{14} Picture Books About Saints

Today is Halloween.  It's a holiday I have (begrudgingly) come to like since I've been a parent.  BUT, tomorrow is All Saints Day, a Catholic feast day celebrating all the saints in heaven, maybe especially those that don't have their own feast day.  

Halloween is a bigger deal to my kids although they will both be going to Mass tomorrow at school.  We celebrate by putting ALL our Shining Light Saint dolls out on the kitchen table to remember at least those saint.  Yes, those are all saints who have feast day and are probably the kinds of saints that books are written about.  They are many more saint in heaven that we will celebrate not by name tomorrow but in general, for living a holy life getting them to heaven.

Since those saints' names have largely been lost to history or time or just the fact that we don't know who all is in heaven...we can read about the official saints, a small portion of whom are on this book list.

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The Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica by Kathleen Norris, illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Italian twins who led amazing lives as adults because of their childhood experiences.

Brigid and the Butter: A Legend about St. Brigit by Pamela Love, illustrated by Apryl Scott
Brigit wants to help feed the hungry but she is so often hungry herself.  When Brigid is asked to share the only food she has, a dish of butter, she learns more about opening her heart.

Hildegard of Bingen: Scientist, Composes, Healer, and Saint by Demi
Hildegard is a saint I had never heard of until we started playing Saint Memory on the regular.  She lived nearly 1000 years ago, born to a noble family in Germany but then entered a monastery.  She wrote songs and a morality play; was a doctor, scientist, nutritionist, linguist, and artist, among other things. 

A Miracle in the Kitchen: a Legend about Saint Zita by Pamela Love
A story of St. Zita (I don't think I had heard of her before this book!) who worked hard and helped those in need but when her employer demanded even more, what could she do?

Joan of Arc by Christine Platt
This is more about her military success than being an actual saint but I find her fascinating as someone who is rather well known, completely separate from being a saint. 

The Story of Saint John Paul II: A Boy Who Became Pope by Fabiola Garza
A modern day saint, recent history to my boys.  From an ordinary little boy growing up in Poland to being the Pope.  This is wordy by excellent.

One Holy Marriage: The Story of Louis and Zelie Martin by Katie Warner, illustrated by Leah Pumfrey
Louis and Zelie are the first married couple to be canonized (made official saints) together.  Two ordinary people who fell in love in France by lived a faith filled and holy marriage, one that produced a saint (Theresa of Lisieux)

Mary and the Little Shepherds of Fatima by Marlyn Evangelina Monge, illustrated by Jamie Stuart Wolfe
Three of my nieces went to Portugal and the site of Fatima this summer.  This book was a beautiful way to share with the boys what happened there.  Only 2 of the three kids are saints right now but the 3rd is on her way (the first two died shortly after Fatima while the 3rd lived to old age).  

A Prayer and a Pickaxe: A Legend of St. Clement of Rome by Pamela Love
Teaching kids about St. Clement but also about not losing hope and helping others.

Julia Greely: Secret Angel to the Poor by Maura Roan McKeegan, illustrated by Gina Capaldi
As of right now, Julia Greely is a "servant of God", not a saint, although she's on the path to becoming one.  She's an American and former slave who lived in Colorado once she was made free.  She was poor herself but shared whatever she could with others who needed it.  It wasn't until her funeral that anyone else realized the number of people she had helped.

The Story of St. Patrick: More than Shamrocks and Leprechauns by Cheryl Odden, illustrated by R.F. Palavicini
Is St. Patrick the most famous saint?  He's certainly up there.  About his life and not the holiday that became a day for drinking beer.

Brother Francis of Assisi by Tomie dePaola
St. Francis is another of the more well known saints and this is a beautiful book to share his love of Jesus, animals and the natural world with kids. 

Staircase for the Sisters: A Story of Prayer and Saint Joseph by Pamela Love
A story about miracles and the faith of the Sisters of Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who got a staircase through the intercession of St. Joseph.

The Queen and the Cross: the Story of Saint Helen by Cornelia Mary Bilinsky, illustrated by Rebecca Stuhff
Some legend, some actual story about St. Helen who was on a mission to find Jesus' true cross.  

Do you have any picture books about Saints?  I'd love to read them!