Let’s Chat Compilation Picture Books about Saints

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I LOVE saints picture books! They are the best kind of picture books! Unfortunately there are not many of them for single saints. But thankfully there are quite a few with a compilation of many saints. I do not use them very much in A Daily Picture Book Liturgical Monthly Booklists, because I am trying to focus on picture books for a single saint. But they are worth at least a post, if not more. (Fun survey at the end!)

Compilation Saints Picture Books

Why do I not use them in the Liturgical Booklists? Mainly because I want to focus on the single saint picture books for this year. I love finding the unique picture books for each saint, I find them so very special and endearing. 
Also I can’t decide if they are true living picture books or not, lol! Yes, they are written by one author passionate about his subject, have one topic (saints) and beautiful illustrations. But since there are so many saints and different biographies in one book, is it a true living picture book? Drop your opinion in the comments below.
BUT I do love the compilations as well, there is definitely a lot more bang for your buck with these. They also open the door to discovering so many more saints!

Let’s explore them!

I will look at each book that I own and know of, one at a time and in no particular order. Enjoy!

Ten Saints, by Eleanor Farjeon, with illustrations by Helen Sewell

Copyrighted in 1936 and unfortunately out of print, but worth looking for!
This book is everything a saint’s book should be: beautiful, antique looking illustrations, well written text and concluded by either a rhyme or an hymn to that saint.
It contains biographies of Sts. Christopher, Martin de Tours, Dorothea, Bridget of Ireland, Patrick, Hubert, Giles, Simeon Stylites, Nicholas and Francis of Assisi. 
Ten Saints, by Eleanor Farjeon, with illustrations by Helen Sewell
Highly recommended!

Stories of the Saints by Joyce Denham, illustrated by Judy Stevens

This is a lovely book focused on early saints. From Our Lady to Saint Bridget of Sweden, it narrates the biographies of 14 friends of God. Each story is short, beautifully illustrated by colorful and radiant pictures. The postscript at the end of the book contains the feast days and a brief summary on the importance of each saint, which is a wonderful synopsis for those very busy days we all have.
Stories of the Saints by Joyce Denham, illustrated by Judy Stevens

The Loyola Treasury of Saints: From the time of Jesus to the present day, by David Self

The author is not Catholic and that shows in the few non canonized names in the Modern Ages time period. Otherwise it is a lovely book, well illustrated with many photographs of religious art as well as historical places. Historical and cultural notes  have been very helpful to us to put the life of each saint into perspective. Split into time periods it makes it easy to use during a history lesson. It also contains many Orthodox saints, which helps to bring the universal church into light. It contains the biography of over 100 saints.
Not my favorite but still a good one to have on hand. 
The Loyola Treasury of Saints: From the time of Jesus to the present day, by David Self

Saints Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson

I own the two original books, which have been brought together in a new single book. I love this book, the illustrations are breathtaking and very historically accurate. Which is something that I really enjoy!
Each saint has a dedicated page with an illustration and a short biographical text as well as their patronage and time period. Simple and to the point, it is treasured by the whole family. I was just informed by a certain oldest daughter that she wanted these books when I die. Don’t you love it when your kids let you know exactly what they want, lol!
Saints Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson
I highly recommend this one.

Stories of the Saints: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage by Carey Wallace, illustrated by Nick Thornborrow

This one! My stars, this one is awe inspiring! The vibrant, dark and vivid illustrations appeal especially to boys, but are none the less appreciated by girls. 
Each of the 70 saints is presented in his time period, geographical location, patronage, emblem and feast day, making it a very complete reference book. Each biography contains one vivid illustration as well as a beautiful text, fully expressing the adventure that living God’s will is!
Stories of the Saints: Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace and Courage by Carey Wallace, illustrated by Nick Thornborrow
Definitely a go-to book!

Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer, illustrated by Lindsey Sanders

This is the latest arrival on our bookshelf, and I really, really love it!Containing the biography and full page illustration of 100 saints, it is a treasure to be loved for many, many years! The first double page contains a beautiful map of the world, with a number for each saint on their location. And from then on, it is one stunning illustration after another! Lindsey Sanders has done a phenomenal job with each of her full page illustrations depicting each saint with his most significant symbols, all explained in the note. Each illustration tells as much about the saint as the beautifully written text by Meg Hunter-Kilmer.
The back of the book contains a very helpful geographical index (especially for planning these around the world unit studies), a feast day index in chronological order, a topical index (brilliant!) as well as chronological index, ordered by century. 
Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer, illustrated by Lindsey Sanders
All in all, everything you could wish for in a saints’ book! If you can only pick one saints book, I would pick that one!

Transmitting the Faith

Transmitting our Faith to our children is one of the reasons my husband and I decided to home educate. Therefore finding good, true and beautiful catholic literature is at the top of my list. The stories of the saints are crucial to passing on the Faith. And what better super heroes would you want your kids to become acquainted with? I truly treasure reading and admiring these works of art as a means of transmitting our amazing heritage to my children. We read daily, during Morning Time, the biography of the saint of the day, and these lovely books come into the basket again and again. These are the few saints compilation picture books that we own and love. I am sure that there are more out there that we have not yet explored. Please feel free to leave your favorite and any recommendation in the comments!