Catholic books for kids, by age
Good Catholic books for kids match the child’s age: board books of first prayers for toddlers, a picture Bible and saint stories to read aloud from 3 to 7, and whole-life saint stories, a children’s missal and a complete Catholic Bible from 7 to 12. Read them together at bedtime, and let your child pick the next saint.
For the nights you’re too tired to read: Clara reads saint and Bible stories aloud in the Little Prayer Stories app.Get the app →The right Catholic book for each age
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Board books of first prayers
Short, sturdy books with one prayer a page: the Sign of the Cross, the Hail Mary, a grace before meals. Toddlers learn prayers by hearing them every night.
Best for: Ages 1 to 3
Bedtime prayers for kids → - 2
A picture Bible to read aloud
One story a night with big pictures: Noah, David and Goliath, the Nativity, Jesus and the children. Look for one from a Catholic publisher, with an imprimatur.
Best for: Ages 3 to 6
Free Bible stories to read tonight → - 3
Saint storybooks
A saint a night teaches courage and kindness through real lives. Pick books that say plainly what is history and what is legend, and tell hard parts gently.
Best for: Ages 4 to 8
Saint stories for kids → - 4
A book for a first sacrament
In the months before First Confession and First Communion, a book about the Mass or about God’s forgiveness helps a child arrive ready and unafraid.
Best for: Ages 6 to 8
First Communion gift ideas → - 5
A children’s missal
Pictures and the words of each part of the Mass, so a child can follow along and answer. Take it to Mass on Sunday, not just to the shelf.
Best for: Ages 6 to 10
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A first prayer book
A small prayer book of their own, with morning and night prayers, the Rosary and prayers for Confession, to keep by the bed.
Best for: Ages 7 to 12
How to pray the Rosary → - 7
A complete Catholic Bible
Once they read well, a complete Catholic Bible, with all 73 books and an imprimatur, in an edition with notes or pictures for young readers.
Best for: Ages 9 to 12
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Coloring pages that tell a story
Coloring a saint or a Bible scene while you tell the story keeps little hands busy and helps the story stick. Ours are free to print.
Best for: Ages 3 to 8
Free Catholic coloring pages →
A personal touch: the saint of their nameType the child’s first name to find their saint, the feast day and a little prayer, then print it as a card to tuck inside your gift. The name stays on your device.Make a saint name card →Free printables
All coloring pages →Coloring pages drawn like stained-glass windows, to print at home for the children at the party or for a quiet afternoon. Free for families, parishes and classrooms.
Questions about Catholic books for kids
How can I tell if a children’s book is Catholic?
Look on the first pages for a nihil obstat and an imprimatur: notes that the book was checked and found free of errors in faith and morals, the nihil obstat from a Church reviewer and the imprimatur from the bishop. Books from Catholic publishers often carry one. Many good saint storybooks don’t, so read a few pages first.
What is different about a Catholic Bible?
A Catholic Bible has 73 books. Most Protestant Bibles have 66: they leave out seven Old Testament books (Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach and Baruch) and parts of Esther and Daniel.
At what age can children read about the saints?
From about 3, children enjoy short saint stories read aloud. From 6 to 12 they are ready for whole-life stories, including the hard parts told gently, like the stories in Catholic Saints for Boys.
Is Catholic Saints for Boys available in Spanish?
Yes. The Spanish edition, Santos católicos para niños, has the same 25 stories and pictures. It is on Amazon.com and Amazon Spain.
More gift guides
First Communion gifts→
Baptism gifts→