We have been reading lives of the saints for a long time, but with the 60 Saints books the stories are seared in their brains and they ask for them over and over again. This has never happened with other lives of the saints books. The author writes in a very kid friendly manner. We have read the stories aloud with our Girls Club and have entertained kids from 5 to 14.

Being of a generation that remembers the treat of reading this book, I am delighted to see it return to print. For the very young reader, it can be a wonderful daily visit with various heavenly friends, and one to spark the imagination and perhaps a bit of devotion here and there.

The stories are basically selections from legends or particular aspects of saints' lives, presented in a rather "story hour" fashion. In fact, the narrative seems more like a favourite aunt telling a story than prose. The tales are not historically accurate in many cases, but there always is enough of solid underlying themes to get kids to learn them in spite of themselves.

My one caution is that this is strictly an "early reader" book. It is not accurate or thorough enough for anyone old enough to be doing research for a religion class, and anyone above the age of 8 is likely to find the constant definitions of words annoying. Nor is it a "read aloud" book for tiny ones. Joan's manner of expression, which basically has her "telling" the story in her own style, would make the words sound stilted in another's voice.

Joan Windham is an engaging, witty writer, and young girls of the current generation should enjoy this work as much as did their grandmothers.

While the book does have bad grammar...and yes they capitalize words in the middle of the sentence AND explain the more difficult words, the stories are entertaining. I have read it to students in Kindergarten and Grade One, and they seemed to enjoy the stories, in fact they ask for more! I agree that the author isn't perfect, but she is entertaining and I would like to read more of her books.

I'm currently 48, but am looking to buy these books (..for Girls and ...for Boys) for my 2nd grade CCD class. I recall loving this book as a kid. It was my sister's, sent to her by her Godmother for First Communion, I think. I read the book very frequently. I too recall the odd capitalizations, but I was not bothered by it.
This (..for Girls) book is one of my fond childhood memories!

My girls love this book both because of the style and the incidents in the lives of the saints. It is a very friendly book - which is unusual in a 'lives of the saints'. It has the added advantage of not having wretched illustrations!