The Saints

By Casey Sprehe

As a young kid, I remember associating saint names with their local churches. So, St. Margaret Mary was a church on Gauze Boulevard in Slidell, not a woman who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Catherine of Siena was the church close to the snowball stand in Metairie, not a doctor of the church. 

Throughout life, I grew in appreciation and understanding of the saints. Now, with kids of my own, I try to introduce them to the saints in a meaningful and relatable way. 

The library has many different books for different ages all about the saints of our faith. Search on the website for saints’ books under the youth and juvenile nonfiction section, and hundreds will be listed. 

Here are just two books at the library that are terrific to pour over with your kids: “Stories of the Saint: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage” by Carey Wallace; and “Can you find Saints? Introducing Your Child to Holy Men and Women” by Phillip Gallery.

Wallace’s book has unique illustrations and interesting stories that make it engaging for all ages. It’s more on the adventurous side, which makes it appealing to those free spirits in your house. We’ve used it as a morning devotional and also a bedtime story. There is also a read aloud version of each of the saints on YouTube as well.

Gallery’s seek-and-find book is engaging for children. Each page has several saints, obscure and every day, to search for. It’s a great launching off point, too, to learn about a new saint. We were able to find the patron saint of everyone in our family in this book!

Book cover Stories of the Saint: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage “Courtesy of Workman Publishing” and Book cover Can You Find Saints? Introducing Your Child to Holy Men and Women “Courtesy of Franciscan Media”