A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 250

Picture Book: An Orange for Frankie

Author & Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Summary: This true story of Polacco’s grandmother’s family of origin begins a few days before Christmas as the annual rituals are being anticipated. Before Christmas Eve is over, Frankie, the youngest boy of 9 children, must make 2 confessions. The Stowells are a generous family. When the train comes through, the engineer stops the train and brings the hobos to the Stowells home for a warm meal. Generous Frankie, gives a shirtless hobo a nearly new sweater that Frankie’s sister knitted for him. Frankie is especially excited about the 9 oranges, 1 for each child, that his Pa always brings from Lansing and places on the mantle. However, the weather is delaying his father. The preparations continue as if Pa wasn’t absent, but all are worried. Frankie is especially focused on the missing oranges. Pa does arrive, and the oranges are placed on the mantle and all are told not to touch them until after Christmas Eve worship. While his family gets dressed for church, Frankie holds his orange and then places it in his pocket. As the evening progresses, the orange is lost. Once home, Frankie hides and cries in his room upstairs. When his mother asks for an explanation, he confesses both the sweater gift and the absence of his orange. She praises his generosity, but leaves him in his room to ponder his actions regarding the orange. Meanwhile downstairs, Ma explains, and Frankie’s siblings each give 1 section of their orange to create the shape of a new orange for Frankie and wrap them with ribbon. When Frankie comes down, he is given his orange. Pa explains, “Our family is like your orange, Frankie. Love holds us together like the ribbon.” Sadly, this book ends with Polacco explaining that the Christmas of Frankie’s orange was Frankie’s last Christmas, but he has been remembered fondly by generations throughout the extended family because of this story.

Hanna’s Comments: This is such a rich story! I can understand why it has been passed down through Polacca’s family. It celebrates family rituals of generosity, holiday cheer, and loving bonds. It also touches on issues of disobeying parents, disappointing others, heartfelt confession, and sweet mercy from those who you love most. This is a story that offers much for consideration and conversation. Encourage your listeners to talk about the importance and faith aspects of their December holiday rituals and what they remember most about them.  

Publisher & Date of Publication: Philomel Books, 2004

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 6 and up, 1^st and up

# of Pages: 48

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: ancestor/patriarchs & matriarchs, blessings, brokenness, covenant/promises/vows, creativity/imagination/ingenuity, disobedience/obedience, family, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, forgiveness/mercy/redemption, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, God’s nature, grace, grandparents, greed/selfishness, guilt, heritage, home, honesty, hospitality, intercession, kingdom of God/reign of God, memories/remembering/ritual/tradition, mistakes, nurturing, parables/stories, parents/parental love, possessions, regret/repentance, secrets, sharing, siblings/sibling rivalry, sin, temptations, unity

Scripture Connections: Whoever conceals his transgression will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy (Proverbs 28:13); confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to children or adults in your faith community and encourage them to consider the best and worst of Frankie and how each of them might share some of his qualities. Talk about the examples of grace in this story. Then talk about the importance of holiday rituals, family stories, and unconditional love.  

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 161

Picture Book: What is My Song?

Author: Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn, Matthew Linn

Illustrator: Francisco Miranda

Summary: Deo, an East African boy, begins this story by asking, ”When did I become me?” Then he explains it happened when his mother first had an idea of him. She listened in her heart until she heard “the special song of me.” She shared it with his father and the other women of the village so that the first thing Deo hears in life is the women singing his song. Everyone learns his song. When he is crying, they sing to him. When he saves his baby brother from fire and his sister from drowning, they sing to him. His song is about protecting people. When in anger Deo throws a stone at a boy and blinds him, Deo cannot remember his song. Instead of retribution, his community surrounds him and sings his song to him so that he will remember he is a protector. He does and pledges to be the boy’s eyes if his friend’s sight does not return. Deo explains that his song never leaves him even if he forgets it for a while. It is sung to him at other milestones, and when he dies, it will be sung to him as he returns to God. This book ends with: “Who are you? Put your hand on your heart. Can you feel your heart beating? Take deep breaths and listen deep inside your hear. Can you hear your song?”

Hanna’s Comments: This traditional East African tale is beautifully told. The idea of having a song seems to be offered as a metaphor for a God-given purpose, present even before birth and after death.  Check in the back for A Note to Parents and Other Caregivers that explains that we don’t need to teach our children their special purpose in life. Rather, we need to help them remember what they already know.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Paulist Press, 2005

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 8 and up, 3 and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Traditional, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: Africa, babies/children, beginnings/morning, belonging, birth/birthday, call/calling/vocation, choir/music/singing/songs, communion/Eucharist, community, dance/dancing, emotions/feelings, encouragement, family, forgiveness/justifying grace/mercy/redemption, grace, growing up/growth, guilt, identity/names, life, memories/remembering/ritual/tradition, milestones, mistakes, nurturing, participation, power, protecting/protection, purpose, reassurance, regret/repentance, renewal/restoration, righteousness, self-control, self-discovery, sin, violence

Scripture Connections: The Lord is merciful & gracious... (Psalm 103:8); It was You who formed my inward parts (Psalm 139); You are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13); stir up one another to love and do good works (Hebrews 10:24)

Idea(s) for Application: A friend of mine read this beautiful book as a part of a homily on Community at the Academy for Spiritual Formation. It was perfect. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 150

Picture Book: Spuds

Author: Karen Hesse

Illustrator: Wendy Watson

Summary: To help out a hard-working mother, her 3 children sneak out into the night to glean potatoes from their neighbor’s field. Once home, they discover they have picked up mostly rocks. Ma discovers their thievery and forces them to confess to their neighbor, return what they’ve stolen, and apologize. They are surprised to hear no fury from their neighbor, but gratitude, for they have cleared stones from that part of his field. Additionally, he says they are welcome to glean anytime. They return home with the spuds and have a ‘tater feast.” Narrator and middle child, Jack, says that his Ma’s love is big enough to turn, “even 3 little spuds like us into something mighty fine.”  

