Another Nora's Ark!

I started PBT Easter morning of 2014. That first year, I posted a book everyday! Since that year, I've posted less often, but you'll find 900 or so books here connected to scripture with ideas for using them in ministry, church-based schools, family devotions, and even spiritual direction. 

That first year, I featured a book called Nora's Ark. It was a play on the plot of Noah's story in Genesis. That humorous book, based on a true story, featured a hospitable and compassionate elderly woman who opened her home to neighbors during a flood. Find that post HERE .  

Today's book with the same title is about a preschool girl who pretends to be Noah in her unique and playful ways. Young children will enjoy this newer book! Nora knows the Bible story well and is enjoying being a problem solver and a caretaker to her friends, both animal and human.

At the end of this post, I'll give you a link to another Noah's Ark inspired PBT book. That one has a science fiction slant and has much more text so it's best for tweens and older. Below I'll also mention my strategies when dealing with the Bible story of Noah, which for some children and families may be quite troubling.

Picture Book: Nora’s Ark

Author: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrator: Nora Hilb

Summary: After a prediction of rain, little Nora is inspired by Noah. She builds an ark for herself, her animal toys, a few live animals that happened to be near, her little brother Frankie, and her friends who eventually wander away. Throughout the text it says Nora is being "Just like Noah. Well... not just like Noah." Then you turn the page and discover that little Nora has taken a lot of creative license with the Bible story! The illustrations are great fun so allow ways for your audience to get in close.

Hanna’s Comments: In this beautiful book, I especially love the way Nora is imaginatively exploring this Bible story that she knows quite well and has taken to heart! Isn't that what we are all supposed to do with our sacred scriptures? Think of this book as a preschoolers playful lectio divina! 

Anytime we allow for creative play in children, we are affirming not only healthy joy but also the gifts of creativity and problem solving that God "imaged" in all humans. In Genesis 1:27, where it says that God made us humans in God's own image, I believe it is God's own loving creativity that is God's greatest gift to humans. Allowing time for creative play gives time for children to experiment with story, perspective (building loving empathy!), social-emotional skills, consequences, and even STEM concepts. 

Little Nora builds in ways that are testing her environment and her caretaking inclinations. For this book and the book linked below, you have children engaging in critical thinking with joy and beautiful consequences. 

An easy lesson would be to present the scripture in Genesis. Then read 1 or more of the other books. You might do a whole month of Noah's Ark lessons! Allow the children to find the connections across and between the books and the scripture. Help them see beyond the plot details (especially the troubling ones) to themes like faithfulness, hospitality, generosity, and cleverness. All of these are present in the biblical text and in the picture books. Then allow them to have their own creative responses to this important story. 

Present the story as non-violently as is age-appropriate. If, like me, you view this as a mythic story that is shared by cultures across our globe, present it as such. If your perspective is the story happened as written, be ready to address the questions of violence and suffering that may come from your audience.

Original Publisher: Zonderkidz, 2013

Age Appropriateness: 2 and up

Formats other than Book: Audio book

Scripture Connections: Made in God's image (Genesis 1:27); Noah's Ark (Genesis 6-9) 

Connections to The Revised Common Lectionary: This book has been added to my Trinity Treasures preschool curriculum for 2 lessons - a Pentecost lesson in Year A (theme Noah's Ark) and a Lent lesson in Year B (theme: God's Rainbow Promise).

PBT Applications: Read this book to a group of preschoolers after you tell them the story of Noah. Then ask them to make an ark for everyone in the room to enjoy! Talk about what makes them feel safe and ask how God helps them feel safe.

Violence in Noah's Story: I manage this troubling story by dividing it into two stories. The first involves God's request, Noah and his family's responses, the gathering of animals, and the launch of the Ark as the rains come. This initial plot has themes about obedience, faithfulness, courage (social & bodily!), cooperation, and family ties. The 2nd part of the story begins when the rain ends. You still have plenty to talk about! The clever dove strategy, the ark's landing, again Noah and his family's responses to their new reality, and the rainbow promise from God are the key components. This last part of the story leans into conversation about hope, endurance, patience, loss, resilience, reliance, and promises. 

