A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 210

               Dynamic Duo: Book 1                 

Picture Book: The Way Home    

Author & Illustrator: Nan Parson Rossiter

Summary: Young Samuel and his father find a Canadian goose caught in a fishing net near their Vermont farm. Nearby stands the gander, a loyal mate. The pair are taken back to Samuel’s farm where his father takes off the net and believes the wing will heal with time. The birds adapt quickly to their new home and the goose heals. Once her wing has healed and she can fly, the two geese take off to catch up with their flock. Samuel, who has grown attached to them, feels proud, but he is also sad to see them go. He knows they must leave to survive. Throughout the winter, Samuel hopes the birds will return come spring. The geese do return with several goslings in tow.

Hanna’s Comments: This PBT Dynamic Duo’s first book is a beautiful story of loyalty, tenderness, rescue, and healing. Samuel’s mixed feelings of pride and sorrow are particularly poignant. There is a nice mix of story and fact here as well. When you read this book, talk about the privilege of helping people and animals heal and tie it to stories of healing or coming home in your holy scriptures. I’ve paired this book with another that has a similar title, Way Home. Look for it tomorrow. It too has themes of brokenness, animal/human connection, and the desire for a loving home.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Dutton, 1999

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 5 and up, K and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, action, adaptation/assimilation, America, animals, awe, babies/children, belonging, blessings, bonds/connections, brokenness, caring/tending, care of creation, commitment, communication, companionship, fathers, found, gentleness/meekness, God’s nature, helping, healing/healthcare, home, hospitality, humanity, image of God, journeys/migrations/pilgrimages/quests, kindness, labor/work, North America, nurturing, openness, pollution, renewal/restoration, rescue, safe place/sanctuary, saving/savior, snow, survival  

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about the Israelites returning after their Babylonian exile; Jesus’ acts of healing in the Gospels

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book in a lesson on environmental concerns, creation care, the loyalty of love, the tenderness required for healing, or the importance of coming home after time away from those who love and have cared for you.