Another New God Book!

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks. I have been sick. It’s great to feel healthy again and ready to share a story! Here is another wonderful book about the nature and gifts of God, what I call here at PBT a God book.

Picture Book: When God Gave Us Words

Author: Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Illustrator: Darcy Day Zoells

Summary: This is a wisdom tale about all sorts of human words. God believes humans will "make something beautiful with words,"

but the angels (represented in glorious geometric form) are not so sure and just might be jealous. They deliver the words, all sorts of words - long (leading to dictionaries) silly (gibberish is mentioned), hard to spell (here comes spelling lists!). Then God and the angels listen. Even when the angels thought there were enough words (we humans do go on!), God wanted more words. Then the humans started distorting and dirtying words. Gossip, curses, and threats were heard. God was about to take all the words back, but humans began to get creative. They found music and rhythm. 

Dance and poetry and jokes and stories and prayers began to enchant God, and even the angels, so the words remained. Our world is all the better for those many, many words.

Hanna’s Comments: I’m a big fan of this author. You might want to check out her fabulous conversation with Krista Tippett on the On Being podcast (my favorite podcast!). It’s an old but relevant conversation The Spirituality of Parenting. Listening to this wisdom would benefit any church leader. I’ve featured several of her books at PBT. Check out a classic [here] and 2 new books by this same amazing publisher [here] and [here]. Or you can simply type in "Sasso" in the search box at the top right.

Original Publisher & Date: Flyaway Books, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Let the words of my mouth… (Psalm 19:14); For by your words you will be justified… (Matthew 12:37); [Let come from your mouths] only such [words] as is good for building up… (Ephesians 4:29); Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him. (Colossians 3:17)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of tweens or teens. Then celebrate and explore the power (blessings, deceptions, beauty, damage, curses...) of human language. Then expand your conversation to include the languages of non-humans on earth as well. They will love it!

PBT Redux # 15 December Holiday Books

As we approach December, here are shortcuts to the 2016 PBT series in which I featured Christmas and Hanukkah books. Below find photos and then links to those posts. Look for such books again this year. I look forward to finding new December treasures to help you use picture books in ministry, at bedtime, or in your classrooms. May your December be safe and especially meaningful this year.

 Link to PBT December Holiday Books for 12/2/16

 

 Link to PBT December Holiday Books  for 12/5/16

 

 Link to PBT December Holiday Books for 12/9/16

 

  

  Link to PBT December Holiday Books on 12/12/16

Link to PBT December Holiday Book on 12/16/16

 Link to PBT December Holiday Books  on 12/19/16

 

 Link to PBT December Holiday Books on 12/23/16

Link to PBT December Holiday Books on 12/26/16

Link to PBT December Holiday Books 12/30/16

December Holiday Books 1 & 2

As we approach the December holidays, I’ve decided to break with PBT tradition and offer some sacred picture books along with my usual secular stories. There are so many beautiful Christmas and Hanukkah books so on my usual post days, Mondays and Fridays, I’ll briefly feature 2 books, a secular first and then a sacred. 

Picture Book: A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story about Knitting and Love

Author: Michelle Edwards

Illustrator: G. Brian Karas 

Summary: Sophia’s neighbor, Mrs. Goldman, taught her how to knit and regularly demonstrates the Jewish practice of mitzvah (doing a good deed) by knitting and giving hats. Sophia enjoys making the pom-poms for these gifts. While walking with her neighbor on a series of blustery days, Sophia worries that Mrs. Goldman has no hat for her own keppie (head) so Sophia decides to remember her lessons and knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. Sophia struggles with the task but perseveres. Unhappy with the result, she adds 20 pom-poms to cover her mistakes. Mrs. Goldman gratefully exclaims that each pom-pom has been made with love.

Hanna’s Comments:  Sometimes a title tells me when I’ve found a PBT book! The loving generosity in this title is on every page of this book. I also very much liked the cross-cultural interaction of a Hispanic child (Sophia mentions her abuela) with a Jewish adult. The Jewish concept of mitzvah is an idea all of us would be enriched to know. Sophie’s creative problem solving, which I believe is a gift from God, is another aspect of this book that offers you rich material for conversation and activities in your family or faith community. A pattern for knitting the “Sophia hat” is in the back of this book.

Original Publisher & Date: Schwartz & Wade, 2016

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Any scripture that involves generosity to neighbor or patient perseverance through difficult work would connect with this story. In December, this story connects with religious practices of gift-giving and compassion.

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children who are learning about God-inspired good deeds or creative problem-solving. Making pom-poms would be a fun activity to supplement this book.

Picture Book: December

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: David Diaz

Summary: Simon and his mom live in a cardboard house on the street. They have managed to create a simple Christmas tree and decorate with a paper angel named December from a calendar. Christmas eve brings to their makeshift door an elderly woman, poorer even than Simon and his mother. They welcome her and give her a coat and food. Simon gives his guest his one cookie. Early Christmas morning, Simon is awakened by the old woman’s exit. When he gets up to close the door, he sees December, the Christmas angel instead of the old woman. She sings quietly to him as she disappears. The next Christmas eve finds Simon in a much better place. His mom has a job and they live in an apartment. Their decorations are still meager; December still smiles down at them. Simon remembers.

Hanna’s Comments:  Putting it simply, some Christmas picture books are joyous, but others are about suffering. Some might call the second kind depressing or dark and avoid reading them to children. I propose that stories of suffering harken back to the nativity. Jesus was poor and homeless. He and his parents were refugees. Children were murdered. Many of your children know the darkness of these stories already. The Christmas story is about hardship, emboldened by hope, and wrapped in love. All good stories are. Usually children can handle dark stories if you consider the age guidelines and are sensitive to who they are, how they will likely respond, and their reactions as they listen. Giving parents fair warning is a good idea too. If themes of homelessness are too harsh for your young audience, consider a similar story in Christmas Soup by Alice Faye Duncan (illustrator Phyllis Dooley).

Original Publisher & Date: Harcourt, 1997

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 6 and up, 1^st and up

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Matthew 2:1-18; Luke 2:1-20

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children who are learning and exploring the Nativity stories. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 31

Picture Book: The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake

Author: Nancy Willard

Illustrator: Richard Jesse Watson

Summary: The tween narrator wants to bake her mother a favorite mysterious cake that is a lost legacy from her colorful grandmother. After clues, a clumsy uncle, & the found recipe, the cake is made late at night with amazing results including an encounter with 3 beautiful but hungry angels. Then her grandmother’s saying is remembered, “Grief in the evening is joy in the morning,” and holds true as the birthday is celebrated with a secret, heavenly delight.

Hanna’s Comments: This is a great book for older elementary & youth especially to honor a mother or grandmother’s legacy. Note that this book is longer than most picture books.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Harcourt, 1990

Age and Grade Appropriateness: 7 and up, 2nd and up

# of Pages: 63

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Audio cassette, Audible

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: ancestors/patriarchs & matriarchs, angels, birth/birthday, blessings, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, found, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, God’s care/providence, grandparents, hospitality, labor/work, manna, mothers, preparation/preparing, wishes

Scripture Connections: Joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5); Her children rise up and call her blessed (Proverbs 31)

Idea(s) for Application: a lesson on angels, honoring mothers, or loving acts of service