A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 308

Picture Book: Saving Strawberry Farm

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

Summary: Is one penny enough to save a farm? During America's Great Depression of the 1930s, young Davey’s home life has changed greatly. His dad, like so many others, has lost his job. Mom tries to cheer them up with a 4^th of July picnic so she sends her children to the store for supplies. Davey helps Miss Elsie, owner of a nearby strawberry farm, with her groceries, and she gives him a penny. Then she explains that she will be losing her farm because the bank will be auctioning it off that night. Inside, the store owner explains the concept of a penny auction to the children, where bids are kept low to allow the owner to again purchase the property. Davey decides to use his penny to inspire a penny auction so he tells his neighbors on the way home. At the auction, Davey bravely starts the bidding with a bid of one penny. Low bids follow until Miss Elsie bids $9.50. The bidding stops. A hat is passed to help Miss Elsie purchase her farm again, and she invites them all to come pick free strawberries next summer. Davey saves his penny for another day and hopes to work for Miss Elsie next summer.

Hanna’s Comments: Children need to hear stories of other children making positive differences in the world. They long to know that their lives have meaning but don’t want to wait until they are adults to realize their power and influence. The Holy Scriptures encourage us to use our power to bring about positive changes in our community and broader society. This book can encourage a conversation with your children about what they might do to positively affect their families, neighborhoods, faith communities, schools, and even broader contexts.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Greenwillow Books, 2005

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: action, America, babies/children, body of Christ, community, cooperation, dependence/interdependence, friends/friendship, goodness, helping, home, money, neighbors, poverty, power, problems/problem solving, relationships, unity

Scripture Connections: And a little child will lead them (Isaiah 1:6); What does the Lord require of you? Do justice, love mercy... (Micah 6:8); the story of the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44); the boy who shared his loaves and fishes (John 6:1-15); for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book when teaching a lesson on the power and positive influence children can have in their communities and among their friends and family.