HERE is another PBT book inspired by Noah's story! It is a PBT Grab & Go book, meaning you will need to prepare very little to use this book in ministry. It offers much for tweens, teens, and adults to explore! If you want to present it to younger audiences, show the illustrations and tell the story because there is a lot of text. 

Other PBT Grab & Go books can be easily found by typing "Grab & Go" into the search box or clicking on that particular search label at the bottom of the web version.

If you are interested in learning more about Trinity Treasures, a scripture based preschool Sunday school curriculum that features picture books & children’s Bibles, contact me at hannaschock@bellsouth.net. Right now, free lessons are emailed if you agree to fill out the monthly feedback form.

“What Am I Doing to Make Malala Proud?”

Today my daughter Julianna graduates from college. You'll see below in the PBT post from 2015 that I reference how Malala Yousafzai has inspired her. Julianna has had a desire to teach urban children for a very long time. In a few weeks, she leaves her Alabama home to serve with Teach for America in Cleveland, OH. Posting this again serves as a little tribute to Julianna's passion and courage. Also, consider it a bit of gratitude for all who inspire our young people who are determined to make this world better for those living on the margins. More books about Malala have been published since this post. Check them out and choose your favorite to inspire the young people in your faith family.

The title of this post is the question my teenage daughter, Julianna, asked herself the spring before her senior year in high school. Her answer was to pay her way on a mission trip with a group of our church’s adults to teach English to Panamanian children. I think Malala would have been pleased!

When I first heard my daughter’s question, I thought of the WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets that were a fad with teens here in the states for a while. That fad is long gone; those teens have grown up. Ironically, my Christian daughter seems to have found a meaningful role-model in a Pakistani, Muslim girl near her own age. I hope Malala survives the continued threats to her life and lives a long life inspiring my daughter and others.

Malala Yousafzai, advocate for the education of Muslim girls, victim of an assassination attempt, and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner is only a few months younger than Julianna. When the already famous and outspoken 16-year-old Malala was called out and shot on her school bus by the Taliban in Pakistan, she became more famous. Julianna began to read articles about Malala’s advocacy, recovery, and amazing courage to continue speaking publicly for the rights of all girls to be educated. Like Malala, Julianna has a passion for education. She plans to be a teacher and has a heart for urban children. She was quick to read I am Malala, Yousafzai’s best-selling memoir, and we all enjoyed seeing Malala tease John Stewart on The Daily Show. I highly recommend the feature length film about her, He Named Me Malala.   

Above I’ve offered photos of 3 picture books about Malala Yousafzai. You’ll have no problem finding these and other picture books at your local library or on-line. Video content is easily found too. It’s important for young children and teens to have heroes, especially if the heroes are near their age. Your message can be that being a child/teen doesn’t give you an excuse for not doing justice or working for peace. Everyone can do something now.

There are other, less decorated and lesser-known teens and tweens in our world making it more just and loving. A little internet searching and some creativity on your part might lead to some very meaningful programming for the young people in your faith family. Be sure to identify the traits that your children can emulate from the heroes you offer. Point out when their passions are grounded in their faith. 

Your children and teens are going to have heroes. When the substance of their fandom can be about more than beauty, sports, or entertainment, then our world has better opportunities for God's desires. I believe Malala would be very proud of such changes. 

Fruit of the Spirit Series: List & PBT Links

Find below a general book about Galatians 5:22-23, 3-4 books for each Fruit of the Spirit with a question to help you explore these, and a couple of books about a particular fruit or fruit in general. Find links to those PBT posts in the titles.  

I’ve changed the order of the Fruits. I end the list with Love, Kindness, Goodness, & Faithfulness because conceptually they overlap. Conceptual overlapping is also true for Gentleness and Self-Control. 

Twice below I refer to a PBT series called 12 Theological Statements for Young Children which is a workshop I do for church-based preschool events. 

Paul's collection of positive and godly behaviors are traits we can all aspire to. Make this learning enjoyable and more meaningful to children (and their parents) in your faith family with these books:

Fruits of the Spirit (general- Ask: Where do you see these fruits in your faith family?)

