Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati: The Boy Who Climbed Higher
Mini Saints & Missionaries Library
Paddy Bréagnamh
Mini Saints & Missionaries Library
ISBN 9798899681424
ASIN B0HL6QF1WM
ASIN B0HL5KV5YT
I have been wondering how this series would handle Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, since I read the first volume in the collection. I was not disappointed, this is an excellent little biography, for the young or young at heart. There are currently 20 volumes available in this series dedicated to specific saints, 3 the focus on 52 female saints, one that focuses on Saints for boys for first communion; and 2 editions of one about 33 saints. I have greatly enjoyed all I have read in the series, and check regularly for new titles. As I keep checking for when new ones to be released, and typically pick them up as soon after as I can. I have benefited from reading them all and recommended each of them to several people. I especially loved the volume on Pope Leo XIV. This volume I picked up shortly after it was released. It was released in 2026. The description of the book is:
“He loved mountains, skiing, and practical jokes.
He also had a secret.
Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati was a cheerful, adventurous young man who proved that you don't have to be serious to be holy.
Born into one of the most powerful families in Italy, Pier Giorgio could have had anything he wanted. He climbed the Alps with his friends, pulled pranks, and struggled with Latin like any other student.
But almost every day, he slipped away to the poorest streets of his city. He gave away his money, his time, and even the coat off his back. He hardly told anyone, not even his own family.
When he died at just 24, thousands of strangers filled the streets for his funeral. His parents finally learned who their son really was.
In 2025, Pier Giorgio was declared a saint, alongside Saint Carlo Acutis. He is the patron of young people, students, and mountain climbers, because his story is about more than adventure.
It's about:
• Joy: showing that faith and fun belong together
• Quiet kindness: helping others without needing praise
• Courage: standing up for what's right, even when it's dangerous
What's Inside
• A powerful, true story told in a clear, engaging narrative style
• A relatable saint kids can see themselves in
• Reflection questions to encourage meaningful conversations
• Timeline and historical context to deepen understanding
Perfect for:
• Kids ages 8–12
• Adventurous kids who love sports and the outdoors
• Young people choosing a Confirmation saint
• Classrooms, homeschool, and Catholic education
If your child thinks saints are too serious or too perfect to relate to, Pier Giorgio's story offers a surprising reminder:
Everyone has a mountain to climb. Keep going up.”
Most of the volumes in this series are under the pen name Paddy Bréagnamh. The chapters in this volume are:
Introduction
1. A Boy from Turin
2. The Secret Life of Pier Giorgio
3. To the Heights!
4. Standing Up for What's Right
5. A Heart That Gave It All
6. The Last Week
7. From Turin to the World
8. Climb Higher Like Pier Giorgio
Reflection Questions
Timeline of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati
Author's Note
Mini Saints & Missionaries Library Series
I only highlighted numerous passages in this volume. SO much that I exceeded the amount I could export from the eBook. Some of my highlights are:
“For everyone who is climbing something hard. Keep going up.”
“Pier Giorgio Frassati loved skiing and climbing mountains. He played practical jokes on his friends. He was loud, cheerful, and always hungry. He wasn't very good at Latin. He wasn't a priest or a monk or a missionary in a faraway land. He was a university student in Italy about a hundred years ago, with a busy family, a group of close friends, and big plans for the future.”
“This is the story of how an ordinary young man became a saint. Let's find out his secret.”
“The Frassatis were an important family. Pier Giorgio's father, Alfredo, owned La Stampa, one of the most famous newspapers in Italy. He was smart, hardworking, and very serious. Later he would become a senator and an ambassador. Pier Giorgio's mother, Adelaide, was a painter who liked things done properly.”
“Their parents loved them, but they were strict, and they were not happy with each other. The house was often tense and quiet. Alfredo didn't go to church. Adelaide went, but religion was more of a habit for her than a passion. Nobody in the family expected Pier Giorgio to turn out any differently.”
“School, on the other hand, was not simple. Pier Giorgio was lively, loud, and full of energy, but he was not a star student. Math and science were fine. Latin was a disaster. When he was about twelve, he failed his Latin exam and had to repeat the year. His father was embarrassed.”
“Soon he was going to Mass every morning. He never stopped. His parents weren't sure what to make of it. Some relatives thought he was overdoing it.”
“When Pier Giorgio was seventeen, he joined a group called the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Its members visited poor families in their homes, found out what they needed, and did their best to help.”
“If you had met Pier Giorgio, you might never have guessed he was so holy. You would probably have noticed that he was loud.”
“With a group of friends, Pier Giorgio started a club called the "Society of Shady Characters." It wasn't really shady at all. The members gave each other funny nicknames, wrote each other silly letters, and went on adventures together. But underneath all the fun, the friends had a serious goal. They promised to pray for each other and help each other stay close to God.”
“He joined Catholic student groups that worked for fairness, freedom, and help for the poor. He went to meetings, handed out leaflets, and spoke up for what he believed.”
“In 1922, he joined the Dominicans as a lay member. That meant he promised to follow a special way of prayer and service while still living an ordinary life as a student. He took the name "Brother Girolamo."”
“The day before he died, he asked for paper and a pen. His hand was so weak he could barely hold it. In shaky handwriting, he wrote a note to a friend. It said that there was medicine that needed to go to a poor man named Converso, and a pawn ticket that needed to be renewed so another family wouldn't lose their belongings.”
“When I first learned about Pier Giorgio, what surprised me most was how normal he seemed. He loved the outdoors. He had a big group of friends. He struggled in school. His family was complicated. He could have been someone in your class or on your team.”
“I wrote this book for kids who sometimes think saints are too serious, too perfect, or too far away to understand. I also wrote it for young people preparing for Confirmation and wondering what it means to live their faith for real. Pier Giorgio shows that holiness isn't about being perfect. It's about loving God and loving others, one day at a time, one step at a time.”
I hope those quotes give you a feel for this volume. I have read much about Pier Giorgio and a bit by him over the years. My children and I have a devotion to him, especially my son. Reading this was like a visit with a friend I had not seen in a while. It was a great reminder of his life, and his example.
This book and series are great read for the young and the young at heart! I would love to see how the author would handle standalone volumes on Josemaría Escrivá, Charles de Foucauld, John Henry Newman, and many of my other favourite saints. But these books are so good no matter who is profiled next I know I will pick it up. And this long awaited volume was excellent!
That being said this volume would be a great gift for first communion or even confirmation. It would be an excellent addition to any home, school, or church library. This latest release in this series is another fantastic read. The series keeps getting better and better. It was an excellent read in a great series.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books in the Mini Saints & Missionaries Library Series:
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Saint Lucy: The Girl Who Carried the Light
Saint Josephine Bakhita: The Girl Who Chose Freedom
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux: The Girl Who Found a Little Way
Saint Francis of Assisi: The Man Who Befriended Birds
Saint Nicholas: The Orphan Who Became Santa Claus
Saint Juan Diego: The Man Whose Cloak Held a Miracle
Saint Faustina: The Messenger of Divine Mercy
Saint Martin The Soldier Who Shared His Cloak
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Book about Pier Giorgio Frassati:
Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati: The Boy Who Climbed Higher - Paddy Bréagnamh - Mini Saints & Missionaries Library
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