December Holiday Books 3 & 4

Picture Book: Christmas Cookies:                                                                     Bite Size Holiday Lessons

Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrator: Jane Dyer

Summary: This second book in Rosenthal and Dyer’s series of picture books about cookie baking celebrations is not a book just about baking Christmas cookies. Each double-page spread teaches a key vocabulary word within the fun context. Many have resonance this time of year. Here’s a sample of the text on one page:

                            TRADITION means

     that each year at the same time we make the same

     cookies and wear our special matching aprons.

Other key words include ANTICIPATION, CELEBRATE, CHARITABLE, BELIEVE, JOY, PEACE, and HOPE.

Hanna’s Comments: Amy Krouse Rosenthal is a favorite author. She has a couple of TEDx talks and likes to encourage quirky artistic adventures for everyone. She has written 2 nonfiction books for adults that I have enjoyed. Here at PBT, I’ve featured 2 of her many clever picture books. More will be featured later. Check out Spoon [here] and Yes Day! [here]. I like this book and the others in this series, because they are not just offering the communal and scrumptious delights of baking cookies together. They also offer some instructions on how to live better. The recipe is in the back for each kind of cookie baked in each book in the series. This book offers a yummy recipe for Christmas cookies (sugar cookies).

Original Publisher & Date: Harper Collins, 2008

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4); eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. (Proverbs 24:13); God gives good things to those who ask for them (Matthew 7:11)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book to inspire a homeschool, private school, or church school lesson and cookie party on ways to delight in God’s gifts and each other particularly during the holidays of December.

Picture Book: The Donkey’s Christmas Song

Author & Illustrator: Nancy Tafuri

Summary: When a special baby is born in a stable, under a bright star, the donkey of the title is among the animals to desires to welcome him. “How to approach and welcome Baby Jesus?” is the question the donkey considers. The shy donkey fears his bray is too loud. He sees the doves, cows, goats, chicks, and mice offer gentle welcoming songs. Then the baby looks at the shy donkey and smiles. In joyful response, the donkey sings his noisy bray and the baby laughs. Then the donkey snuggles in to keep the babe warm.

Hanna’s Comments: This book is a great tool for introducing the concept of worship and humility to young children. In simple terms, humility is knowing that you are not the center of the room, the family, the classroom, church, the world. In this book, humility is about a desire to worship God. Even little children can learn the importance of being worshipful before God. They can also learn that all loving and humble responses can bring God (and Jesus) joy. Distinguish humility from the characteristic of shyness which is how the donkey is described. Explaining humility's opposite, pride, might be helpful too. Use other stories of Jesus’ humility and other’s humble responses to God to help your children begin to build concepts of worship and humility which will hopefully be life-long lessons.

Original Publisher & Date: Scholastic, 2002

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about Jesus birth; scriptures about humble worship

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of young children when studying the Nativity story. As described above, emphasize concepts of worship and humility.   

PBT Blog Series: Theological Statements for Young Children #9

Illustration from Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg

The ninth entry in this series of simple statements that you can say while reading the particular books below involves the heart of God’s love and Jesus’ mission.

There are many secular books for young children that involve a poor decision and end in forgiveness and mercy. While reading one of these books, simply say or paraphrase, “All bad choices can be forgiven. God/Jesus loves us no matter what we do.”

The first PBT offering is a great story about 3 young bears who live by the sea. When they accidentally break their mom’s prized blue shell, they naively venture off in a boat to find a replacement.

They encounter several sea vessels with interesting characters that seem to have some familiar literary or artistic significance. See how this crew of characters is in a boat named Melville? 

I assume this is a tip of the author/illustrator's hat to Moby Dick. I didn’t get all the allusions, but I sure enjoyed puzzling over them. This is not for your children to do however. Back to the story…

When told by a sea captain where to find such a shell, they venture off to “an island shaped like a lumpy hat.” Before they leave he explains, “if you look in the right place, I reckon you’ll find it.”

They pass a number of interesting islands and have some memorable experiences, eventually making it to their island destination. However, after looking high and low, no shell is found. 

They return to their boat, grumpy, disappointed, and missing home. Then the blaming begins. 

Meanwhile, a storm comes and tosses them so that they no longer care about blame. Instead they confess while clinging to each other for safety.  

The storm ceases, and they see their home island ahead. As they pull their boat onto shore, they find a beautiful blue shell. Home was the right place after all. 

Mama greets them at the door with a face and posture all little bears fear, but they confess and offer her the new shell. 

Forgiveness, hugs, kisses, supper (but no dessert) provide the happy ending you and your children will desire for these 3 little bears.

Besides the great story with simple but profound lessons, this is a really big book with many beautiful double page illustrations so it’s perfect for reading to a group.

Picture Book: Three Bears in a Boat

Author & Illustrator: David Soman

Original Publisher & Date: Dial, 2014

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

My other PBT offering that connects to this statement is from the Curious George series. Keep in mind that many Curious George books would connect to this statement for he does have a way of making a mess of things, but loving forgiveness often ends George’s adventures.

In this Curious George episode, he is invited to a pizza party. Since George loves parties and pizza, he is especially excited. 

The man with the yellow hat reminds George to be on his best behavior before sending George on to the party.

Upon arrival, each child and George is given an apron, chef’s hat, and a piece of dough to make his own pizza. While the children leave the room to play Pin the Pepperoni on the Pizza, George stays in the kitchen since he’s curious about the pieces of dough. 

