Prolific children's author and folklorist Eric A. Kimmel here presents twelve legends concerning Catholic saints who were celebrated for their special relationship with animals. Opening with Saint Francis of Assisi's "Sermon to the Birds," this lovely collection includes:

Saint Ambrose and the Bees, in which the 4th-century Italian saint is swarmed with bees as an infant, but remains unharmed, eventually growing up to become the Bishop of Milan.

Saint Blaise and the Animals, which follows the story of the 4th-century Armenian saint, who flees to a remote cave in the mountains when he receives word that the Roman governor plans to have him arrested. Here he preaches to the animals, becoming their close friend and healer.

Saint Brendan and the Whale, which relates the legend of the 6th-century Irish saint's voyage to a far-western land, which some today believe was in the Americas. On this voyage, the saint and his companions find shelter on an island that proves to be a floating whale.

Saint Brigid and the Cows, in which the 5th/6th-century Irish saint gives away all of the milk and butter produced by her father's herd of cows, and after being punished for her actions by her earthly parent, receives a miraculous sign from God that she has done right.

Saint Francis and the Wolf, which follows the 12th-century Italian saint as he manages to make peace between a marauding wolf and the townspeople who had become his targets.

Saint Giles and the Doe, in which the 7th/8th-century French saint protects a beautiful white doe from the Emperor Charlemagne, putting his own body between the hunter and his quarry.

Saint Hormisdas and the Camels, which sees the 5th-century Persian saint persecuted for his Christian faith, and forced to work as a stableboy caring for the king's camels. He is eventually put to death, together with Ahriman, the surly camel he had won over through his kindness and good care.

Saint Hubert and the Stag, which follows the story of a 7th/8th-century French nobleman who has an extraordinary vision whilst out hunting a great stag, and thereafter dedicates his life to god.

Saint Hugh and the Swan, in which the 12th-century Bishop of Lincoln, together with his pet swan, help to save the Jews of that city, when they seek shelter in the cathedral.

Saint Kevin and the Otters, which sees the 6th-century Irish saint, who wants only to be a solitary hermit, but instead finds himself the leader of a group of monks, aided by the local river otters, when it comes to feeding his followers.

Saint Martin and the Goose, in which the fourth-century saint attempts to escape his fate, and resists becoming the Bishop of Tours, only to be convinced that it is God's will by an insistent goose.

Saint Notburga and the Pigs, in which the 13th/14th-century Austrian saint, a serving girl in the castle of Count Henry of Rattenberg, gives her master's leftover food away to the poor, rather than feeding it to the pigs.

I enjoyed these stories, some of which were already known to me, and some of which were unfamiliar. I do wish that Kimmel, whose source for the stories was Butler's Lives of the Saints, had provided a little bit more detail about each saint. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, a number of the figures mentioned here were unknown to me - Saint Hormisdas, for instance, or Bishop Hugh - and I would have liked to know more. His brief afterword, explaining what a saint is, also struck me as a bit off, as he never once uses the word Christian or Catholic. As a Christian from a denomination that is not Catholic, I would have found a brief explanation of the role played by saints fascinating. Leaving that aside, the stories here are engaging, and the accompanying artwork from John Winch lovely. Recommended to anyone looking for a more folkloric (as opposed to spiritual or religious) collection of tales about the saints. ( )