New God Book! 9 Fruits

It's a little hard to tell, but this book is all about The Fruit of the Spirit, mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. I recently did a workshop where I tied particular picture books to those 9 Fruits. The conference theme was about promoting positive behavior so the scripture connection was perfect! In the next few PBT posts, I'll post about a few books I discovered for a few of the fruits. Then I'll wrap up with my complete list and all books I connected to all 9 fruits. Some books are new at PBT and some have been here a long while. 

If you're interested in me doing a workshop, contact me. I'd love to help you and your church or church-based preschool use picture books in your ministries! Today enjoy this profound book!

Picture Book: Maybe God is Like That Too

Author: Jennifer Grant

Illustrator: Benjamin Schipper

Summary: A young male narrator, explains that he lives in a crowded city. He believes he's "never seen God before." 

When he asks his grandma if God lives in the city, she says you just need to know where to look to find God. God's Spirit is present wherever there is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

As the boy is on the school bus, he searches for God's Spirit. 

He sees love in the care of a big man who is walking his tiny dog and his Grandma handing him lunch. The boy thinks, "Maybe God is like that too." This refrain repeats often.

He recognizes the joy he feels while swinging at school and considers how that is probably what God is like. 

When in his classroom his friends are reading despite the noise of the city, he knows it's peace. "Maybe God is like that too," he thinks. 

As his teacher helps him learn to tie his shoes, her patience is evident and God is seen.   

Back home, kindness is in the way the doorman greets a man in a wheelchair. 

Goodness comes by way of a neighbor bringing a warm loaf of yummy bread. 

Grandma's faithfulness to her grandson is found in her ritual of washing the dishes each night. 

Likewise, her gentleness at bedtime via stroking, a lullaby, and tender tucking in are all this boy needs for a good night's rest. God's gentleness is in that too. 

One more Fruit of the Spirit is left to be considered: self-control. The boy identifies it in himself as he stays in bed per Grandma's instructions. 

He reflects on the day's observations and knows he has seen God's Spirit all day in the city.

The book ends with a hope that he can let God's Spirit show in his behavior more and more. 

Hanna’s Comments: Notice the diversity in this book. Here at PBT, I try to choose books for you with diverse characters and settings. I want all people in your audience to feel they belong in a story. 

The scripture from Galatians ends this wonderful book. If you want to help your children learn these verses, I strongly suggest you teach them a fun song that helped me memorize this important list of nine. Here's a YouTube link. 

Original Publisher & Date: Sparkhouse, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children, tweens, teens, or adults to remind them generally of God's presence surrounding them and specifically of the 9 Fruits of the Spirit. 

UPDATE: This author/illustrator duo now have a book about being neighborly. It references Leviticus 19:18 (Love your neighbor as yourself.) Like the book above, it seems secular but is inspired by scripture. Here a young girl watches as a new apartment building goes up across from her own. She and her mother talk about loving all her neighbors. Can she when there are so many people in her neighborhood? Through her keen observations and the actions of her mother as they wander the neighborhood, she learns that there are many ways she can love all sorts of neighbors. At the end, she realizes and proclaims. "Every person in the whole world is my neighbor... and I can love them too!" 

Picture Book: Maybe I Can Love My Neighbor Too

Author: Jennifer Grant

Illustrator: Benjamin Schipper

Original Publisher & Date: Beaming Books, 2019

Age & Grade Appropriateness: preschool and up

Formats other than Book: None at present