PBT Favorite Posts #7

In celebration of my 700 PBT post (!!!) and the start of February (the month of love), I give you a favorite PBT post. It is a tribute and sort of memorial to my favorite picture book author, Amy Krause Rosenthal. You may recall her NY Times article You May Want to Marry My Husband. Since AKR's death, a TED talk by her husband has had over a million views. It is such a loving tribute to a woman who lived well and an honest testament to the heartbreak of terminal illness and grief. Check it out [here]. And now, that favorite post... 

Last Friday, I posted a tribute to author Amy Krouse Rosenthal after reading that she had a terminal illness. Sadly, AKR died on Monday (3/13/17). [Here’s] an obituary that gives you the breadth of her great work. Below is a post about her most recent publication. I've heard more original works will be published posthumously. I’m glad and very thankful for her life and her work.

Picture Book: That’s Me Loving You

Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrator: Teagan White 

Summary: Each page of this gorgeous book explains how a particular child might find additional meaning in particular experiences of nature. A shimmering star is "me winking at you."

A drifting cloud is "me thinking of you."

The ocean is "me waving at you."

And even a clap of thunder is "me raving about you."

Even insect encounters are given new meaning. A persistent mosquito is "me bugging you"

and a butterfly, "that's me hugging you."

All these nature experiences are moments of transcendence 

and moments of love in the absence of someone who is missed.

Hanna’s Comments: Check out AKR's 1.5 minute short film [Today is a Gift]. Similar sentiments under-gird this book. Knowing the plight of AKR, her words here have bittersweet meaning. She dedicates the book to her 3 children and others who are obviously close to her. Mother love has been featured as a sort of parallel to God's love in other PBT posts. Here are links to 2: the ever-present love found in The Runaway Bunny and the unconditional love found in I Love You Stinky, Face. The kind of love that is expressed in today's PBT book can also be a parallel to God’s unfathomable love and ever-presence. In the United Methodist Church, we hear about prevenient grace, a wooing sort of love that is holy and wonderfully prevenient (anticipatory and constant). Like the mother's love in this book, it is found in God’s generous creation. Find more PBT books that connect to prevenient grace [here]. Children are not too young to hear such an usual word. With their magical thinking, they get that love can transcend time and place. They can find comfort in knowing that God’s presence (and that of an absent parent) can be found in creation in all sorts of ways through acts of contemplation and simply through beauty. Thanks be to God!

Original Publisher & Date: Random House, 2016

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: My presence will go with you (Exodus 33:14); In your presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11); Where can I go from your Spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence? … (Psalm 139:7); I (Jesus) am with you always (Matthew 28:20)
Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children who are learning about how God’s loving presence is with us and can be particularly meaningful when experiencing God’s creation.

Iowa Presentation: Book #5

Below is my initial post about the last of the 5 books I talked about at my presentations in Iowa. It may be a personal favorite because it is so weird and wonderful. I hope you find ways to use it in your ministry among the many suggestions I've given you below. Here's that post:

One of the benefits of PBT is bringing high-quality secular stories to audiences of faith. Encouraging connections between that story and scripture boosts faithful responses for several reasons. Check out my Picture Books in Ministry tab for more about this. There is so much "below the surface" of these secular picture books!

Children's literature is getting better and better! Some stories are so good, you want your audience to explore them thoroughly, like the PBT book I'm featuring today. This new picture book has 2 protagonists so I encourage you to do what I call The PBT Flip-Flop, which involves finding the connections in opposite aspects of the story. I explain more in my comments below. It's so simple to do!

Picture Book: Hattie & Hudson

Author & Illustrator: Chris Van Dusen

Summary: Hattie lives near a beautiful lake. She has an nature exploration ritual every morning.

On this particular morning, Hattie sings a sort of invitation song in her canoe. A huge creature, who usually stays hidden deep within the lake, is lured by Hattie’s lovely song. He decides to breach the surface, something he has not done for a very long time despite being very lonely. 

 

When the creature surfaces, Hattie is intrigued so she keeps singing. 

