PBT Redux #24 - Is This Panama?

Picture Book: Is This Panama? A Migration Story

Author: Jan Thornhill

Illustrator: Soyeon Kim

Summary: Sammy, a young warbler, has heard wonderful descriptions of Panama from other warblers. He is excited about his first migration from near the Arctic Circle all the way to Panama, but then he discovers the other warblers have migrated without him. Being so young, Sammy doesn’t know the route, but he is determined so he sets off with a willingness to ask for directions from other creatures along the way. Although Sammy enjoys these interactions, the other creatures steer him wrongly. After taking a much longer route and feeling discouraged, Sammy finally makes it to Panama.

Hanna’s Comments: I love it when authors put maps in their books! This book has a great map in the back that shows you Sammy’s route, the route warblers regularly take, and the location of the creatures he meets along the way. You may want to refer to the map as you read. You’ll also find a list of facts about each creature and a section on how animals migrate. Adults joke about women being more willing to ask for directions than men, but truthfully asking for help is not a bad thing, especially if you do so of someone who is invested in you. If you view this book as a metaphor for personal journeys, spiritual or otherwise, this book offers opportunities to talk about being steadfast, interdependent, and vulnerable, while also gleaning wisdom from mentors in your faith community. Consider connecting this book to stories in the Bible with characters who are lost or misguided; thankfully, there are plenty of those very human characters. 

Publisher & Date of Publication:  Owl Kids Books, 2013

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Fear not, for I am with you (Isaiah 41:10); look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4); do not neglect to do good and to share what you have (Hebrews 13:16)

Idea(s) for Application: Our church sends a mission team to Panama each summer. This book was recently used in a children’s program about the mission team’s expected journey and purposes. Whenever a team from your faith community goes to another part of the world, consider using picture books about the location to teach your children about what your faith community is doing elsewhere and why.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 210

               Dynamic Duo: Book 1                 

Picture Book: The Way Home    

Author & Illustrator: Nan Parson Rossiter

Summary: Young Samuel and his father find a Canadian goose caught in a fishing net near their Vermont farm. Nearby stands the gander, a loyal mate. The pair are taken back to Samuel’s farm where his father takes off the net and believes the wing will heal with time. The birds adapt quickly to their new home and the goose heals. Once her wing has healed and she can fly, the two geese take off to catch up with their flock. Samuel, who has grown attached to them, feels proud, but he is also sad to see them go. He knows they must leave to survive. Throughout the winter, Samuel hopes the birds will return come spring. The geese do return with several goslings in tow.

Hanna’s Comments: This PBT Dynamic Duo’s first book is a beautiful story of loyalty, tenderness, rescue, and healing. Samuel’s mixed feelings of pride and sorrow are particularly poignant. There is a nice mix of story and fact here as well. When you read this book, talk about the privilege of helping people and animals heal and tie it to stories of healing or coming home in your holy scriptures. I’ve paired this book with another that has a similar title, Way Home. Look for it tomorrow. It too has themes of brokenness, animal/human connection, and the desire for a loving home.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Dutton, 1999

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: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, action, adaptation/assimilation, America, animals, awe, babies/children, belonging, blessings, bonds/connections, brokenness, caring/tending, care of creation, commitment, communication, companionship, fathers, found, gentleness/meekness, God’s nature, helping, healing/healthcare, home, hospitality, humanity, image of God, journeys/migrations/pilgrimages/quests, kindness, labor/work, North America, nurturing, openness, pollution, renewal/restoration, rescue, safe place/sanctuary, saving/savior, snow, survival  

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about the Israelites returning after their Babylonian exile; Jesus’ acts of healing in the Gospels

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book in a lesson on environmental concerns, creation care, the loyalty of love, the tenderness required for healing, or the importance of coming home after time away from those who love and have cared for you.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 123

Picture Book: Is This Panama? A Migration Story

Author: Jan Thornhill

Illustrator: Soyeon Kim

Summary: Sammy, a young warbler, has heard wonderful descriptions of Panama from other warblers. He is excited about his first migration from near the Arctic Circle all the way to Panama, but then he discovers the other warblers have migrated without him. Being so young, Sammy doesn’t know the route, but he is determined so he sets off with a willingness to ask for directions from other creatures along the way. Although Sammy enjoys these interactions, the other creatures steer him wrongly. After taking a much longer route and feeling discouraged, Sammy finally makes it to Panama.

Hanna’s Comments: I love it when authors put maps in their books! This book has a great map in the back that shows you Sammy’s route, the route warblers regularly take, and the location of the creatures he meets along the way. You may want to refer to the map as you read. You’ll also find a list of facts about each creature and a section on how animals migrate. Adults joke about women being more willing to ask for directions than men, but truthfully asking for help is not a bad thing, especially if you do so of someone who is invested in your well-being like those in you. If you view this book as a metaphor for personal journeys, spiritual or otherwise, this book offers opportunities to talk about being steadfast, interdependent, and vulnerable, while gleaning wisdom from mentors in your faith community. Consider connecting this book to stories in the Bible with characters who are lost or misguided; thankfully, there are plenty of those very human characters. 

Publisher & Date of Publication:  Owl Kids Books, 2013

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Fresh off the Press

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abilities, abundance/bounty, action, attentiveness/observation/seeing, call/calling/vocation, commitment, community, companionship, difficulties, dreams/aspirations, encouragement, the environment/nature, gentleness/meekness, geography, gifts/giftedness/talents, God’s care/providence, God’s nature, growing up/growth, heaven/sky, helping, journeys/pilgrimages/migration/quests, kindness, land/mountains/soil, manna, mission, mistakes, patience, perseverance, searching, survival, travel, variety, vision, wisdom, wonder  

Scripture Connections: Fear not, for I am with you (Isaiah 41:10); look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4); do not neglect to do good and to share what you have (Hebrews 13:16)

Idea(s) for Application: Our church sends a mission team to Panama each summer. This book was recently used in a children’s program about the mission team’s impending journey and purposes. Whenever a team from your faith community goes to another part of the world, consider using picture books about the location to teach your children about what your faith community is doing elsewhere and why.