He gathers all the children’s dough together and begins making a giant pizza.

A mess ensues and George realizes he should have left the dough in the original small pieces so he gets scissors and cuts the dough into shapes.

Eventually the mom discovers the mess and threatens to send George home, but the children like the idea of making uniquely shaped dough and help him clean up so that he can stay. 

The children are inspired to make various shaped pizzas of their own and even the mom is thankful to George for the great-looking pizzas.

Curious George is a great character to help children connect with their life in God because George is delightfully innocent and troublesome, kind of like most children, and redemption, in some form, always follows.

Here at PBT I offered another Curious George book (Curious George Saves His Pennies) and tied it to faith concepts of stewardship and generosity. Find that post [here].

Picture Book: Curious George and the Pizza Party

Author: Cynthia Platt

Illustrated in the Style of H.A. Rey by Mary O’Keefe Young

Original Publisher & Date: HMH, 2010

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet, downloadable audio

Other PBT books that connect with links to posts:

When Sophie Gets Really, Really Angry - 6/3/14

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse - 6/23/14    

Beautiful Oops! - 8/12/14

I Love You, Stinky Face - 9/3/14

Rainbow Fish - 12/3/14

You are Not My Friend But I Miss You - 1/16/15

It's Okay to Make Mistakes - 1/4/16   

Too Tall Houses – 3/22/16

Virgil and Owen series (2 bks) – 4/5/16

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 233

Picture Book: Giraffes Can’t Dance

Author: Giles Andreae

Illustrator: Guy Parker-Rees

Summary: Gerald, a giraffe, wants nothing more than to join in the dancing at the annual Jungle Dance, but his knees are crooked and his legs are thin, both of which make his dancing clumsy and awkward. He approaches the dance floor anyway, but he is quickly teased so he slinks off, ashamed. Along the way home, Gerald is encouraged by a cricket who says, “Sometimes when you’re different you just need a different song.” Then he tells him to imagine the moon is playing just for Gerald because everything makes music. Gerald begins to shuffle, sway, and swish. His dancing becomes glorious. Soon the animals from the party arrive and become entranced by Gerald’s moves. They declare Gerald the best dancer ever! When asked to explain his sudden grace, Gerald says that we all can dance when we find music that we love.

Hanna’s Comments: This is such great book about encouraging others and finding your bliss! Many of Gerald’s admirable attributes could be talked about with children in your faith community such as his ability to persevere, be authentic, and listen. The cricket would be a great character to explore in a children’s discussion too. Both of these characters can be connected to characters in the scriptures who acted in similar ways such as Barnabus, Paul’s encourager, and Paul himself, who was an outsider among Christians until he proved himself a valuable preacher of the Gospel.  

Publisher & Date of Publication: Orchard Books, 1999

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Yes

Formats other than Book: Video, Audio download/CD

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abilities, action, Africa, aspirations/dreams, authenticity, celebration/party, choir/music/singing/songs, dance/dancing, diversity, doubt, encouragement, exclusion/inclusion, gifts/talents, gladness/happiness, God’s presence, goodness, helping, individuality/uniqueness, joy, judgment/judges/judging, listening, loss of faith, mentors/teachers, moon/space/stars/sun, participation, prejudice, reassurance, response to God, self-discovery, underdogs

Scripture Connections: Then Miriam took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. (Exodus 15:20); You have turned my mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11); let them praise his name with dancing (Psalm 149:3)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book to talk with children about different styles of worship and the purposes of worship including to authentically praise God. Or Connect these main characters to Bible characters with similar attributes.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 83

Terrific Trio: Book 1

Picture Book: Blackout

Author & Illustrator: John Rocco

Summary: After trying to engage his busy family with a board game, a boy sits in front of a screen. Then the power goes out all over the city. Because it is a hot night, the family carries the board game to the roof. Under the splendor of the stars, neighbors join them, and it’s a block party in the sky. Later the family joins the party on the street. When the power comes back on, the family resumes their normal activities, but the boy doesn’t like normal so much. He turns off the lights in their home, and the board game enthusiastically continues.  

Hanna’s Comments: This is book 1 in PBT's first Terrific Trio. All of these books begin with people who are busy and isolated. The authors of each use a different plot mechanism for bringing the communities together, each celebrating community engagement. This author wonderfully illustrates the beauty of an urban night and the love and camaraderie that can be shared in a neighborhood or family when the power goes out and when it comes back on.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Hyperion Books, 2011

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Audible

PBT Category: Award Winner (Caldecott Honor), Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: attentiveness/observation/seeing, beauty, blessings, celebration/party, challenges, change, communication, community, companionship, darkness/evening/night, difficulties, disabilities/handicaps/limitations, family, gladness/happiness, grace, home, humanity, leadership/servant leadership, loneliness, love, moon/space/stars/sun, neighbors, neighborhood, parents/parental love, participation, presence, relationships, reverence, Sabbath, satisfaction, security, siblings/sibling rivalry, surprise, at table, transformation, treasure, unity, vision

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about the Sabbath

Idea(s) for Application: There are many negatives associated with darkness. This book offers a positive view. Use this book in a lesson on how metaphorical darkness, such as illness, limitations, loss, struggle or lack of clarity, can strengthen relationships, particularly with God.