What do you think?
Rate this book
Encounter the Saints #3
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: Daughter of America
Biography of the woman who was a wife, mother, widow, foundress and member of a religious congregation, and convert to the Catholic faith as well as the first American-born saint.
128 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
About the author
Jeanne Marie Grunwell
4 booksJeanne Marie Grunwell has fond memories of her eighth-grade science fair project on ESP. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and two black cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 29, 2020
This woman was amazingly strong. Out of so much loss, she did something so great.
February 27, 2024
Wow! What a thrilling amazing read.
First, allow me to start off with the illustrations by Mari Goering. If Mari illustrates all her books this way I’m in! I don’t care if it is a book on catalytic converters. I’m reading it just for her talent. Gorgeous!
Now on to the book. Yes, I went to Catholic school for 13 years. Yes, you may feel sorry for me. Sadly I don’t recollect learning about Elizabeth Ann Seton’s life. Trust me. I would have remembered. Her life was nothing short of remarkable. So much sadness in one person’s life. I mean..so much sadness. Yet, she was truly a saint.
What a great read and I hope to read all the other books in this series.
First, allow me to start off with the illustrations by Mari Goering. If Mari illustrates all her books this way I’m in! I don’t care if it is a book on catalytic converters. I’m reading it just for her talent. Gorgeous!
Now on to the book. Yes, I went to Catholic school for 13 years. Yes, you may feel sorry for me. Sadly I don’t recollect learning about Elizabeth Ann Seton’s life. Trust me. I would have remembered. Her life was nothing short of remarkable. So much sadness in one person’s life. I mean..so much sadness. Yet, she was truly a saint.
What a great read and I hope to read all the other books in this series.
November 28, 2021
I have now read all of the books in this series. And I have read this one twice nearly five years apart. This is a wonderful book in an excellent series! As a family we have read all books in this series, and many of them multiple times. I started reading them myself reading books on Saint Damien of Molokai and Saint Edith Stein Blessed by the Cross. Then started reading them with my three youngest children. My children and I love this series. We have read many of the books more than once. I have read about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton previously, but nothing this in depth. I really enjoyed this and the way her conversion and life were presented in this book.
I have said it before and I say it again, this is an excellent series is! With my three children and I we have now read all of the books in this series. I have read them either by myself, or with one or more child. My youngest 2 children current ages 14, 11, still both love these books. And they have read or reread them frequently. My son wants to have the complete set in his room, so he keeps asking to buy his own copies, he loves these books so much. We have picked up several volumes to donate to the school library. I would love to have the whole set in the school library as a resource when the students are picking confirmation saints. With each reading of a book in this series we appreciate this series more. And though only one book has been released since we started reading them a few years ago, we hope there will be more books released in the series in the future. I would love to see how this series handles Saint Josemaria Escriva, Blessed Carlo Actus, … and many more. We would also like to eventually see eBooks of all of the volumes in the series. With my dyslexia and my son’s eye tracking issues we both prefer eBooks where we can change page color, font size and font spacing. This book has an eBook listed and at the writing of this review it is still available on multiple platforms.
Now back to this specific book on Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
The description of this volume is:
“Catholic school students will find both a friend and a patron in this biography of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the first parochial school in the United States. A convert, wife, mother, and eventually a religious sister who founded the Sisters of Charity, Elizabeth captures the mystery of how God's love and call unfold all throughout life. Children will learn valuable lessons about faith, trust in God, and courage in serving others.”
And the description of the series is:
“The Encounter the Saints series offers intermediate readers relatable portrayals of the saints. Each story, in a handy format, vividly recreates the saint's place of origin, family life, and corresponding historical events.”
The chapters in this volume are:
1. Changes
2. A New Mother
3. Riot!
4. Young Outcast
5. Mrs. Seton
6. Stormy Days
7. New Challenges
8. The Fever
9. To Italy
10. The Lazaretto
11. Questions
12. Home at Last
13. All His
14. Hurtful Rumors
15. Persecution
16. An Invitation
17. Beginnings
18. Mother Seton
19. Early Days
20. More of the Cross
21. Sisters of Charity
22. Anna
23. The Secret
24. Joys and Sorrows
25. With the Father
26. Miracles
Prayer
Glossary
The prayer in this volume is:
“Saint Elizabeth Ann, you served God in many wonderful ways. You were a wife, a mother, a widow, a foundress and a sister—all in one lifetime!
Your love for God and his people made you strong and courageous. Because you loved so much, you also had the honor of being named the first American-born saint.
Thank you for the special help you gave to children and the poor. Thank you for beginning a congregation of sisters to continue your good work.
Help me to love, no matter what. I want to follow Jesus as you did. Pray for me, Mother Seton.”
The prayer in this volume is not the same to the one as in the companion volume, The Saints Pray for Us, which has prays for the first 30 saints and blessed covered in the series. Each volume follows the same format, the chapters about the Saints life, a prayer and a glossary. My children always look to compare the prayer with the one in The Saints Pray for Us. They also love looking at the pictures. Each volume has 5 illustrations. This is one of four volumes illustrated by Mari Goering, and they are wonderful pencil drawings. The illustrations have very dominant figures in the foreground and faded backgrounds, really drawing the eyes to the characters. These sketches really add to this story. The children enjoy these books so much they always read through the whole Glossary.