Hanna’s Comments: This beautiful story of sacrificial parenting and neighborly generosity is full of possible connections to scripture. I think of a desperate Ruth gleaning in Boaz’s field. There is the description of the ideal woman described in Proverbs 31. Also, I think of the many times the Israelites, and later Christians, are compelled to help out widows and orphans. There is no mention of a father in this story. Perhaps he is away at war or dead. Either way, the mother has the sole responsibility for providing for these 3 children.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Scholastic, 2008

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: action, adaptation/assimilation, adventure, anxiety/worry, babies/children, caring/tending, challenges, confession, consequences/punishment, darkness/evening/night, dependence/interdependence, difficulties, disappointment, family, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, forgiveness/justifying grace/mercy/redemption, found, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, God’s care/providence, God’s nature, grace, guilt, harvest, helping, insecurity, labor/work, land/mountains/soil, mistakes, mothers, neighbors, poaching/stealing/theft, poverty, regret/repentance, rocks/shells/stones, searching, sharing, siblings/sibling rivalry, sin, at table, treasure

Scripture Connections: Ruth gleans in Boaz’s field (Ruth 2); whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17); the ideal woman (Proverbs 31:25-29; Who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29)

Idea(s) for Application: Besides the applications listed above, I could see this book used in an adult lesson about caring for neighbors, praying for neighbors, and being involved in our neighborhoods. Lately I’ve heard several complaints about how we don’t know our neighbors anymore and yet our scriptures use the term “neighbor” repeatedly to compel us to tend to one another. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 65

Picture Book: Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse

Author & Illustrator: Kevin Henkes 

Summary: Lilly especially loves her teacher, but he’s not a big fan of her new purse and its contents which Lilly wants to show everyone, even during lessons.  When her beloved teacher takes Lilly’s purse away until after school, Lilly becomes quite upset, and eventually she gets very angry at him. She writes him a nasty note and puts it in his bag. Meanwhile, he too writes a note and puts it in Lilly’s purse along with some snacks. His note says, “Today was a difficult day. Tomorrow will be better.” Feeling terribly guilty, Lilly confesses to her parents, sits in the uncooperative chair for a while, and then writes & illustrates a new note in which she apologizes and compliments him profusely. At school Lilly delivers her note, some snacks, and a verbal apology. They agree to throw away the earlier note, and Lilly enjoys showing off her purse & its contents at Sharing Time.

Hanna’s Comments: Often children really struggle with some of the issues in this story (obsession, materialism, lack of impulse control, pride, and disrespecting authority). Adults too! What better place to explore these issues than in a religious context in which loving teachers can offer the Holy Scriptures as a guide and comfort to children.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Greenwillow Books, 2006                                          

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

# of Pages: 32                                                                                           

Available in Spanish? Yes                                                           

Formats other than Book: Audio cassette, Amateur videos on Youtube.com  

PBT Category:  Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: acceptance, anger, challenges, change, confession, conformity, consequences/punishment, consumerism/consumption/riches, cooperation, disappointment, disobedience/obedience, education/school, emotions/feelings, forgiveness/justifying grace/mercy/redemption, grace, guilt, hope, idolatry, mentors/teachers, mistakes, possessions, pride, rebellion, regret/repentance, resisting evil, self-control, sin

Scripture Connections: Joseph’s coat (Genesis 37:1-36); the building of the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-35)

Idea(s) for Application: Include the reading of this book in a lesson for children on materialism/idolatry or prayers of confession.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 52

Picture Book: The Sandwich Swap

Author: Her Majesty the Queen Rania Al Abdullah with Kelly DiPucchio 

Illustrator: Tricia Tusa

Summary: Suspicion about new food is the issue here. Despite Lilly and Salma’s mutual friendship, BFFs even, each girl is concerned about the kind of sandwich her friend eats for lunch. Lilly eats peanut butter and jelly. Salma eats hummus on pita. Eventually these doubts are expressed, feelings are hurt, anger bubbles to the top, other students choose sides, and a cafeteria food fight ensues. When they are called to the principal's office, feelings of shame surface. The next day at lunch, Lilly and Salma try each other’s sandwiches and are delightfully surprised and are inspired to have an international food event at school.

Hanna’s Comments: Sometimes something as small as a sandwich leads to poor assumptions and discrimination. This story demonstrates that being open to other’s differences and being willing to step into another’s shoes, can lead to new delights and stronger relationships. This story is based on the queen of Jordan's own experiences with a friend. This is explained in a great author’s note at the end.

Another book with a similar story is Yoko by Rosemary Wells. In this book, the criticized food Yoko initially takes to school is sushi. That's ironic! Sushi has become very popular since the book's publication in 1998.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Disney-Hyperion, 2010 

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: amateur Youtube videos, one very well done 

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, choices/decisions, communion/Eucharist, conflict, differences, emotions/feelings, exploration, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, forgiveness/justifying grace/mercy/redemption, friends/friendship, grace, individuality/uniqueness, joy, jubilee, judgment/judges/judging, manna, obstacles, outsiders, pacifism/peace/peaceful/peacemakers/peaceable kingdom, pride, regret/repentance, respect, sharing

Scripture Connections: any scripture story in which a character is willing to accept differences in culture, Peter's dream about food (Acts 10:1-48), Gentiles versus Jews (Acts 15:7-9),  

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book as a part of an Inter-religious Food Festival focusing on how various faiths use food in their rituals. Or read it in a lesson for children about judgement or forgiveness.