Book Review: “Cloud of Witnesses: A Child’s First Book of Saints”

By Sarah McDonald

Over the past two years, we welcomed our fifth child and many nieces, nephews and friends. We are blessed with new life and baby blessings from God.

With each new gift of life comes the “gift-giving”, and I recently found what will become my go-to book for baptisms, births, and birthdays for the first few years.

“Cloud of Witnesses: A Child’s First Book of Saints,” edited by Katie Warner and illustrated by Meg Whalen for TAN Books, is so much more than a baby’s board book of pictures (though, as a mom, board books for children under the age of three are awesome things). The book features well-loved and revered saints and Doctors of the Church in colorful, child-friendly illustrations.

Setting it apart from other “first books” is that rather than telling the story of the saints, Warner selected an inspiring quote or prayer from the saint, so not only is it feeding the child’s spirit, but the parent’s as well.

My daughter has already chewed her fair share of the book (see above for my appreciation of board books), and I have started reading her a page a day and will repeat them. It is not only sharing the faith with my 9-month old in an easy, gentle way while introducing her to the likes of St. Patrick, St. Theresa of Avila, St. John Paul II, St. Therese, St. Josemaria Escriva and others, but giving me a moment in the day to stop and reflect on the universality and impact the lives of the saints have on us living in 2019.

“Cloud of Witnesses” is part of the “First Faith Treasury” created by Katie Warner and Meg Whalen and is printed and published in the United States. Now that we’ve started my daughter’s (and nieces’ and nephews’ and friends’) collections, we will surely be adding to them.

Cloud of Witnesses: A Child’s First Book of Saints, is available at www.TANBooks.com or on Amazon.