A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 315

Dynamic Duo: Book 2

Picture Book: Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla

Author: Katherine Applegate

Illustrator: G. Brian Karas

Summary: The first 7 pages of this picture book are about Ivan’s idyllic life with his gorilla family in Central Africa. Then a poacher takes Ivan and another baby gorilla and transports them inside a small crate to Tacoma, Washington where an owner of a shopping mall had placed an order for them “like a couple of pizzas.” They were named Burma and Ivan after a Name the Baby Gorillas Contest. Sadly, soon after their arrival Burma died, and Ivan was alone. For his first three years in America, Ivan lived in a human home and was cuddled and played with by humans.  Eventually he was placed in a cage in the mall where he grew into a silverback gorilla. He had a TV and a few toys, but mostly he watched the people through a window. Shoppers began to react negatively to Ivan’s lonely life, but it wasn’t until he had lived in his cage for 27 years that he was gently moved to Zoo Atlanta where scientists helped him adapt to a more jungle-like lifestyle. There are a few photographs of the gorillas in the back of the book along with some more facts and even a painting by Ivan.  

Hanna’s Comments: This second PBT Dynamic Duo offering about rescued animals is quite different than those offered yesterday. Because this story is beautifully animated and reads less like a documentary and more like a children’s story, the realities of Ivan’s life are not as harsh as my summary might suggest. Do consider the sensitivities of your young audiences though when choosing non-fiction stories or videos about animals that are mistreated. I could have featured many more picture books like these some of which involve cross-species relationships that fascinate scientists. Here are a few others:

Terra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends

Suryia & Rosco: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship

Kate & Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story

Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World

Publisher & Date of Publication: Clarion Books, 2014

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Tablet, The back of this book explains that you can access a slideshow about Ivan at www.ZooAtlanta.org.

PBT Category: Non-fiction

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abuse/abuse of power, adaptation/assimilation, Africa, America, animals, brokenness, cruelty, the environment/nature, exile/separation, fear, greed/selfishness, growing up/growth, loneliness, neglect, new home/relocation, pets, poaching/stealing/theft, rescue, respect, victims

Scripture Connections: Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah 11:6); love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4); let all you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14)

Idea(s) for Application: Use any of these picture books about animals when talking about God’s creative design of various species and how humans have been encouraged to be their caretakers. OR Use these books to speak about the various ways love can be demonstrated, even across species. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 164

Picture Book: The Chiru of High Tibet: A True Story

Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Illustrator: Linda Wingerter

Summary: Chiru, animals that look like small antelope, are found only in the northern part of Tibet, a very cold region called Chang Tang. Having the softest, warmest wool on Earth, these animals are sought. Unlike sheep, they must be killed if their wool is taken. For these reasons, chiru have been victims of poachers and are endangered species. This is the story of George B. Schaller, a conservationist who was determined to protect the chiru. After failing several times himself in the 1990s, he recruited 4 mountain climbers to follow the chiru 200 miles to find their secret calving grounds. This was necessary so that Schaller could lobby the Chinese government to protect the chiru.  Although a very difficult journey, the 4 men were successful, resulting in a large protected area being set aside for the chiru to thrive, The Chang Tang Reserve.

Hanna’s Comments: This beautiful story is told in a compelling narrative and illustrative windows with interesting facts. This is a modern adventure story with 5 heroes, the scientist and the 4 mountain climbers. It is a story of determination and perseverance in a harsh climate for a small, meek animal species. I suspect many faith traditions want to encourage these kinds of selfless, protective acts for our most vulnerable animals who, like us, were created by God for a divine purpose.  Photographs of the men and some chiru are at the end.  

Publisher & Date of Publication: Houghton Mifflin, 2010

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Tablet, There is a great short video on Youtube.com of the author talking about her visit to the Chang Tang Reserve in Tibet. It includes some photographs of the Chiru.

PBT Category:  Non Fiction, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: action, adventure, animals, Asia, aspirations/dreams, attentiveness/observation/seeing, bravery/courage, care of creation, challenges, commitment, creation, cruelty, danger, Earth/world, the environment/nature, exploration, faith/faithfulness, found, gifts/giftedness/talents, heroes, hiding/isolation, intercession, journeys/pilgrimages/migrations/quests, labor/work, mystery, non-violence/peaceful resistance, obstacles, partners/teamwork, passion, patience, perseverance, poaching/stealing/theft, power, protecting/protection, reverence, risking, sacrifice, savior/saving, searching, secrets, servant hood/service/service, shyness, sin, steadfastness, survival, unity, vision, wilderness

Scripture Connections: God made the wild animals of the Earth of every kind… and God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:25); let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book with teens when talking about their God-given vocations. Emphasize that one of these heroes was particularly strong in mind and the other 4 were strong in body. Together they saved a vulnerable species and blessed the world.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 121

Picture Book: The Lion and the Mouse

Author & Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Summary: In this traditional Aesop fable, Jerry Pinkney’s exquisite watercolors detail and complete this wordless picture book. A fierce lion spares the life of a mouse that has many babies at home to care for. Later the lion is netted by poachers. His roar is heard by the mother mouse who comes to his rescue by chewing the netting in several places. No words are necessary to see the gratitude in the lion and the delight in the baby mice when they get to chew on the netting knots that mom has brought home.  Mr. Pinkney’s long admiration for this tale is explained in the Author’s Note.

Hanna’s Comments: Because this is a wordless book, I would recommend having several copies or using the video version (see below). If this is not possible, then I recommend another version of this traditional tale that has words: The Lion and the Mouse by Bernadette Watts. In either case, gratitude and paying it forward are concepts easily tied to spiritual values and religious community.

Prefer a book with words? There is a series of picture book of Aesop's Fables that I like. The illustrations are very different. The authors vary, but the illustrator for both is Nahta Noj. The Lion and the Mouse by Jenny Bloom is shown above. You'll also find The Tortoise and the Hare, authored by Alison Ritchie. 

Publisher & Date of Publication: Little, Brown, & Company, 2009

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? This is a wordless book. There are Spanish editions of this traditional tale.

Formats other than Book: There is a video of this book in The Curious Garden and Other Stories which is a video collection and includes 3 other picture books some of which are PBT offerings in August and September. There are several different versions of this traditional tale on Youtube.com as well as a short video of Jerry Pinkney about the creation of this book. 

PBT Category: Traditional Tale, Award Winner (Caldecott Medal), Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abilities, action, Africa, bonds/connections, brokenness, choices/decisions, consequences/punishment, dependence/interdependence, difference, enemies, golden rule/great commandment, goodness, grace, gratitude/thankfulness/thanksgiving, helping, heroes, kindness, parables/stories, poaching/stealing/theft, power, problems/problem solving, rescue, risking, savior/saving, survival, underdogs, victims, wilderness

Scripture Connections: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39); love does no wrong to a neighbor and is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10)

Idea(s) for Application: Consider using this book or video when you want to explore the personal benefits of loving each other in your religious community or while celebrating your interdependence.