Just about any pre-VatII catechism is far more concise. As I've written before, there's a reason the CCC is known as the Cataclysm of the Catholic Church. There are some beautiful passages hidden among the general incoherency and excess verbiage, but as a teaching tool I won't let my children be exposed to the CCC. It reads like it was written by a UN subcommittee for the most part.
For English readers I recommend and still use the Baltimore Catechism. I understand what you're saying though, people should be able to trust the CCC... that they can't is an unfortunate and confusing paradox. I file it under "smoke of satan, etc."
I distinctly remember a FRoman Catholic lambasting those who used the Baltimore Catechism as a reference for what the Catholic church officially teaches. They said it was a "child's version" and didn't really fully express what the church teaches. Anyone else remember that?