A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism

Susan Ciancio introduces a daily devotional book about saints that would make a wonderful gift for children, grandchildren, or godchildren.

A Saint a Day: 365 True Stories of Faith and Heroism by Meredith Hinds is a sweet daily saints book for young children that introduces them to 365 amazing men and women.

Each entry offers a relevant Bible verse, a brief biography of the saint, a “fun” fact, and a short prayer. Though there’s not a lot of information about each saint, as a whole the book delightfully portrays the beauty of the Church family and teaches about the many, many people who lived and died for God and for their faith.

Parents can either read this book aloud to young children or give it to a young elementary-aged child to read on his own. It serves as a good introduction to saints so that children can begin to form a friendship with these holy people and learn how to model their lives after them. As parents or children read, they will see the beautiful pattern of love, charity, and compassion showed by these servants of God.

The book discusses old friends such as St. Patrick, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. John Bosco, but it also introduces children to less-well-known saints, such as St. Onuphrius, St. Andrew Avellino, St. Leopold Mandic, and St. Augustine Zhao Rong. Through hearing about the lives of these saints, children will come to understand the importance of living a holy life that reflects God’s goodness.

A great addition, the fun fact often lends itself to conversation and to further exploration. For example, St. Agnes of Rome’s fun fact tells readers that she is usually pictured holding a lamb, so families can look up pictures of Agnes and discuss the significance of the lamb. St. Cecilia’s fun fact teaches that she is often depicted playing the organ. Exploring why this is so and searching for images of Cecilia enhance the reading. Families can then even listen to a church hymn featuring the organ as they reflect upon the life of this amazing saint.

In addition, many of the fun facts mention various skills, talents, or interests that the saints have. Not only does this demonstrate to children that we all have unique and special talents, but it shows that these saints did normal, everyday activities—such as milking cows, working in a mine, or working as a weaver. This will help children form connections with these saints so that they are not just names and faces in a book.

Further, through the bios, the reader sees that many of these saints suffered greatly—and often joyfully—for their faith. Some even did so on purpose. St. Mary Magdalene De Pazzi was one such person. She believed that she should go barefoot as a small sacrifice to God, but she didn’t want others to know her sacrifice, so she removed the soles of her shoes to make it look like she was wearing shoes.

Parents can then use these stories to introduce the redemptive value of suffering and to explain to kids that, when we suffer, we can offer up that suffering for someone who needs prayers or for a person in purgatory. They can teach that suffering need not be a bad thing and that many good things can come from it. They can also use this opportunity to teach that God walks with us in our trials and never leaves us. And finally, parents can talk about suffering quietly and joyfully (like St. Mary Magdalene De Pazzi) and not complaining about small things. Building the foundation for trusting in God and drawing strength from faith and from the saints during difficult times are tools every Catholic needs.

This great little saints book will delight young minds, inspire holiness, and teach children the importance of living a godly life. It is the perfect way to begin the day with a small child. So grab a blanket, cuddle, and make a new friend every day!

Copyright 2021 Susan Ciancio
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