Link: LATEST PBT WEBINAR

Click on the link above to see me presenting the benefits of PBT with seminary students and others at Knox College, a Canadian institution of higher education. This 1-hour webinar was hosted by picture book author Laura Alary. Additionally, because it was recorded in October, I briefly offer some book  recommendations for the fall & winter holidays as well as many other book recommendations. Here you'll find the best of what I have learned these 10 years of PBT!

To see more at PBT about Alary's books, simply type "Alary" into the PBT search box in the upper right IF you are in the "web version. Go to her website to see the full array of her excellent books, both secular & sacred, picture book & resource book. 

If on a phone, convert to "web version" (see bottom of phone screen) to get the full benefit of PBT. 

Updates to PBT Questions cont.

Like in last week's post, here you'll find links to important PBT posts in which I've added new books! You'll see a sampling of some of those added books in the photos here. Last time, I gave you links to the Introduction to the 5 PBT questions and the first two PBT Questions. Here are links to the last three PBT Questions. You'll find dozens of books with these updates! 

PBT Question # 3

PBT Question #4

PBT Question #5

Updates to PBT Questions

For today’s PBT post and my next, I have gone back to 6 of my best posts and added new books! A sampling of some of those books I've added are in the photos here. I’ve given you links to the first 3 posts today. 

Intro to 5 PBT Questions

PBT Question #1

PBT Question #2

Next week look for links to those last 3 questions. This series is at the heart of what I do here at PBT. There are many God Books here at PBT, but all the books in this series are secular. That's the point of the series. These 5 questions help you find the sacred in a secular book. Let me teach you my short cuts for finding the theological potential of secular books.

Navigating the Best PBT Series

 

Here are some tips for getting to the best info. regarding the 800 or so books here at PBT. The book above is part of the Grab & Go series. These are books in which there is little need for prep before teaching a lesson. Here's another Grab & Go.

Using the search mechanisms to find these series is key. There are 2:

1.      The search box at the upper right of each post.

Nearby you’ll see my PayPal link. Just a 1-time gift of a few dollars shows me you are appreciative and this work is worth my time and effort.

2.    The search labels at the bottom of a screen page (not each post). BUT If you are on your phone, you likely have to click "view the web version.” These labels are listed alphabetically, but the list can be overwhelming. That's why I’m going to give you some specifics here.

Sometimes either mechanism works; sometimes only one. 

Here are those 3 PBT series that help you navigate some of my best work:

Grab & Go series 

    at the Search Box: type in "Grab."

    at the Search Labels: Look in the Gs for "Grab & Go."

The book above and below are other examples of a Grab & Go. The book below is also a God Book. That's a book that directly explores the nature of God. (more on God Books in a future post)

PBT Questions Want to know an easy way to consider a favorite secular picture book for a sacred lesson? This is your series! 

I use the word "questions" too often for you to use that word in the Search Box so these are accessible only at the Search Labels. Look in the Ps for "PBT Questions." The easiest question is first so scroll down for the first post in this series (Question 1). 

Click here to see that series which teaches my approach to considering secular picture book in 5 questions. For example, question #1: "Is God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit in the book? (symbolically) The book above and below are PBT books with characters reminiscent of 1 or all of The Trinity.

PBT Redux 

    at the Search Box: Type in "Redux."

    at the Search Labels: Look in the Ps for "PBT Redux."

Here's an example of a PBT Redux. These are simply really good books that are worth mentioning again.

Have fun exploring these 3 series! Later I'll post about navigating more PBT series.

PBT Question #5 to Ask about Any Secular Book

Does this book have the potential to positively affect the behavior or future of those who experience it? 

Good teachers teach to improve the quality of audience members' lives. With this last question, PBT encourages you to consider the future of your listeners' understanding of God, their places in a family of faith, or their relationships with The Holy.

PBT is all about connecting the content in picture books to scripture and/or spiritual truths so that spiritual growth can be more personally meaningful. Longer lasting learning occurs when theological ideas are connected to realistic situations or meaningful concepts. What affects you connects you!

Asking yourself how a picture book will positively affect your listeners is a worthy consideration that gives focus to your planning and teaching.   

As a nationally certified school psychologist, I’m passionate about improving social and emotional skills; those include spiritual skills. Modern psychological research is finding that social and emotional learning (SEL) and its affects on behavior is crucial for success in all relationships as well as in academic learning. For more on this critical link, check out www.casel.org. CASEL has identified 5 Interrelated Sets of COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, AND BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making.

 

With this last PBT question, I’m offering an example book, Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (see my PBT re-post where I offer it as a Grab & Go book [here]). It's a story of a careless boy and his discovery of an array of environmental concerns. 

