Saint picture books for parishes and Catholic schools

Made for sharing with a group

Each book tells one saint's story in ten short illustrated spreads, short enough to read aloud in one sitting and simple enough for the youngest listeners. Every saint shows one virtue a child can understand and practice: loving God's creation, doing small things with great love, courage, giving without expecting anything in return, and being a true friend.

At the back of every book you'll find:

• About the saint: a page for teachers and older children with the saint's real story, what they are patron of, and their feast day.
• A little prayer in words children can say with you.
• “Be a Little Saint This Week”: three small, concrete ways to live the saint's virtue, perfect for a lesson's take-home challenge.

Ways to use them

• Feast-day lessons: read the story on or near the saint's feast day: Saint Joan (May 30), Saint Clare (August 11), Saint Thérèse (October 1), Saint Francis (October 4) and Saint Nicholas (December 6).
• All Saints Day: read a saint each day in the week before November 1, or use the books to help children prepare for an All Saints party. See our All Saints Day ideas.
• First Communion and Baptism gifts: a saint's story is a lasting gift from a parish or class, and one that families read together long after the day.
• Advent: Saint Nicholas brings the real saint behind Santa Claus into the classroom, with a lesson about giving that fits the season.
• Parish and school libraries: a small, growing series children can collect one saint at a time.

Free printable: Be a Little Saint

A six-page PDF with a page for each saint: a short introduction, the saint's prayer, and the three weekly challenges with tick boxes and a space for the child's name. There's also an introduction page with the feast days and ideas for using it. Print as many copies as you need for your class, program or parish.

PDF, 6 pages. Opens in a new tab.

Ordering

The books are sold and shipped by Amazon as paperbacks and Kindle editions. For a class set or parish gifts, simply order the number of copies you need. If you have any questions, write to hello@littlesaintsbighearts.com; we'd love to hear how you use the books.