This book is an excellent read. Learning about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will bless any reader. Having returned to this volume almost 5 years apart, reading it with my oldest and now youngest did not change how moving this story is. In some ways it had even more impact on me this time through. With having now read all of the books in the Encounter the Saints Series from Pauline Books and Media we are still enthralled by these volumes. This book and all in the series are great read and would be wonderful additions to a home, school, or church library. Each book has been worth the read. It is an excellent read in a wonderful series!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!
I have said it before and I say it again, this is an excellent series is! With my three children and I we have now read all of the books in this series. I have read them either by myself, or with one or more child. My youngest 2 children current ages 14, 11, still both love these books. And they have read or reread them frequently. My son wants to have the complete set in his room, so he keeps asking to buy his own copies, he loves these books so much. We have picked up several volumes to donate to the school library. I would love to have the whole set in the school library as a resource when the students are picking confirmation saints. With each reading of a book in this series we appreciate this series more. And though only one book has been released since we started reading them a few years ago, we hope there will be more books released in the series in the future. I would love to see how this series handles Saint Josemaria Escriva, Blessed Carlo Actus, … and many more. We would also like to eventually see eBooks of all of the volumes in the series. With my dyslexia and my son’s eye tracking issues we both prefer eBooks where we can change page color, font size and font spacing. This book has an eBook listed and at the writing of this review it is still available on multiple platforms.
Now back to this specific book on Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
The description of this volume is:
“Catholic school students will find both a friend and a patron in this biography of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the first parochial school in the United States. A convert, wife, mother, and eventually a religious sister who founded the Sisters of Charity, Elizabeth captures the mystery of how God's love and call unfold all throughout life. Children will learn valuable lessons about faith, trust in God, and courage in serving others.”
And the description of the series is:
“The Encounter the Saints series offers intermediate readers relatable portrayals of the saints. Each story, in a handy format, vividly recreates the saint's place of origin, family life, and corresponding historical events.”
The chapters in this volume are:
1. Changes
2. A New Mother
3. Riot!
4. Young Outcast
5. Mrs. Seton
6. Stormy Days
7. New Challenges
8. The Fever
9. To Italy
10. The Lazaretto
11. Questions
12. Home at Last
13. All His
14. Hurtful Rumors
15. Persecution
16. An Invitation
17. Beginnings
18. Mother Seton
19. Early Days
20. More of the Cross
21. Sisters of Charity
22. Anna
23. The Secret
24. Joys and Sorrows
25. With the Father
26. Miracles
Prayer
Glossary
The prayer in this volume is:
“Saint Elizabeth Ann, you served God in many wonderful ways. You were a wife, a mother, a widow, a foundress and a sister—all in one lifetime!
Your love for God and his people made you strong and courageous. Because you loved so much, you also had the honor of being named the first American-born saint.
Thank you for the special help you gave to children and the poor. Thank you for beginning a congregation of sisters to continue your good work.
Help me to love, no matter what. I want to follow Jesus as you did. Pray for me, Mother Seton.”
The prayer in this volume is not the same to the one as in the companion volume, The Saints Pray for Us, which has prays for the first 30 saints and blessed covered in the series. Each volume follows the same format, the chapters about the Saints life, a prayer and a glossary. My children always look to compare the prayer with the one in The Saints Pray for Us. They also love looking at the pictures. Each volume has 5 illustrations. This is one of four volumes illustrated by Mari Goering, and they are wonderful pencil drawings. The illustrations have very dominant figures in the foreground and faded backgrounds, really drawing the eyes to the characters. These sketches really add to this story. The children enjoy these books so much they always read through the whole Glossary.
This book is an excellent read. Learning about Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will bless any reader. Having returned to this volume almost 5 years apart, reading it with my oldest and now youngest did not change how moving this story is. In some ways it had even more impact on me this time through. With having now read all of the books in the Encounter the Saints Series from Pauline Books and Media we are still enthralled by these volumes. This book and all in the series are great read and would be wonderful additions to a home, school, or church library. Each book has been worth the read. It is an excellent read in a wonderful series!
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2021 Catholic Reading Plan!
March 30, 2021
Quick and easy introduction of this lesser known Saint (at least to me). Didn't realize she was the first American-born Saint. It's pretty amazing and inspiring to see what and how much she was able to accomplish as an educator and mother, despite so much hardship.
Obviously pretty short, since it's for kids, and most definitely missing some major details, but it's a good intro.
Obviously pretty short, since it's for kids, and most definitely missing some major details, but it's a good intro.
January 3, 2020
Easy read and would be great for late elementary and middle school students to read.
March 31, 2022
Quick and easy story about a wonderful Saint!
November 28, 2025
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton pray for us
February 14, 2022
An easy introduction to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She married young and had five children and also had to care for her husband’s younger siblings after the death of his father. After a failed business and her husband’s death, Elizabeth had to find a way to care for her children. And through this, she felt called to the Catholic faith, even though her family and friends turned her back on her for doing so. Eventually she founded the Sisters of Charity in the United States and became the State’s first Saint. This is a wonderful book to help learn about the saint.
September 15, 2015
St Elizabeth Ann Seton:Daughter of America by Jeanne Marie Grunwell
This book is about a heroic saint who goes through many sufferings, sadness, and happiness. She had many people die in her life and had to keep making it so her family could survive. She had a big family and she was very poor. She started a place for sisters and had a family she had to take care of. This book will tell about her life and how she is a heroic saint.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes saints.
This book is about a heroic saint who goes through many sufferings, sadness, and happiness. She had many people die in her life and had to keep making it so her family could survive. She had a big family and she was very poor. She started a place for sisters and had a family she had to take care of. This book will tell about her life and how she is a heroic saint.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes saints.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews