PBT Techniques #6: Illustration Inspiration

Now and then I read a book with amazing illustration techniques that can be explored by children. I’m not big on crafts in children’s faith lessons because I find that too often they are super simple (pencil, glue, paper, scissors, etc.) or they reinforce the concepts only at the surface (color a sheep after The Parable of the Lost Sheep). Now and then the techniques in a craft or art experience can be another way to get across the message of the lesson. Think coloring mandalas or praying in color - see Praying in Color: Kid’s Edition [here]. 

The book below offers illustrations that would be fun to create. As I read, I imagined a table overloaded with discards and debris being used by children to create some fish. 

The inspiration for your children is all over the pages, but be sure to make some rain fish beforehand so you can guide them through the process. You might want to have some images of actual fish around so they can see the varying shapes, sizes, features, and colors. Also, you'll likely need to make fish cooperatively together or with you modeling, particularly at first.  

The concept of fish is found many places in our scriptures. While the children are making fish, continue talking about the concepts you want to reinforce and tie them directly to the making of the fish if you can. But your lesson doesn’t have to be connected directly to scripture. Your faith family’s history (ancient or more recent) is always another source for lessons. The symbol of a fish was and still is an identifying mark for Christians and an important story for Christian children to hear. There are many reasons a fish was used. The history behind this symbol will intrigue your kids. Check it out [here].

Picture Book: Rain Fish

Author & Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Summary: Mixed-media collage artist and picture book author extraordinaire Lois Ehlert offers an art lesson within a tale of redemption. 

The illustrations are stunning and messages of hope, resilience, freedom, and transformation after diversity are hidden between the lines as the debris and discards from a rain storm are transformed into rain fish. Here’s a bit of the text:

When blue sky turns gray

and it rains all day,

that’s when rain fish come out and play.

They hide in debris

until rain sets them free.  

Hanna’s Comments: In the Author’s Note, Ehlert explains that she collected her art materials from drains after storms. This took her a year so don’t have high expectations for the beauty of your children’s creations. Here the process will be much more important than the product, as is true in life. 

After reading, encourage your children to talk about the kinds of things that happen after a storm and then broaden those concepts into conversation about the positive effects of adversity. Mention that excellent art often comes in turbulent times. Also, people become more resilient and able to persevere when they have been in difficult situations. There are many examples in scripture.

After telling your children one or more of the scripture or historical connections of fish, have them make a fish or two from discards and debris you have provided. 

If you choose to tell them about the Christian Fish Symbol, teach them to make that symbol again and again with tools like paint brushes or calligraphy pens (it’s tricky but fun), until they have some mastery. 

Leaf Man is another of Ehlert’s books with similar illustration strategies. Other excellent Lois Ehlert books can be found at PBT [here] and [here].

Original Publisher & Date: Beach Lane Books, 2016

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: The disciples were called to be fishers of people (Matthew 4:19); feeding loaves and fishes to the crowd (Mark 8 & John 6); All things can work together for good… (Romans 8:28)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book to inspire a lesson about the positive effects after a “stormy” situation or the history of the Christian symbol of a fish. 

                              

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 228

Picture Book: The Rainbow Fish

Author & Illustrator: Marcus Pfister

Translator: J. Alison James

Summary: The title character, with rainbow scales of blue, green, purple, and sparkling silver, is the most beautiful fish in the ocean . Other fish call him Rainbow Fish and want him to play, but he is too proud. When a small fish asks for one shiny scale. Rainbow Fish responds angrily and selfishly. The other fish hear of this rebuke so they begin turning away from Rainbow Fish when he swims near. Lonely and unable to show off to other fish, Rainbow Fish laments to Starfish who sends him to the Wise Octopus who advises him to give a scale to each of his friends. At first, he doesn’t think he can bear to give his scales away until the original small fish returns and asks again for one shiny scale. Rainbow Fish gives in. A good feeling comes upon Rainbow Fish as he sees the joy the gift has given the small fish. Other fish come and ask for a glittering scale. The more scales he gives away, the more delighted he becomes. When the fish around him each have a shimmer, Rainbow Fish feels more at home among the other fish so he joyfully joins their play.

Hanna’s Comments: My children loved this book when they were small. I still like it because it emphasizes sharing, an important issue for children, and it criticizes pride in appearance. Too often children are encouraged to show off their new clothes, shoes, or hairstyles. Our Holy Scriptures and our culture clash when it comes to the concepts of “pride” and “humility.” For this reason our communities of faith have a tendency to avoid these issues. Also, these two issues are confusing. When does confidence become pride? Does humility mean being passive? Children learn these kinds of orientations early and struggle with them throughout their adult years if there is not a balance between pride and humility. Therefore, consider exploring the topics of pride and humility tenderly and honestly in your faith family.

