When Saints Around the World, by Meg Hunter-Kilmer and Lindsey Sanders, was introduced in 2021, readers met God’s holy friends from more than 60 countries. 

These were not the sanitized stories so often told of saints — tales of men, women and children who lived nearly perfect lives, were more clever and attractive than most, and always made the best choices. While some fit that mold, most did not. These saints (and blesseds, too) were, in fact, a lot like us. They came in different sizes and shapes and with different abilities and disabilities, strengths and challenges. Some had loving families; some did not. Some were even once big sinners! Common to all was their determination to follow Jesus. Their stories inspired older kids to want to be saints, but left out pint-sized readers. That is, until now.

The “Saints Around the World for Little Ones Collection” was just released. 

The author and illustrator team of Hunter-Kilmer and Sanders has created a set of six sturdy, hardback books — sized just right for smaller hands.  

Each themed book – young, adventurous, ordinary, royal and warrior, talented, and unshakable — tells the stories of 15 saints. 

Hunter-Kilmer uses language that early readers and your favorite lap-sitters can easily understand. In fact, “less is more” is Hunter-Kilmer’s approach to storytelling for the younger crowd. The author simplifies the story of each saint, spotlighting a quality or two that captures the saint’s heart for God, and concludes with what he or she can teach us. Her breezy style is both engaging and revealing. Readers learn, for example, just how mean people were to St. Margaret of Castello, abandoning her because of her disability. Their cruelty however, could not stop this “unshakable saint” from being kind. “She knew God loved her like crazy — exactly the way she was. So she loved people like crazy too.”

It’s a sure bet that young readers will find an interesting character or two among the diverse lives of these holy heroes: Blessed Denis of the Nativity was a knight and pilot-in-chief to the king of Portugal who left the sea to become a priest and martyr (Talented); and pretty, popular horseback rider St. Teresa of the Andes’ quick temper calmed when she allowed Jesus to make her holy (Young). Then there’s Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo, who bravely kept the faith alive for three years when Catholic missionaries were forced out of her country (Adventurous). 

Rounding out this super sampling of saints are St. Josephine Bakhita, a slave who became a sister (Unshakable), Blessed Takayama Ukon, a samurai lord and follower of Jesus (Royal and Warrior), and Blessed Stanley Rother, who struggled in his studies to become a priest. Father Rother later gave up his life for the people he loved in a faraway land (Ordinary).

Each story is paired with a vibrant, full-page illustration of the saint or blessed by Lindsey Sanders. Her beautiful watercolors add to the story, giving hints about the lives of these spiritual friends. Skis, a soccer ball, video games, a monstrance and rosary beads provide a backdrop to well-known Blessed Carlo Accutis. Lesser-known Blessed Nicolas Steno, holds a rock in one hand and a monstrance in the other — clues about his identity as bishop and scientist known as the “father of geology.” 

Kids will have fun matching the saints’ illustrations with the mini versions of the same, each plotted on a map of the world shown on the front end pages. 

Laminated pages — all 36 of them — will stand up to even the stickiest of fingers!

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Available as a six-book collection or sold separately; ages: 4 to 8.

 

COMPLETE SET OF SIX BOOKS

Saints Around the World for Little Ones Collection 

written by Meg Hunter-Kilmer

illustrated by Lindsey Sanders

Emmaus Road Publishing, 2024 

216 pages, $44.95

 

INDIVIDUAL BOOKS 

36 pages, $8.95 each

• Young Saints Around the World 
• Adventurous Saints Around the World 
• Ordinary Saints Around the World 
• Royal and Warrior Saints Around the World 
• Talented Saints Around the World 
• Unshakable Saints Around the World 

 

 The Crawford sisters write from Pittsburgh.