Pope Leo XIV was elected pope just over a year ago in May 2025. Two of my favorite first memories of Pope Leo were his first adress on the balcony the day he was elected and when he sang the Regina Caeli the following week in his first Sunday address to the public:
Here are 7 books that our family has enjoyed about Pope Leo XIV:
Leo XIV: Portrait of the First American Pope
by Matthew Bunson
Published by ETWN
Portrait of the First American Pope: Leo XIV by Matthew Bunson takes us from Pope Leo’s birth, childhood, role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, to his current role as pope. I thought I had read and watched everything there is to know about Pope Leo online, but this book proved me wrong!
Matthew Bunson clearly and masterfully lays out the significance of Pope Leo’s papacy in this place and time in history. The miraculous coincidences that the author reveals make me all the more excited to watch the journey of our current pope. I think that this book will be an important historical account of the church and Pope Leo’s life, and I will definitely be keeping on my shelf to return to in the future.
Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV
Compiled by: Shannon Wimp Schmidt, Eileen M. Ponder
Introduction by: Katie Prejean McGrady
It’s amazing to see all of the different men who have filled the seat of the papacy, and to reflect on what each of their papacies brought to the church. This book from Ave Maria press – Praying with the Popes – is a fun collection of the last 12 popes. I got to learn a little about each pope from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Leo XIV, and pray and reflect on what they each have to teach us.
OSV Kids Discover: The Pope
by Colleen Presprich
Published by OSV Kids
What does an airplane, a red shoe, and a Roman coin have to do with the pope? This new book, OSV Kids Discover: The Pope, by Colleen Pressprich will answer these questions. Pope Leo XIV is also included!
Read a review by some of our Amazing CateKIDS here.
The Seagull on the Chapel: A Story of Value and Worth
by Shannon K. Evans and Eric A. Clayton
It was so exciting to be able to share the election of Pope Leo XIV with my children in 2025. We still discuss the day fondly, and love to recount all of the details of that special day – including the seagull that sat on the roof of the Sistine Chapel while white smoke billowed out of the chimney. In Shannon K. Evans’ and Eric A Clayton’s new book, The Seagull on the Chapel, they tell the story of the most recent conclave from the point of view of that seagull! Children, ages 4-8, will love hearing this entertaining and encouraging story.
White Smoke, Two Gulls, and a Pope
by Katie Warner
Illustrated by Leah Ballard and Cora Potvin
Published by Sophia Institute Press
Right off the bat, I admired Katie Warner’s creative and sweet rhymes as well as the illustrators’ beautiful pictures. The words are joyful and the colors are bright – perfectly capturing this exciting moment in our Church’s history.
The story begins with the mama and baby seagull that perched by the chimney as we all waited and watched for the white smoke. The story continues by showing the black smoke that first appeared signaling that a pope had not yet been chosen. The seagulls stand by, oblivious of what they are witnessing. The book then shows us St. Peter’s Basilica, where this momentous occasion is taking place. You can see the Latin writing on the building as well as the huge crowd that gathered that day.
Pope Leo XIV: The Election of a Pope in Pictures
Published by EWTN
Pope Leo XIV: The Election of a Pope in Pictures is one of my most favorite books I have read all year. It’s a gorgeous coffetable-worthy book packed with interesting information about Papal conclaves and Pope Leo XIV’s election. The pictures are so fun to pour over, and my 11-year old also enjoyed this quick, informative, and entertaining read.
A Pocket Guide to Rerum Novarum
by Veronica Burchard
Published by Sophia Institute Press
A Pocket Guide to Rerum Novarum is not a book by or about Pope Leo XIV. Rerum Novarum is the crucial encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII, that our current pope mentioned as a reason for choosing the name “Leo.” It’s an important document that is just as relevant today as it was a century ago. This pocket guide breaks down the encyclical in simple terms, and is great for anyone who is intimidated by reading the original text.
