Friends of Christ Series: Lives of the Saint for Children Review
Friends of Christ Series: Lives of the Saints for Children
by Newrome Press
My Review: One of my priorities as a mother raising children in the Orthodox Church is to share with them the stories of those Christians who have fought the good fight, have finished the race, have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). For both adults and children alike, reading the lives of the saints offers us a new perspective of what Christ is asking of each and every one of us: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
There are a few resources available that help accomplish this very purpose. I wanted to share a fantastic series called “Friends of Christ: Lives of the Saints for Children” by Newrome Press. There is a collection of detailed Saint Stories written with children in mind (ages 5+). Currently there are 11 Volumes available (September - July) and the final volume (Aug) will be available by the end of the year. This is a super incredible option for families attempting to create their own Synaxarion reading library for children.
Here are some things I love about this series:
There are 5 Saints stories per volume, which allows for deeper insights into each story.
The stories range in length from 5 pages - 15 pages, depending on the saint.
The illustrations are beautiful and help children connect what they are reading/hearing with the story.
They range in price from $20-$22 which is very reasonable considering the quality of each book.
Each volume includes a large-sized sticker pertaining to the story of one of the featured saints!
This is a 12-volume set, one for each month of the year. Currently Sep-July are available. The final set in the series (August) will be available at the end of the year!
How would you use this series in your home?
There are many ways to use it. You can read each saint story on their respective feast day (each one is noted), or you can plan to read one saint story per week. As a homeschool mom, I plan to collect this entire series to incorporate it into our weekly Christian Education lessons. My children are 2, 4, and 7. Although it doesn’t capture the attention of the youngest ones for the entirety of the story, my oldest soaks it all up, and will often read them instead of me. This is why I suggested 5+ for the sake of attention spans.
Want a sneak peak of what it looks like inside?
Here’s a closer look at the September Volume:
You can find the Friends of Christ Series volumes through Newromepress.com
Who would this series benefit?
This series would benefit anyone who is hoping to incorporate the lives of the saints into their daily/weekly habits. As I mentioned, I think this series is aimed towards children of reading age (5+) and can be enjoyed all the way through the teen years. These books can be a great benefit to homeschool families, church school teachers, and even adults wishing to read the lives of the saints.
Final Thoughts
I didn’t grow up with the lives of the Saints. Coming to the Orthodox Church as an adult, I felt like I missed out on so much, particularly when it came to the lives of the Saints. As a mother now, I want my children to know these stories, know the people who gave their entire life for Christ, so they will know whos foot steps they ought to follow. We follow the examples of the lives of the saints as they are following Christ. Their example reminds us that even in our fallen state, we too can become like Christ, just like our brothers and sisters who have gone before us. I am learning about these saints right alongside them, and it’s been a beautiful journey for myself personally.
Special thanks to Newrome Press for the opportunity to review these books! In exchange for my honest review, I was sent a free copy of these books above. We plan to continue to use it as apart of our homeschooling curriculum for our Orthodox Christian Education in the fall!