The Littlest Altar Boy

The Littlest Altar Boy

By Jenny Oehlman • Illustrated by Grace Brooks

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The Littlest Altar Boy

by Jenny Oehlman Illustrated by Grace Brooks

Conciliar Press • Chesterton, Indiana

Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman. Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks.

All Rights Reserved. Published by Conciliar Press.

The Littlest Altar Boy Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks Published by

Conciliar Press

(A division of Conciliar Media Ministries)

P.O. Box 748

Chesterton IN 46304 Printed in China All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-936270-46-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Oehlman, Jenny, 1988The littlest altar boy / Jenny Oehlman ; illustrated by Grace Brooks. p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-936270-46-0 (alk. paper) I. Brooks, Grace, 1960- II. Title.

PZ7.O276Li 2012 [E]--dc23 2012019682

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at www.conciliarpress.com/products/The-Littlest-Altar-Boy.html

For my little brother Sam, whose silliness will always inspire me and remind me of his time as the littlest altar boy.

—Jenny Oehlman

To my church families at St. Barnabas, Holy Resurrection, St. Theodore, Holy Trinity, St. Basil, St. James and St. Ignatius from your peripatetic sister in Christ, Grace . . . and to Good Husband Greg, who is always a splendid traveling companion.

—Grace Brooks

Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman. Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks.

All Rights Reserved. Published by Conciliar Press.

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at www.conciliarpress.com/products/The-Littlest-Altar-Boy.html

Today was a big day at church for me.

It was my first time as an altar boy, and I would be helping Father Basil serve the liturgy.

I was VERY nervous.

Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman. Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks.

All Rights Reserved. Published by Conciliar Press.

I couldn’t find a robe that fit. They were all too long for me.

I was hoping I wouldn’t trip.

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at www.conciliarpress.com/products/The-Littlest-Altar-Boy.html

Being an altar boy is really hard work.

We have to hold the candles, cut the bread, and prepare the incense.

Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman. Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks.

All Rights Reserved. Published by Conciliar Press.

Well, the older boys do most of those jobs; I just get to hold the candles.

But that’s okay, because I know I’m doing a good thing for God.

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at www.conciliarpress.com/products/The-Littlest-Altar-Boy.html

While I’m standing back in the altar, I like to look out at the church and watch my family.

Text copyright © 2012 by Jenny Oehlman. Illustrations copyright © 2012 by Grace Brooks.

All Rights Reserved. Published by Conciliar Press.

Sample pages only. Purchase the full book at www.conciliarpress.com/products/The-Littlest-Altar-Boy.html

Jenny Oehlman is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she received a Bachelor’s in English literature. Jenny lives in Berkeley, but most frequently attends her home parish, Saint Anna Greek Orthodox Church, in Roseville, California. She currently works as a mental health counselor for elementary students, and hopes to spend the rest of her career working with children and writing more books.

Jenny most enjoys being outdoors and laughing a lot, and believes that those with the happiest spirits are the young at heart.

Grace Brooks has been a graphic artist for more than 25 years.

Her work has included comic strips, as well as cartoons that have run in The Saturday Evening Post and other national publications. She hosts a blog of Orthodox comment and illustration at www.this-side-of-glory.com and blogs for The Orthodox Christian Network at www.blog.myocn.com. Grace lives with her husband Greg in Phoenix and attends Saint Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Mission in Mesa, Arizona.