your DRE is probably bound by the list of approved textbook series from the diocese. the best bare none is Faith and Life from Ignatius press, the second best is Image of God, also by Ignatius. Many dioceses don’t approve them because their catechetics office is very liberal and wouldn’t know a good orthodox text if it jump up and bit them.
The next choice would be Christ Our Life from Loyola Press, written by the Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon Ohio, excellent catechist manuals and supporting materials.
Neither of those 2 is available in Spanish. If that is a consideration, Silver Burdett has an new program, Blest are We, that is available in both English and Spanish, but catechist guides are not bilingual. their older series was approved by most dioceses and used by many because the books and catechists guides were very easy to use by teachers with little or no experience or knowledge of the faith.
Sadlier’s new series, recently approved to conform with the Catechism is We Believe (Creemos in Spanish). It does not teach any error, but it is weak because of what it leaves out - full understanding of the Eucharist as a sacrifice, not merely a shared meal or community celebration, for example.
Benziger is simply not acceptable.
If you are serving on a committee to evaluate textbooks, get the guidelines from your diocese first, and they may also have sample copies, although the publisher’s sales rep in your area will probably give you free samples. Look at both the catechist manuals and the textbooks, because you want to have resources your catechists can use. Some publishers have a video for the catechists on how to use the manual.
for a quickie determination on the soundness and reliability of the text look at two area: how the Eucharist is presented in the 2nd grade and 5th grade texts (usually where the sacraments are taught) as well as the supporting material intended for catechists and parents. Is the Eucharist presented as a sacrifice and is the Real Presence stressed and made unambiguous? Is the true nature of the sacrificial priesthood presented in the context of the Eucharist and other sacraments? Is the Mass presented as something we do as a community, or something Jesus does and we participate in, thereby partaking in His community?
Next, look at the material on confession, penance, and morality. Is original sin and the need for salvation presented, and is morality presented as offense against God’s commands, or as mere “mistakes” and “poor choices”, and is the discussion of the nature of evil and of redemption sound?