Connecting this story to God’s desire that we have respectful and intelligent guardianship of Earth’s inhabitants and resources might inspire listeners to evaluate their relationship with the Earth. They could find connections between their behavior and the Earth’s health and see this as a God-ordained relationship. Additionally, this book addresses all 5 of CASELs competencies listed above. 

Here are a couple of amazing illustrations from Van Allsburg. First, I show a scene from Walter’s bad dream. 

 

Here is a “post-dream” scene in which Walter plants a tree for his birthday:

 

This book is one of many possible books about positive behaviors. Here are others from the PBT archives:

Judgement vs. Acceptance - You Are (NOT) Small

Health & Self-Understanding - many I Am books

Learning from Nature - Ruby's Birds

Compassion - What Happened to You?

Building Community - Circles All Around Us

Inclusive Behavior - The Big Umbrella

Loving Behavior - various Bucket books

Responsibility - The Little Hummingbird

Here's another strategy: Think of an important SEL skill, find it or a related word in the large list of search words at the bottom of this screen (on the web version), and see the vast potential PBT has for your ministry and/or your family. May your own SEL learning be enhanced as you teach!

PBT Question #4 to Ask about Any Secular Book

   

Does the book contain or encourage a spiritual practice? 

(Compassion, Generosity, Gratitude, Prayer, Praise, Hospitality, Peacemaking, Reconciliation…)

This PBT question is a little easier to grasp. Do keep an open mind about what defines a spiritual practice. These are not just spiritual disciplines, like praying or fasting, nor are they always specific behaviors such as peacemaking. A spiritual practice might be an orientation towards others as in the case of compassion. You may know someone who is very generous of spirit, but they have little money to give.

When approaching a picture book with this question, consider what in the picture book would please God. That question might help you focus on a spiritual practice. Then read the picture book to a group of children or adults and help them learn more about that practice in a context that is very real. Here’s an example: Contemplation is a fuzzy word. Contemplative prayer is hard to define and impossible to perfect. Contemplating God’s amazing world is a spiritual practice that we often engage in spontaneously and momentarily without identifying it as a spiritual practice. Think of when you arrive at the beach or when you see a full moon. Just because you don’t express your joy with words doesn’t mean you aren’t moved and thankful.

Contemplation is beautifully abundant in the title character of The Incredible Peepers of Penelope Budd. Check out that PBT post [here.] 

In these two illustrations, Penelope is being especially observant. First she delights in a butterfly.

Then she contemplates her own image in a puddle of water.

Tie her orientation to delighting in God's creation and you have a model of a spiritual practice that even the youngest child can relate to. Add gratitude to God to such experiences and you have an integrated practice that can be theologically sustaining and grounding throughout a lifetime. 

Here is a link to a PBT post that features another book about contemplative practices. This one has the children being more active and purposely going into nature to find the wonder of the world - the wonder of God.

Wonder Walkers

Helping children and adults identify what spiritual practices look like will affirm their good inclinations and behaviors while offering rich information for potential spiritual growth. 

Here are links to more books in the PBT archive that directly connect to spiritual practices:

Creation Care - Here: The Dot We Call Home

Praise - I Love Our Earth!

Lamentation - several books

Hospitality - Hello World

Fruits of the Spirit, Courage, & Confidence - 2 Hische books

Listening - The Man with the Violin

Generosity - Mama Panya's Pancakes

Love - Love the World

Prayer or Social Justice - Say Something!

Gratitude - The Happy Owls

In a week or so I’ll be wrapping up my explanation of the 5th question you can ask about a secular picture book. May your spiritual practices delight God!

PBT Question #3 to Ask about any Secular Book

Does the book remind you of scripture?                    

(a Story, a Character, or a Verse) 

Answering this question takes some thought. However, as you read a picture book a connection with a Bible story, character, or verse may jump out at you. That’s fun to discover! When there are no obvious links but I’m still hoping for a biblical connection for a picture book I love, I rely on a Bible concordance or a list on a website.

Check out http://www.openbible.info/topics/. This site allows you to search by a biblical name, a religious theme, or a phrase in a Bible verse. This site also offers a nice list of the most popular Bible stories for children, but don’t use this link only when you are doing children’s programming. Adults will respond to those same stories. http://www.openbible.info/labs/kids-bible-stories/.

Don’t just think of major characters/stories of the Bible. Your audience deserves new material! Consider some of the lesser known stories such as those in the Acts of the Apostles or those referenced in Paul’s letters. Don't forget the parables that Jesus told. 

Also, don't forget the stories of women and girls in the Bible! Rich faith development involves girls learning about female biblical role-models and boys hearing the important roles that women had in our Holy Scriptures. There are many women’s stories in the Bible that offer meaningful lessons and conversations. Sadly, females are often unnamed so finding their story is harder.