Publisher & Date of Publication: North-South Books, 1992

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Yes

Formats other than Book: DVD

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: beauty, belonging, call/calling/vocation, choices/decisions, clothes/shoes, equality/inequality, exclusion/inclusion, exile/separation/walls, fish/fishing, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, gifts/talents, God’s will, greed/selfishness, joy, jubilee, loneliness, mentors/teachers, mission, mistakes, neighbors, neighborhood, pleasing God/the Shema, possessions, poverty, power, pride, rainbows, self-reflection, renewal/restoration, response to God, righteousness, sacrifice, satisfaction, sharing, transformation, treasure, wisdom

Scripture Connections: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2); Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2); God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children when talking about the importance of sharing or the difficult balance of pride and humility called for in our Holy Scriptures.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 175

Dynamic Duo: Book 2

Picture Book: Jubilee!

Author: Karyn W. Tunks

Illustrator: Julie Depre Buckner

Summary: In the summer of 1963 in Fairhope, AL (Mobile Bay), while visiting her grandmother, young Caroline hopes to witness the natural phenomenon she has heard about. At least once most summers in the early morning hours after a particularly hot day, large numbers of marine life mysteriously come to shore in Fairhope. They are dazed and easily caught. The community watches for the signs and then joyously reaps what the bay has bestowed. Caroline hears the commotion and takes her camera with her, snapping photographs of the Fairhope residents as they gather the bounty of fish, crabs, shrimp, stingrays, and more. The party lasts much of the night and the sea food is enjoyed for days.   

Hanna’s Comments: This picture book, Jubilee, is quite different from yesterday’s PBT Dynamic Duo offering with the same title, but it’s still influenced by the idea of God’s sudden blessings. Here you have a true, natural and mysterious phenomenon that brings joy and plenty of sea food. A map of the area and a glossary of terms are included.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Pelican Publishing Co., 2012

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 5 and up, K and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, America, animals, awe, beach/ocean/sea/shore, blessings, celebration/party, community, consumerism/consumption/riches, darkness/evening/night, the environment/nature, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, fish/fishing, gladness/happiness, gratitude/thankfulness/thanksgiving, joy, jubilee, manna, miracles, mystery, North America, waiting, water, wonder

Scripture Connections: You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land (Leviticus 25:8-13); God gives manna and quail to the Israelites (Exodus 16:4-8); nets of abundant fish (Luke 5:6 & John 21:6; there is a boy here with 5 barley loaves and two fish (John 6:1-14)

Idea(s) for Application: In addition to the biblical Jubilee, tie this story to the story of God giving manna and quail in the Old Testament or the loaves and fishes story in the gospels. In these stories, God provides food in mysterious and plentiful ways. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 74

Picture Book: The Fisherwoman

Author: Anne Carter

Illustrator: Louise Brierley

Summary: Maud, a fisherwoman, has a simple life earning her living from the sea, but her dream is to be adorned in beautiful clothes among the rich in the nearby village. When she hauls in an old pink vase, she brings it home. Eventually the vase gives her the dream she desires, a beautiful hat, shoes, and dress. Soon she is invited to feast among the rich. At first she is delighted, but when she overhears a fellow diner ridicule the common people, she is revolted. Realizing she belongs in her former world with her friends and work, she returns home, re-purposes her dress for a sail, and drops the vase into the sea.

Hanna’s Comments: This modern fairy tale has a keen lesson for those of us in religious communities who worry about how we look, rather than being content with the riches that our friends, family, work, and faith offer us.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1990

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

# of Pages: 26

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: beach/ocean/seashore, call/calling/vocation, choices/decisions, clothes/shoes, consumerism/consumption/riches, coveting/envy/jealousy, dreams/aspirations, exclusion/inclusion, fish/fishing, flowers/leaves/tree, found, greed/selfishness, guilt, humility, judgment/judges/judging, labor/work, perspective, possessions,  prejudice, pride, regret/repentance, resisting evil, righteousness, satisfaction, self-acceptance/self-image/self-esteem, sin, at table, temptations, wishes

Scripture Connections: Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things (Psalm 119:37); When pride comes, then comes disgrace (Proverbs 11:2); the Publican in the temple (Luke 18:9-12); do nothing from rivalry or conceit (Philippians 2:3) 

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book as part of a lesson on the sins of pride and vanity.