A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 325

Picture Book: The Cats in Krasinski Square

Author: Karen Hesse

Illustrator: Wendy Watson

Summary: The cats of the title are the abandoned cats left after the Jews are placed in Warsaw, Poland’s ghetto during Nazi occupation. The young female narrator, who enjoys petting the cats, struggles to survive on the free side of the wall. She and her sister have managed to escape the ghetto. With other rebels, they get food to their starving friends behind the walls. Because she watches the cats, the narrator knows the openings in the wall where food can be passed. News comes that Resistance Fighters are arriving on trains with smuggled food stashed in their bags for those behind the wall. But The Gestapo knows of the plan and will be waiting with dogs to sniff out the food. The narrator has a clever counter move. They lure into baskets as many cats as possible, take the closed baskets to the train station, and spread out. Once the train arrives, The Gestapo releases their dogs. Before the dogs can find the hidden food, they are distracted by the many cats that have been let loose. Chaos ensues and those with hidden food are able to flee and quickly pass their food through or over the ghetto walls.

Hanna’s Comments: I like the way this story is written so that a very dark and scary situation is told in a light manner that even young children can handle and enjoy. The suffering Jews behind the wall are only seen from afar. The illustrations are beautiful and help the subject seem less intense than reality. The political and religious issues are not in the narrative so you can avoid those difficult topics if you prefer or expand on them if that suits your purposes and is age appropriate. In the end papers, you’ll find an Author’s Note and a Historical Note.

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Scholastic, 2004 

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Non-fiction, Post 2k

PBT Topics this Book connects with: abuse/abuse of power, action, adaptation/assimilation, animals, bonds/connections, bravery/courage, caring/tending, challenges, chaos/disorder, commitment, creativity/imagination/ingenuity, cruelty, danger, dependence/interdependence, enemies, Europe, evil, exile/separation/walls, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, helping, heroes, injustice, leadership/servant leadership, mission, obstacles, outreach, partners/teamwork, poverty, power, prisons/prisoners, rebellion, risking, secrets, social justice, surprise

Scripture Connections: The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. (Psalm 103:6); a righteous person knows the rights of the poor (Proverbs 29:7); let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24); …do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8); as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of elementary students who are about to engage in an outreach project involving feeding the poor or to supplement a lesson on the social justice issue of access to healthy food.   

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 223

Picture Book: Nelson Mandela
Author & Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Summary: From his beginnings as a young son of an African chief through his leadership in the anti-Apartheid movement and 27 years of imprisonment, to his inauguration as the first African president of South Africa, most of Nelson Mandela’s life is beautifully captured here. President Mandela died in December of 2013 so this book was published early in the year of his death.
Hanna’s Comments: There is another picture book biography of Mandela that I recommend except that its text is quite long. Mandela: From the Life of the South African Statesman by Floyd Cooper, published in 1996 by Philomel. If you are doing an in-depth study of Mandela over several days, I recommend using both of these books and perhaps comparing and contrasting them. Neither book covers Mandela’s last few years and the world’s response to his death, particularly his retirement years spent as a world leader and symbol of reconciliation. You may want to supplement your lesson with internet material to give appropriate closure to the life of this global icon and inspirational hero of faith-based social justice and reconciliation. 
Original Publisher & Date: Katherine Tegen Books, 2013
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Pre and up
# of Pages: 40
Available in Spanish? Yes
Formats other than Book: Tablet, video, audio download
PBT Category: Fresh off the Press, Biography
PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abuse/abuse of power, action, Africa, ancestors/patriarchs & matriarchs, anger, aspirations/dreams, bravery/courage, brokenness, bullying/martyrs/persecution/oppression, call/calling/vocation, challenges, change, chosen, civil rights, commitment, conflict, consequences/punishment, cruelty, discord, disputes/fighting/opposition, equality/inequality, ethics, evil, exile/separation/walls, forgiveness/mercy/redemption, freedom, golden rule, hatred, heroes, hope, injustice, intolerance, justice, leadership/servant leadership, mission, non-violence/peaceful resistance, passion, patience, perseverance, prejudice, prisons/prisoners, purpose, race relations/racism, rebellion, segregation, social justice, steadfastness, transformation, victims, vision, waiting, wisdom
Scripture Connections: Stories of Moses leading his people out of slavery in Exodus
Idea(s) for Application: If you are a homeschool/private school teacher, consider doing a study on the life of Nelson Mandela, while comparing and contrasting his life and work to Moses, and talking about how faith grounded each figure.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 165

Picture Book: Gifts from the Enemy

Author: Trudy Ludwig

Illustrator: Craig Orback

Summary: Based on Alter Wiener’s memoir of his Holocaust experience, this is a beautiful but heartbreaking story of methodical cruelty and unexpected kindness. During one of Wiener’s stints in the 5 prison camps he was forced to endure, a complete stranger, a German worker, repeatedly and secretly left food for him. He believes it saved him, for it gave him the energy and hope to survive. It also caused him to question his own prejudices. If a German could be so kind, then how could he believe all Germans were his enemy? The story ends with him stating as his most important lesson: “There are the kind and the cruel in every group of people. How those you meet in life treat you is far more important than who they are.”