Maybe God is Like That Too by Grant & Schipper

JOY  (Ask: How is joy shown in different ways by different characters?)

Yes Day! by Rosenthal & Lichtenheld (also a great secular book for Easter.)

Lola Loves Stories by McQuinn & Beardshaw

Anna Hibiscus’ Song by Atinuke & Tobia

#12 Theological Statement for Young Children: God wants to be worshiped.

PEACE (Ask: How does peace change you and others in the moment?)

Peace, Baby! By Ashman & Lew-Vriethoff

The Peace Book by Parr  

A Little Peace by Kerley     

PATIENCE (Ask: What does having no patience look like?)

Albert by Napoli & LaMarche (Too long? Tell the story & show the pictures.) 

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Stead & Stead

Owl Moon by Yolen & Schoenherr

GENTLENESS (Ask: How does gentleness help others and you?)

Be Gentle by Miller

How to Heal a Broken Wing by Graham

You Will Be My Friend! by Brown (an opposite of gentleness offers humor and redemption)

SELF-CONTROL (Ask: How does self-control help everyone including you?)

Katie Loves the Kittens and its sequel by Himmelman

More by Springman & Lies

Wild Feelings by Milgrim

#5 Theological Statement for Young Children: God gave you feelings. They’re not good or bad. What matters is how you act on your feelings.

LOVE (Ask: What does love look like here? Feel like here? Sound like here?)

The Invisible String by Karst & Stevenson

I Will Love You Anyway by Inkpen & Inkpen

Love is… by Adams & Keane 

Love by La Pena & Long (dark situations here, consider using paper clips to skip pages)     

KINDNESS (Ask: What kinds of hard choices are being made here?)

The Kindness Quilt by Wallace

Miss Maple’s Seeds by Wheeler

Be Kind by Miller 

GOODNESS (Some translations call this COMPASSION. Ask: What makes these characters’ behaviors good?)

Bear Feels Sick by Wilson & Chapman (This book is about servanthood.)

What Baby Wants by Root & Bartow (This book is about empathy.)

One Winter’s Day by Butler & Macnaughton (This book is about generosity.)

FAITHFULNESS (Ask: Who do you know that is faithful?)

The Carrot Seed by Krauss & Johnson (This books connects with being faithful to God. The other books are about being faithful to other people.)

I Promise by McPhail

Mama Always Comes Home by Wilson & Dyer

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Stead & Stead

Two Bonus Books about fruit:

Little Apple Goat by Church

An Orange In January by Aston & Maren

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness

Picture Book: Mama Always Comes Home

Author: Karma Wilson

Illustrator: Brooke Dyer

Summary: Young children will love this reassuring story in verse. It has at its core various animal mothers who are faithful to their children. They must briefly leave those they love most, but then they joyfully return. The book begins with baby birds protesting when Mother Bird must fly away.  

Despite the protests, she must retrieve a worm for herself and her babies. 

 

She returns with food, demonstrating her steadfast love and devotion. 

Mama Cat can't stay snuggled,

she must feed herself to sustain her milk 

 and snuggle in again. 

When a round of puppy play with Mama is interrupted by a call, 

the pups whine for her to stay. She suggests a nap 

and bounds to her human boy for another sort of play.

Later, she gladly returns to her puppies.

Even Mama Dolphin, 

Mama Chipmunk, 

 Mama Chimpanzee,

 Mama Polar Bear,  

Mama Gopher, 

Mama Mole, 

and Mama Pony must leave their little ones for a time. 

For Mamas all over the world have to go away. 

But they hurry to return to those they love most. 

Human Mama gives a hug and explains it's time for her to go. 

Daddy and child watch her leave, anticipating her return 

because Mamas always come home.   