Here are 4 women in the Bible that you may not have considered for a lesson: 
Rahab - Joshua 2

The Widow of Zarephath - 1 Kings 17:7-24

The Bent-over Woman - Luke 13:11

Dorcas/Tabitha - Acts 9:36

Another problem occurs when a key figure is labeled negatively. We tend to shy away from those stories, especially when teaching children. But those labels don’t have to be used! For example, you don’t have to call Rahab a prostitute. Focus on how she was a crucial figure who helped the Israelites. The Eunuch in Acts 8 can be called simply “a man from Ethiopia”. His story is so powerful! The woman caught in adultery in John 8 can be described as a “woman who got into trouble.” 

In contrast, don’t shy away from age-appropriate negative attributes. These descriptions make characters more human. They are easier to relate to, more believable, and more relevant. Got an impulsive kid in your group? Find a book that connects to Peter. God’s great mercy is all the more powerful when complicated characters are changed for the better. 

Apart from stories, children and adults can learn a great deal from key phrases in Bible verses. I like to have children repeat a simple phrase throughout a lesson so that it lingers in their minds afterwards. Adults can benefit from this method too. For instance, in a lesson using a picture book about rocks. Talk about how God is like a rock, and have your audience say intermittently this phrase from Psalm 71:3: “Be to me a rock of refuge.” Don’t forget to define “refuge.” Then you’ll have a little vocabulary development. All the better! 

Sometimes you must allow a picture book to soak into you for a while and let The Spirit do the work. Set aside the book, say a little prayer for guidance, and give God some time to help you see the connections. A Bible connection might pop into your mind.

In a few days, I’ll post about PBT question #4. It may be the question that yields the most potential for a picture book. Meanwhile, may your Biblical knowledge grow.

Here are many more books from the PBT archives that directly connect to scriptures:

Psalm 139 - I am Enough!

The Lost Parables - Duck's Key Where Can it Be? and

Who Counts?

Good Samaritan - Who is My Neighbor?

The Mustard Seed - The Marvelous Mustard Seed

PBT Question #2 to Ask about Any Secular Picture Book

Is there a sacred theme to the book? (such as Fruits of the Spirit, Light, Bread, Ritual, Creation, Courage, Righteousness, Ancestors, the Least…)

This is the easiest of the PBT questions to consider when approaching a picture book. 

Often the major and minor themes of picture books are concepts of social-emotional learning that we want children to know so books on these concepts are common. Fortunately for those who want to use picture books in ministry, those same concepts are also considered aspects of an abundant spiritual or religious life. 

If you’re using the "web version" format (you may have to select this on your phone), you will see a large list of purple search labels below. On this website, I consider topics that directly connect with scriptures found in the Old Testament (Hebrew) Scriptures and New Testament Scriptures.

 You'll find fiction and non-fiction books.

I've included classics from your childhood. 

And I especially enjoy telling you about the best new books and award-winning books.

Just click on a purple word below and be taken to all the picture books I’ve connected to that concept.

To demonstrate the abundance of themes that can be found in the PBT search list, here are 10 biblical themes and links to 10 featured PBT books that connect (1 each for the first 10 letters of the alphabet):

Adoption -  MissMaple’s Seeds

Brokenness - Koko’s Kitten 

Change - Fortunately     

Discovery - TheListening Walk

Enemies - EnemyPie   

Friendship - Bear and Bird   

Generosity -  If You Plant a Seed

Healing -  How to Heal a Broken Wing

Image of God - The Colors of Us

Justice - The Day the Crayons Quit

Darkness/Fear - The Dark

Community - Little Elliot, Big City

Goodness - Most People

Resurrection - 2 books about turtles

Find PBT helpful to your work or family? Show your gratitude. Make a donation via the PayPal button on the upper right. Let me know that you want me to continue posting at PBT.

PBT Question #1 to Ask about Any Secular Picture Book

Is God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit in the book? (Symbolically in characters/symbols? Influencing characters/events?) This question may expand understanding of the nature of God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit.

First, there are books with obvious allusions to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit such as the character of the tree in The Giving Tree, the mother in I Love You Stinky Face, or lightships in Lightship. This last example demonstrates that God can be found in non-human aspects of stories and in non-fiction books.

There are books where God is lurking in less obvious places. Try thinking in terms of what God represents for you, and see if those ideals are anywhere in the book.  

