Illustrations from Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka
Generosity and
hospitality are the spiritual practices encouraged in the 7th PBT theological statement for young children: God/Jesus wants you to share with and include
others.
Illustrations from Little Nelly's Big Book by Pippa Goodhart & Andy Rowland
These include behaviors that parents and teachers of young
children very much want to encourage. I’m simply suggesting that you use these
opportunities to help your children understand that God/Jesus (your word
choice) wants them to do these as well.
Illustrations from Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
I’m offering 4 new PBT books and then as usual I list below the
best of the PBT books (and the dates of each post about that book) that connect
with this statement.
The first picture book involves a young elephant, Nelly, who has
some identity confusion.
She reads about a mouse in a book and is convinced she
is a mouse. She goes in search of a mouse family. Despite her size, the mice welcome
and include her.
Nelly’s size and the food situation continues to bother her.
Eventually Nelly’s mice take her to live in the zoo with other big mice.
The story ends with Nelly’s mouse friend, Micky, looking in the
book and discovering that he is an elephant.
Nelly responds, “But, Micky, even
though you aren’t a mouse like me, I’ll still be your friend.”
Picture Book: Little Nelly’s Big Book
Author: Pippa Goodhart
Illustrator: Andy Rowland
Original Publisher & Date: Scholastic,
2012
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4
and up, Pre and up
Formats other than Book: Tablet
The next
book offers a bit of a mystery. Thomas is enjoying his blanket cave.
Each time
he steps away, a bear invades. The cave is too small for two. Besides, do you
want to share with a bear?
Thomas does his best to lure Bear away with food and
other things bears like, but Bear keeps coming back to Thomas’ cave.
The
mystery? Bear seems to be in costume, and you never see his face until the end
when it is revealed that Bear is Thomas’ little brother! Then the story makes sense!
Eventually Bear’s
tears convince Thomas to build a bigger cave to share so they can both enjoy
the things that bears and humans love.
Picture Book: How to Share with a Bear
Author: Eric Pinder
Illustrator: Stephanie Graegin
Original Publisher & Date:
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2
and up, Toddler and up
Formats other than Book: Tablet
The next 2 books are from Mo
Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series which
I highly recommend for toddlers & preschoolers. What Willems does so well
with these books is offer funny situations with very human-like animals.
His drawings
and situations are simple but the facial expressions are crucial and often
funny. Getting your children to mimic these faces and labeling those feelings
is a fun and important social-emotional skill for young children to be
learning.
In the first, Elephant and
Piggie are about to play catch. When Snake asks to play too, they are reluctant
and confused. How do you play catch with a snake?
First there’s some hilarity.
Then they try to include Snake, but it doesn’t go well.
Eventually, they come
up with a creative way to play catch together and fun follows.
Picture Book: Can I Play Too?
Author & Illustrator:
Mo Willems
Original Publisher & Date: Hyperion,
2010
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2
and up, Toddler and up
Formats other than Book: None
at present
The other Elephant and Piggie book has Elephant conflicted.
He has
an ice cream cone and wonders if he should share with his good friend Piggie.
He rationalizes and debates himself for so long that the situation changes.
Fortunately, Piggie comes along with just the treat that Elephant
wants.
I encourage you to look at other Mo Willems books for potential
PBT lessons. I love his sense of humor. Your kids will too!
Picture Book: Should I Share My Ice Cream?
Author & Illustrator:
Mo Willems
Original Publisher & Date: Hyperion,
2011
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2
and up, Toddler and up
Formats other than Book: None
at present
Other PBT books that connect with links to posts:
Xander’s Panda Party - 5/28/14
And Away We Go! - 3/8/15
Shoebox Sam - 12/15/14
Curious George Saves His Pennies - 6/2/14
But Not the Hippopotamus - 8/29/14
Cat and Bunny - 2/24/15
A Good Trade - 5/7/14
Sick Day for Amos McGee - 4/28/14
Yo! Yes? - 9/11/14
Rainbow Fish - 12/3/14
Virgil and Owen - 4/5/16
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