The catechism of choice in our house in the Heidelberg Catechism. Nothing against the Westminster but the structure of the Heidelberg suits weekly study. The questions are broken up for a year's worth of Lord's Days and makes it ideal for family worship and meditations. My daughter loves the catechism and is always proud at the table to show when she remembers the answers. As I'll shortly get to however, this isn't the only time she enjoys saying her catechism questions.
The Quest For Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism was too good an opportunity to pass up. I purchased the book while at a conference and presented it to my daughter as a gift. If this was her review of the book it would probably read simply "I love it." This is a satisfactory review but I'll try to present more of why and how she loves it.
The book tells the stories of Fredrick III, Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus and their impact on the writing of the Heidelberg Catechism. There certainly is substantial history provided. Even adults new to the catechism will learn the general overview of the catechism's history. But there is not so much as to bore the kids. Older children will take to it more efficiently and they can read it for themselves. But that should not stop parents of younger children from purchasing it.
For instance, my daughter who recently turned two is able to make it through the majority of this small book (around 30 pages of story) when it is read word for word. She can make it through the whole book if the occasional sentence is skipped. In both cases she loves the illustration and sentences are often skipped so that we can see the illustrations. Even when she is mistaken about the situations portrayed in the illustrations she is eager to describe them while pointing. Again, all of this is testimony of a good children's book. Granted, my daughter loves books and loves to read but she does have favorite books and after two or three readings she has begun to ask for The Quest For Comfort.
What is most fun though is her new-found persistence in reading the book to her eleven month old brother. Her enjoyment of the catechism and this book has reached a fevered pitch. Sitting next to him book in hand we have heard her describe the illustrations, mention the name "Zacharias" once or twice (its pronunciation differs each time) and the studious repetition of "That I am not my own..." (Q1) and "God is certainly merciful..." (Q11). Though the book does not contain more than the first question, she is slowly piecing together the unity of the catechism with her new story book. And she even has taken it upon herself to train her brother. He listens, sometimes, but the effect remains the same: The Quest For Comfort has begun yet again.