After looking in the creature’s eyes, Hattie knows there is no reason to fear. The creature even begins to harmonize with her!

However, the others on the lake soon see the creature and are terrified. The creature disappears into the waters. 

Both Hattie & the creature wonder if they'll see each other again. That evening Hattie decides to venture out and see. 

They do meet again. Hattie isn't afraid of the two eyes below the surface

or the creature's head when it emerges. She names her new friend Hudson. 

They play together all night and plan to meet again the next evening. 

The next day a meeting at The Town Hall is all about "getting rid of ...the Deadly Beast." Hattie tries to speak up, but there's no room for her voice. 

When Hattie and Hudson meet again, Hattie explains the adults' plan. Hudson surprises her with a bump of the canoe and a smile, then another bump and smile. Hattie soon understands. 

Next morning as her neighbors prepare, Hattie paddles to the center of the lake and waits for Hudson. 

 Hudson gently overturns Hattie's canoe. 

Then Hattie's acting begins. She makes sure her screams of terror are heard by the neighbors. As expected, they jump in their boats to rescue her. 

 

Just as they get close, Hudson to the rescue! 

The neighbors all watch in amazement as Hudson lifts Hattie above the water. 

Hudson gently swims Hattie to the pier and places her there. 

Next, Hattie holds a meeting of her own. She introduces Hudson, declares him to be safe, and assures everyone that once they get to know him, he will be their friend too. A boy approaches, and eventually others befriend Hudson. 

Once Hudson is fully integrated into the community, people from far away come to meet and play with him, the "famous friendly monster."  

But at night, it is just Hattie and Hudson growing and playing together.

Hanna’s Comments: If you are inclined create or piggyback a tune for Hattie’s song and sing it while reading. A musical friend of mine suggested trying the tune to "Do Your Ears Hang Low." Singing will enhance this story experience. The PBT Flip-Flop method is to read the story and then have 2 very different (even opposite) conversations. With this book, I encourage you to ask your audience the 2 questions below. Ask the second question only after the first has been discussed.

How is God (or Jesus) like Hattie?

How is God (or Jesus) like Hudson?

Another way you can use this book is to encourage connections to the gospel story in which Jesus heals the man born blind who then must defend Jesus to the Pharisees. Simply ask your audience to find any connections between that gospel story and the picture book. The stories don't have to be parallel. They just have to have some connections. Another Bible story to consider is Philip and the Eunuch. Notice the holy ideas that are here such as Hattie's contemplative ritual each morning. There's an aspect of worship in her ritual. Consider Hudson being lured by Hattie's song. That's like previenent grace. There's a lot of holy risk-taking and justice seeking for the stranger in this story. Talk about those! 

Original Publisher & Date: Candlewick Press, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Do not be conformed to this world... (Romans 12:2); Scriptures about the nature of God such God being viewed as a shield for all who need refuge (Psalm 18:30) Or the nature of Jesus such as when he heals the man born blind (John 9:1-34) or Philip, Jesus' disciple, welcoming a eunuch into Christianity (Acts 8:26-40); verses about welcoming the stranger such as when Jesus heals the Bent-Over Woman (Luke 13:10-16) or Jesus visiting Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) Or scriptures about wisdom or discernment when faced with a problem

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of tweens or older and ask them to find connections via The PBT Flip-Flop method as described above in my comments. 

PBT Redux #20 Love Monster and the Last Chocolate

This year Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday are on the same day. For some people, Ash Wednesday begins a Lenten journey of struggle and denying your desires. My Lenten journey will involve better Sabbath practices. I'll bask in the love of God that is always available. Today’s PBT Redux is a reminder of God's love that is better than chocolate, ever present, and more abundant than we realize. You might want to have some chocolate handy when you read this one.

Picture Book: Love Monster and the Last Chocolate

Author & Illustrator: Rachel Bright 

Summary: This book is in a series of 4 books. In all, you’ll find Love Monster living in a world of cute, fluffy characters and exploring their relationships. In the introductory book, Love Monster searches for love among the fluffy creatures, thinking no one will love a slightly hairy, googly-eyed monster. He's so wrong and so lovable.

