can be enjoyed again and again.

In this handsome graphic novel, you'll join some of the world's greatest saints in their inspiring – and often exciting and even dangerous – quests for holiness. These thrilling stories and stunning images found here will captivate you and fascinate readers of all ages.

Here you'll meet:

• St. Nicholas, the orphaned boy who generously ministered to the sick and the poor, and eventually became the wise and just bishop of Myra.
• St. Francis of Assisi, the rough soldier who put down his weapons, renounced his possessions, and went on to establish two great religious orders.
• St. Brigid of Ireland, the young girl who fled from an impending, arranged marriage to become a nun, and devote her life completely to the Lord.
• St. Pachomius, the Roman soldier who became a Christian and ventured into the Egyptian desert to pray, establishing there numerous monasteries.
• St. Anne Line, the gentle Catholic convert in the Protestant England who was arrested and cruelly executed for hiding fellow Catholics from murderous anti-Catholic government agents.

Embark here on great adventures of the Christian Life! These gripping stories of Catholic heroes call on each of us to follow boldly God's unique plan for our lives, and, as did the saints, to reach the very heights of holiness.

These gripping texts and dramatic images bring you the exciting stories of some of the Church's greatest saints. Along with them, you'll embark upon the adventure of holiness, learning from their example how to embrace wholeheartedly God's unique mission for your own life.

In this spectacular graphic novel you'll meet:

• St. Anthony of Padua, the brilliant young Franciscan friar whose deepest desire was to be a martyr for Christ.
• St. Ava, the young girl born blind, whose great faith in the Lord led Him to restore her vision.
• St. Samson, the humble monk who, legend claims, slew a fierce dragon, saving the people of Wales from destruction.
• St. Bernadette, the fourteen-year-old girl whose 19th-century visions of the Blessed Mother in Lourdes, France, continue to inspire pilgrimages and devotions to this day.
• St. Charles Lwanga, the African courtier who, for the sake of the Faith, defied his wicked king, knowing it would cost him his life.

Join these remarkable saints as they boldly pursue lives of holiness. Let their profound faith and unwavering devotion to God's will inspire and sustain you as you confront evils in our own day and time.

Experience the rousing adventures of some of history's greatest saints. Their lives, depicted here in spectacular graphics, demonstrate that living our true faith is never dull but demands heroic courage and tireless strength.

In these thrilling stories of saintly men and women you will meet:

• St. Willibrord, the bold and fearless missionary priest who converted the people of the Netherlands despite the murderous threats of a hostile pagan king;
• St. Margaret of Scotland, the young noblewoman forced to flee her own country, who found refuge in Scotland, where she became a wise queen devoted to service of the poor;
• St. Stanislaus, the beloved Polish bishop who publicly condemned the vicious actions of his king and was killed for his bold stand against evil;
• St. Rose of Lima, the young girl, admired for her striking beauty, who rejected her parents' demand that she marry and dedicated herself instead to a life of prayer and service;
• St. Dominic, the brave priest who was staunchly committed to combating dangerous heresies and eventually founded one of the most influential religious orders within the Church.

The glorious examples of these extraordinary men and women offer hope and inspiration, reminding us that, even in the darkest of times, a bold spirit and unwavering faith in God are the main weapons we need to win the strenuous battles of life.

The Saints Chronicles bring vividly to life the stories of courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. All five volumes of this popular graphic novel series are packed with engaging texts and dramatic images that captivate readers of all ages and inspire them to appreciate and live out more fully their participation in the Mystical Body of Christ.

In this volume, you'll dive into the life of Christianity's boldest heroes of the Faith, including:

• Pope St. Celestine V, the humble hermit who was named the head of the Catholic Church — and was the first pope to resign from his position.
• St. Ignatius of Loyola, the valiant young warrior who was injured in battle, experienced a profound conversion, and became one of the greatest spiritual teachers in Church history.
• St. Clare, who, following the words of St. Francis, committed to a life of poverty and devout prayer.
• St. Germaine of Pibrac, the young French girl who, despite deformities and sickness, lived a life of heroic love and patience.
• St. Vincent de Paul, the patron of charitable societies, who avoided personal comforts and showed immense compassion for the poor.

The stirring adventures of these brave Christian souls remind us that God has in mind for each of us a unique mission worthy of all our imagination and all our daring.

Appealing to readers of all ages, these graphic novels will educate, enlighten, entertain, and inspire while illuminating the path of holiness and solidifying in your children a decidedly Catholic worldview.

The Saints Chronicles bring vividly to life the stories of courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. This Graphic Novel Series is packed with engaging texts and dramatic images that captivate and inspire readers of all ages.

In collections 1-5, you'll dive into the life of Christianity's boldest heroes of the Faith, including:

• St. Patrick, a young boy captured by Irish pirates and made a slave, only to escape and later return to convert all of pagan Ireland to Christianity.
• St. Nicholas, the orphaned boy who generously ministered to the sick and the poor, and eventually became the wise and just bishop of Myra.
• St. Anthony of Padua, the brilliant young Franciscan friar whose deepest desire was to be a martyr for Christ.
• St. Willibrord, the bold and fearless missionary priest who converted the people of the Netherlands despite the murderous threats of a hostile pagan king;
• Pope St. Celestine V, the humble hermit who was named the head of the Catholic Church — and was the first pope to resign from his position.
• And many more: St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Henry Morse, St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Brigid of Ireland, St. Pachomius, St. Anne Line, St. Ava, St. Samson, St. Bernadette, St. Charles Lwanga, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Stanislaus, St. Rose of Lima, St. Dominic, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Clare, St. Germaine of Pibrac, and St. Vincent de Paul.

The stirring adventures of these brave Christian souls remind us that God has in mind for each of us a unique mission, worthy of all our imagination and all our daring.

This set includes 5 books: The Saints Chronicles Collections 1-5. Appealing to readers of all ages, these Graphic Novels will enhance literacy and promote content retention while introducing Catholic saints in a form that can be enjoyed again and again.

In this beautifully illustrated journey without words, a glum little pig named Vincent is given a mysterious gift that fills his heart with something he's never possessed: Love.

But all too soon Vincent's new found love is tested when he chances upon a sad little character in need. Vincent is forced to make a difficult decision, but one that leads to some very unexpected results.

Vincent is a picture book for ages 3 and up, and without words, tells a story of discovering love and what happens when it's shared.