Hanna’s Comments: When choosing PBT books, it is important to consider the experiences and family situations of those in your audience. This book offers a message you might expect all children will relate to positively, but the truth is not all mamas (or daddies) come home and not all children are primarily raised by their mamas. The last thing you want is to alienate or confuse a child so choose wisely. Also, offer a reminder that even when Mama (or Daddy or a Grandparent) is away, God is always with them. Such reminders may seem too advanced for very young children, but such reassurances will become a part of their self-talk if heard often. If this book is too juvenile for your group, forget about a book and offer older children the idea of instinctual parental love across animal species as examples of faithfulness, including humans. Older kids will have no trouble thinking of evidence in the animal kingdom. They will enjoy sharing stories found in popular media or their own first-hand observations. Then they can meaningfully transfer to their own home situations. If you want to read a picture book, stories of faithful parents abound or look for other PBT books about faithfulness in the search engine below this post or in the window in the upper right corner.  

Original Publisher & Date: Harper Collins, 2005

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2 and up, Toddler and up

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: In addition to The Fruit of the Spirit verses in Galatians 5:22-23… A faithful person will abound with blessings (Proverbs 28:20); One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much (Luke 16:10)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of young children in your faith family when introducing the concept of faithfulness or devotion.

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness

Ironically, the concept of faithfulness is very complex, even though it likely surrounded us our early years if we were cared for by a responsible parent. Such parental devotion serves as an obvious model for God’s faithfulness in the form of attention, promises kept, and needs met. This PBT book offers such a parental metaphor for God, but mine these pages for much more! Faithfulness is what God asks of us too!

Picture Book: I Promise

Author & Illustrator: David McPhail

Summary: This story is deceptively complex. It's child oriented without being childish. The illustrations are simply a mother and a baby bear enjoying nature in both bear and human ways.  

After being asked to sing, Mother Bear makes a promise to sing to Baby Bear later. Then she is asked, "What's a promise?" Mother Bear's first answer: "A promise is when you say you will do something and then do your very best to do it." 

If a promise isn't kept, it's a broken promise that may be hard to "fix." It might hurt someone.

Baby Bear wants to know what else Mother Bear will promise. Cloud watching is the next promise she gives. This is a promise of presence. 

Next, she promises to listen and to look and to stay when fears are pressing in.  

Beyond providing a sense of security, Mother Bear promises to provide good food. 

When Baby Bear presses for more promises, Mother Bear says she will teach her bear what is needed to be a grown-up bear, but some things Baby Bear will have to learn on his own.

Baby Bear is surprised when his mother confesses she doesn't know everything. 

When Baby Bear asks if she will promise "I will always be happy," wise Mother Bear replies that such a promise can never be made. Being happy will largely be up to Baby Bear.

As they head home, Mother Bear makes one last promise to always love her cub no matter what. Baby Bear is a bit surprised by the "no matter what" part of that promise.  

Baby Bear looks forward to the promise he will keep tomorrow to play with his friend. Mother Bear declares that keeping promises feels really good! 

This story ends with a promise from Baby Bear to be a good bear, most of the time. 

Mother Bear delights in Baby Bear's promise and then sings him to sleep, her first promise kept.

Hanna’s Comments: What makes the idea of faithfulness hard to explore is the question of its direction. We often think of faithfulness as an attribute of God, but that's not what Paul is talking about in Galatians. The Fruits of the Spirit are not simple. Paul writes about our faithfulness to God, to our family, and to our neighbor. You can expand this idea. Talk about faithfulness to work, to ideals, and certainly to a religious institutions. It’s also important to distinguish faithfulness from faith. Faith is generally thought of as a set of beliefs, whereas faithfulness is about action, orientation, presence, and commitment. One last reason I love this book? It offers a fabulous example of a deep and meaningful conversation with a very young child. The keys to such conversations are listening carefully, being empathetic to experiences, asking appropriate questions, and offering simple wisdom. Such skills are truly acts of faithfulness and must be delightful to God. 

Original Publisher & Date: Little, Brown Bks, 2017

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 2 and up, Toddler and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: In addition to The Fruit of the Spirit verses in Galatians 5:22-23…If you faithfully obey the voice of God… all these blessings shall come upon you (Deuteronomy 28:68); A faithful person will abound with blessings (Proverbs 28:20); Who then is the faithful and wise manager… (Luke 12:42);  one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much… (Luke 16:10); For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7); If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children or adults and then explore the very complex notion of faithfulness. It would also be a great book to read to a group attending a parenting class.