In this book, Love Monster knows he is loved by all his cute fluffy animal friends. He is fretting about a box of chocolates, found when he arrives home from a trip. 

Before opening it, he worries about whether he should share the chocolates. There might not be enough to share with all his cute, fluffy friends. 

Someone might eat his favorite, Double Chocolate Strawberry Swirl.  

Perhaps he will have only the coffee one left after sharing. He hates the coffee one!

After deciding not to share and then feeling very guilty,

 he runs to his friends 

and confesses his selfishness. 

They insist that he look in the box. 

There he finds one chocolate, his favorite, and a love note saying how much they missed their favorite monster. 

The story ends with this wise statement: “Sometimes it’s when you stop to think of others that you start to find out just how much they think of you.”

Hanna’s Comments: How could I not love this book?! It’s about 2 of my favorite experiences in this great life God gives us: chocolate and friends! Your children will get a kick out of Love Monster’s fretting. Help them realize how he struggles with generosity but is still willing. Claim and explain the joys of generosity.

Allow your audience to give examples of when they have discovered surprising generosity from others. Tie it all together with some scripture. See my suggestions below.

Original Publisher & Date: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2015 

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: One gives freely, yet grows all the richer. (Proverbs 11:24-25); Give and it will be given to you. (Luke 6:38a); It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35b); Let no one seek their own good but the good of a neighbor (1 Cor. 10:24); Look not only to your own interests but to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4); any scripture involving God's abundant love or grace

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book when teaching children about the joys (and struggles) of generosity. OR Teach this book to explore God's abundant love (or grace) freely and surprisingly given, even when our inclinations are selfishness. 

PBT Question #1 to Ask about Any Secular Picture Book

Is God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit in the book? (Symbolically in characters/symbols? Influencing characters/events?) This question may expand understanding of the nature of God, Jesus, or The Holy Spirit.

First, there are books with obvious allusions to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit such as the character of the tree in The Giving Tree, the mother in I Love You Stinky Face, or lightships in Lightship. This last example demonstrates that God can be found in non-human aspects of stories and in non-fiction books.

There are books where God is lurking in less obvious places. Try thinking in terms of what God represents for you, and see if those ideals are anywhere in the book.  

For instance, in Pete’s a Pizza, you have a silly book about a boy’s disappointment in not being able to play baseball. Within this story, Pete’s father lures Pete into a wonderfully playful distraction while Pete’s mother looks on. God’s nature can be found in both parents wise and loving attention. God looks on with compassion as we are disappointed by life’s circumstances (Pete's mom). God lures us into a joyful, loving opportunity (Pete’s dad does this). We call this prevenient grace in the United Methodist Church. God inspires us (Pete’s dad in this case) to lure others into joyful, loving opportunities. God sees us reap the benefits of such opportunities (both parents). Lastly, God rejoices when circumstances change and we are able to have our heart’s desire (Pete’s parents when he is able to play baseball). This silly, delightful book has God all over it!

What I love about this first PBT question is that it can stretch your audience’s image of God in ways that may be very enlightening and/or comforting. In The Friend, you have a beautiful story that parallels Jesus’ tenderness, teaching, patience, and attention in the loving care of Bea for little Belle. You also have a dramatic situation in which Bea saves Belle

and embraces Belle.

These glorious illustrations can expand your vision to a new way of imagining God’s saving grace.

Here are many more books from the PBT archives in which this first PBT question is easily answered: 

The Amida Tree (similar to The Giving Tree)

The Catawampus Cat

Talk Oscar, Please!

Your Personal Penguin

That's Me Loving You

Love

The Rabbit Listened

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed

many books about light

The other 4 PBT questions offer easier ways to consider a book’s potential for your ministry, teaching, parenting, grandparenting, or bibliotherapy. If question # 1 doesn’t seem right for the book you want to use, check out an upcoming post about PBT question # 2. May your reading bring others closer to God.