Last week I hinted that my Light of Heaven Saints Coloring book had a larger story with it. Here is the rest of the story! When Our Sunday Visitor accepted my coloring book for publication, they sent along a question- would I be interested in doing a picture book version? They had seen some prints on my website that were colorful versions of the coloring pages. I responded yes, and suddenly had 16 saints to illustrate along with the 7 that had already been painted. And I had a little over 6 months to do it (while drawing the coloring book as well!). Two saints were cut for space, and I ended up with 21 saints in Light of Heaven, A Children’s Book of Saints.
During those months, I was painting and drawing like crazy- it was pre-child, so I was able to get it all done slightly ahead of schedule. I mentioned in my coloring book overview that each saint was holding something that reflected their lives. In the picture book, they also received a Latin term to represent each of them. I thought it would be a fun little lesson for kids (and the grown-ups reading the book, too!). For example, St. Martin de Porres got the word “Humilitas,” referring to his humility. St. Teresa of Calcutta received the term “Sito,” which means “I thirst;” it hearkens to the vision of Christ she had where He told her about those words he spoke from the cross! I have to thank my editor, Mary Beth, for that term- it was her wonderful idea.
On the page opposite a saint’s portrait, each saint name has illuminated letter, a definition of their Latin term (I don’t leave you guessing!), the main feast day(s) of that saint, and a little bio. The bio is about a paragraph long, making it easy to get through a few saints before bedtime for your younger audience. A slightly older reader may be able to read the whole thing quite easily! I enjoyed researching the lives of each saint, and my editor helped me to find the best flow for my words!
I’ll admit my bias, but A Children’s Book of Saints is a wonderful addition to your Catholic childrens library. Bright and beautiful, easy to read, and it’s a great introduction to some beloved saints. You can grab a copy from OSV today, or save with their Light of Heaven picture book & coloring book bundle.
Information
Light of Heaven, A Children’s Book of Saints
Author/Illustrator: Adalee Hude
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Suggested Age Range: 4-8 years