For instance, in Pete’s a Pizza, you have a silly book about a boy’s disappointment in not being able to play baseball. Within this story, Pete’s father lures Pete into a wonderfully playful distraction while Pete’s mother looks on. God’s nature can be found in both parents wise and loving attention. God looks on with compassion as we are disappointed by life’s circumstances (Pete's mom). God lures us into a joyful, loving opportunity (Pete’s dad does this). We call this prevenient grace in the United Methodist Church. God inspires us (Pete’s dad in this case) to lure others into joyful, loving opportunities. God sees us reap the benefits of such opportunities (both parents). Lastly, God rejoices when circumstances change and we are able to have our heart’s desire (Pete’s parents when he is able to play baseball). This silly, delightful book has God all over it!

What I love about this first PBT question is that it can stretch your audience’s image of God in ways that may be very enlightening and/or comforting. In The Friend, you have a beautiful story that parallels Jesus’ tenderness, teaching, patience, and attention in the loving care of Bea for little Belle. You also have a dramatic situation in which Bea saves Belle

and embraces Belle.

These glorious illustrations can expand your vision to a new way of imagining God’s saving grace.

Here are many more books from the PBT archives in which this first PBT question is easily answered: 

The Amida Tree (similar to The Giving Tree)

The Catawampus Cat

Talk Oscar, Please!

Your Personal Penguin

That's Me Loving You

Love

The Rabbit Listened

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

many books about light

The other 4 PBT questions offer easier ways to consider a book’s potential for your ministry, teaching, parenting, grandparenting, or bibliotherapy. If question # 1 doesn’t seem right for the book you want to use, check out an upcoming post about PBT question # 2. May your reading bring others closer to God.

A Favorite PBT Series – 5 PBT Questions

I posted about picture books every day for a year in 2014 & 2015. Then I offered my first PBT series. Each explored a question to consider if you want to use a particular secular book in ministry. With each question, I offered 1 new book and linked you to a few previously featured books that fit well with that strategy. 

If you appreciate the work I do, please look right and demonstrate your gratitude with a PayPal donation. Here’s the introductory post in that series:

PBT Questions to Ask about Any Picture Book

Not all picture books have the potential for use in ministry, teaching, or bibliotherapy, but many do. For instance, ABC books are not usually helpful and books that are especially girly will not be well received my many who are turned off by such books.

Below you’ll find a list of questions to help you approach a picture book that you think might have potential. For the next few posts, I’ll expand on each question and offer some examples of picture books I have already featured here at PBT.

1. Is God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit in the book? (Symbolically in characters/symbols? Influencing characters/events?)

2. Is there a sacred theme to the book? (such as Fruits of the Spirit, Light, Bread, Ritual, Creation, Righteousness, Ancestors, Justice, the Least…)

  

3. Does the book remind you of scripture? (a Story? a Character? a Verse?) 

4. Does the book contain or encourage a spiritual practice? (such as Compassion, Generosity, Gratitude, Prayer, Praise, Hospitality, Peacemaking, Reconciliation…)

5. Does this book have the potential to positively affect the behavior or future of those who experience it? (teach important Social Skills such as The Great Commandment or inspire with a connection to a Resilient or Creative Bible Character)

PBT Question # 5 to ask about any secular picture book:

Does this book have the potential to positively affect the behavior or future of those who experience it?

Good teachers teach to improve the quality of audience members' lives. With this last question, Picture Book Theology (PBT) encourages you to consider the future of your listeners' understanding of God, their places in a family of faith, and their relationships with ALL that is Holy.

PBT is all about connecting the content in picture books to scripture and/or spiritual truths so that spiritual growth can be more personally meaningful. Longer lasting learning occurs when theological ideas are connected to realistic situations or meaningful concepts. What affects you connects you!

Asking yourself how a picture book will positively affect your listeners is a worthy consideration that gives focus to your planning and teaching.   

As a nationally certified school psychologist, I’m passionate about improving social and emotional skills; those include spiritual skills. Modern psychological research is finding that social and emotional learning (SEL) and its affects on behavior is crucial for success in all relationships as well as in academic learning. For more on this critical link, check out www.casel.org. CASEL has identified 5 Interrelated Sets of COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, AND BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making.

Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (see my PBT post [here]). It's a story of a careless boy and his discovery of an array of environmental concerns. Connecting this story to God’s desire that we have respectful and intelligent guardianship of Earth’s inhabitants and resources might inspire listeners to evaluate their relationship with the Earth. They could find connections between their behavior and the Earth’s health and see this as a God-ordained relationship. Additionally, this book addresses all 5 of CASELs competencies listed above. 

Here are a couple of amazing illustrations from Van Allsburg. First, I show a scene from Walter’s bad dream. 

Here is a “post-dream” scene in which Walter plants a tree for his birthday:

This book is only one of many possibilities. Think of an important social and emotional skill, find it or a related word in the large list of search words at the bottom of this screen (on the web version), and see the vast potential PBT has for your ministry and/or your family. May your own SEL learning be enhanced as you teach, Hanna