Hanna’s Comments: The subject here is harsh, but the story is powerful and important. It encourages listeners to question how they might act is similar circumstances as both victim and enemy. The Holocaust was a time in which too many Christians did nothing to save the many being killed and victimized. One way we can prevent a repetition of this kind of systematic negligence is to openly talk about this difficult history and our obligations as humans and as lovers of God. The back of the book includes an afterward from Alter Wiener, a bit about the Holocaust and WWII, a vocabulary list, questions for discussion, and a list of recommended activities for readers.

Publisher & Date of Publication: White Cloud Press, 2014

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Tablet

PBT Category: Fresh off the Press, Non-fiction

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abuse/abuse of power, action, blessings, bravery/courage, brokenness, bullying/martyrs/persecution/oppression, choices/decisions, commitment, cruelty, danger, death/loss/grief, dependence/interdependence, disobedience/obedience, encouragement, enemies, ethics, Europe, evil, exile/separation/walls, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, found, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, goodness, gratitude/thankfulness/thanksgiving, hatred, helping, heroes, kindness, mystery, prisons/prisoners, rebellion, reassurance, religious differences, risking, Sabbath, sacrifice, savior/saving, secrets, servant hood/service/serving, sharing, survival, treasure, victims

Scripture Connections: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me (Psalm 23:4); woe to those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20); when you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book in a program for older elementary, tweens, or teens that focuses on difficult choices, random acts of kindness, or opposing evil. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 124

Picture Book: Little Flower: A Journey of Caring

Author: Laura McAndrew

Illustrator: Nancy Conrad

Summary: Little Flower is a potted daisy whose home is on a kitchen window ledge. Too often, Little Flower’s family forgets to care for her. What she wishes most is for someone to spend time with her and love her.  When her family leaves on a trip, they say goodbye and promise to see her again soon. Little Flower becomes more lonely, scared, sad, and unhealthy. She even begins to feel shame and fears they left her because she has been a bad flower. Despite her shame, when a robin discovers her and asks if she is ok, Little Flower bravely says no and explains. The robin promises to go for help. A “nice woman” brings a police officer to enter the house. The nice woman explains to Little Flower, “Some people haven’t learned how to give flowers what they need. I will help the people you live with learn how to care for flowers. But until they learn that, you need to live in a place where other people can give you what you need.” Then she takes Little Flower to another home where a family begins to properly and lovingly take care of the daisy.   

Hanna’s Comments: This book was given to my family several years ago when we began doing emergency foster care. As an extended metaphor for too many foster children who are neglected and forgotten by their families, it is very powerful and offers specific concepts that can be helpful. We used this book to help my 2 young children understand why the foster children were coming into our homes temporarily. In the back is a list of activities to do after reading to encourage children to process the concepts and emotions of this story.  

Publisher & Date of Publication: Child Welfare League of America, 1999

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: adoption, anxiety/worry, babies/children, belonging, brokenness, caring/tending, care of creation, challenges, community, dependence/interdependence, difficulties, disappointment, drink/thirst, dying, family, found, flowers/leaves/trees, fruit/fruit of the spirit, healing/healthcare, hiding/isolation/walls, hope, insecurity, intercession, loneliness, love, neglect, new home/relocation, nurturing, orphans, outreach, parables/stories, patience, perseverance, poverty, prisons/prisoners, renewal/restoration, rescue, resurrection, waiting, water

Scripture Connections: Bring justice to the fatherless (Isaiah 1:17); whoever welcomes a child in my name welcomes me (Matthew 18:5); let the children come to me (Mark 10:13-16)

Idea(s) for Application: This book also lends itself well as a metaphor for taking in abandoned or abused animals. Consider using this book in your faith community when talking about welcoming and caring for any of God’s creatures in your home.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 26

Picture Book: Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
 
Author: Ellen Levine

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Summary: This is a true story of a slave who ingeniously found a way to escape to freedom after his family is sold from him. Henry arranges himself inside a box to be mailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The illustrator cleverly shows readers Henry’s position inside the box. After obtaining his freedom, his nickname became Henry “Box” Brown.

Hanna’s Comments: This is a compelling story that illustrates the heartbreak and horrors of slavery including the pain that separation from family can bring. It also cleverly demonstrates the lengths to which one man would go through for freedom at last. The fact that this story is a true makes it all the more powerful.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Scholastic, 2007

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

# of Pages: 40

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: audio CD, Audible

PBT Category: Non-fiction, Award Winner (Caldecott Honor Book)

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abuse/abuse of power, bravery/courage, challenges, found, freedom, injustice, journeys/pilgrimages/migration/quests, noise/sounds/voice, patience, perseverance, prisons/prisoners, quiet/silence, race relations/racism, resurrection, risking, slavery/slaves, social justice, travel, waiting

Scripture Connections: the escape from Egypt (Exodus 13 & 14), the Lord has anointed me to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1), do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1)

Idea(s) for Application: This book is perfect for a homeschool or private school history lesson on Henry “Box” Brown and how the church’s position on slavery has evolved over time.