Saints and Heroes for Kids: One-Of-A-Kind Friends

The only complaint I have about Ethel Pochocki's Saints and Heroes for Kids , is that the title unjustly limits it. It's straightforward prose and insistence on the everyday nature of goodness and faith, do make it available to children, but adult readers will be utterly moved by its simplicity and sincerity. Saints, in Ethel Pochocki's treatment are very like the rest of us. They are striving and loving beings who took a few steps more than we have taken. The treatment of recent heroic acts, such as that of Father Mycal judge, make the moral even more effective.

In today's society, the word "hero" is used all too frequently. However, in this wonderful book by Ethel Pochocki, you and your children will be introduced to many special individuals to whom the term truly applies. This book contains brief chapters about the lives of many well known saints and some lesser known individuals who may indeed be destined for sainthood. Each of the book's chapters contains the story of a unique person or group of persons who have used God's grace and guidance to make our world a better place. Pochocki writes in a voice that will be appealing to both children and the adults who share these pages with them. The chapters can be read individually, but the tone is so engaging that you and your child or student may find it difficult to put this book down. I have many "lives of the saints" books in my home, but this book holds a special place in my library - it offers hope, guidance and heroes to serve as true role models for my children and me.

Facing the impossible decision of when to stop adding just one more saint or hero ("It's like eating peanuts and potato chips," the author says) Pochocki narrowed the field by choosing saints and heroes that seem especially meaningful to our lives today. The entries are presented chronologically, beginning with Saint Martin of Tours who was born in 316. The list includes individuals from all walks and stations of life. Nearly half of those presented lived in the 20th Century. Among the present-day "heroes" is Father Mychal Judge, who died ministering to firefighters at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The layout, which includes black and white sketches at the beginning of each chapter, and the vocabulary and style make this an ideal book for children to read or listen to.