New Series: Psalms for All Ages #1 (Ps. 139)

Coming up the first week of June, The Revised Common Lectionary has Christians all over the world reading portions of Psalm 139. It's my favorite psalm so I thought it would be fun to create a new PBT series that promotes connecting picture books to The Psalms. 

I'm passionate about The Psalms. We don't typically think of them as good subjects for lessons, particularly for children. But the whole range of human emotions and a vast range of human experiences are found in The Psalms. Besides, it's really good for our ears to hear poetry. Below you'll find 2 new books and many links to already featured books for exploring Psalm 139 across some age groups, youngest to adult.

Picture Book: From Head to Toe, God Made Me

Author: Mikal Keefer

Illustrator: David Harrington

Summary: This board book is part of a new 6 book series: Best of Li’l Buddies. 

The buddies featured are part of Group's VBS curricula. 

Whether or not your a fan of Group Publishing, you should check these out. 

The ideas are simple and the pages are few. 

Your kids will love the animals and the adventures each human has. 

At the bottom of this book's Amazon page, find a great chart that gives you the "Bible Truth" that each book covers.

Original Publisher & Date: Group Publishing, 2017

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 1 and up, Toddler and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

Hanna’s Comments: It's hard to find books for this age that are short enough but rich with content. Be sure to point out the other things in the book that God made wonderfully.

If your kiddos are a little older...

Picture Book: The Wonderful Happens

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Illustrator: Coco Dowley

Summary: Cynthia Rylant is a master picture book author! This is a secular book, like most I feature at PBT, but it celebrates God's created world so beautifully.

The setting is a farm where the ordinary is declared extraordinary! Wheat becomes yummy bread. 

A simple egg becomes a creature of the air. 

A seed becomes a beautiful rose. 

Other transforming miracles are celebrated. 

Fruit becomes pies. Water makes tea. 

Puppies become dogs and weather changes. 

And these changes happen everyday in an on-going way. But the most amazing is You (the reader or listener), who "happened" in miraculous ways. 

The wonderful is you!

Hanna’s Comments: Earlier at PBT, I featured some other books for young children that connect well with the concept of being wonderfully made as is celebrated in Psalm 139. Molly Bang's All of Me! is a celebration of body parts. For preschool and elementary ages, consider Beaumont & Catrow's I Like Myself! Kids a little older will enjoy Turner and Catrow's When God Made You. 

Original Publisher & Date: Simon & Schuster, 2000 

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

Formats other than Book: None at present 

Scripture Connections: I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

For older elementary children, tweens, teens, or adults, consider one of the many books here at PBT that celebrates artists. For these you can view the artists as wonderfully made OR you can see them as a metaphor for God - our wonderful maker. Here are links to several PBT books about artists:

The Extraordinary Music of Mr. Ives

Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing

When Marian Sang

The Iridescence of Birds (Henri Matisse)

Dave the Potter 

Me and Momma and Big John