Connections to Christ

Picture Book: Crazy Horse’s Vision

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Illustrator: S. D. Nelson

Summary: This story focuses on Crazy Horse’s devotion to his Lakota tribe, the threat they faced as settlers moved into their lands, and the guiding vision he received as a young man.

In the 1840s near the Wyoming & South Dakota border, Crazy Horse was born a solemn child with curly hair so they named him Curly.

Strong and wiry, Curly was an early leader who listened carefully and told his peers, "Follow me. If we're brave we can help our people." 

At age 11, Curly surprised everyone by taming a wild pinto so his father gave him the horse.

When hunting buffalo at age 13, he swiftly felled a huge buffalo in the middle of the herd with just one arrow. Then he gave the buffalo to all in his camp who had no one to hunt for them. 

During his childhood, the American army built a fort in Lakota land, declaring it would keep the peace. After a warrior killed a destructive cow that had wandered into the Lakota camp from the fort, the Chief offered a mule and 5 horses to compensate. 

The offer was disregarded, instead the Army killed the chief. 

After witnessing this event, Curly left in haste for a vision quest without the expected preparations from the Holy Man. 

Tying his horse's legs to prevent it from wandering, Curly then climbed into a pit. 

There he "prayed for strength to help his people." After three days, no vision had come. He climbed out of the pit and collapsed near his horse. 

His father found him and scolded him for being unprepared and discounting the wisdom of the elders. 

Meanwhile, Curly saw an eagle but held his vision in secret because of the scolding he received. 

Three years later, Curly had become much quieter, more serious, and more generous. When his father asked about his vision quest, Curly described the eagle. 

His father explained that Curly would become "the first to defend your people" and must "keep nothing for yourself." And he gave Curly his own name, a practice of honoring. Curly would be called Crazy Horse and known for his great bravery and loyalty to his people.

The story of Crazy Horse continues in a lengthy Author’s Note in the back. Here you’ll read about some of his other memorable deeds and his martyrdom. 

Hanna’s Comments: Christians observe Good Friday today. Each year, I struggle with what kind of book to feature at PBT on such an important day. Today I chose a story about a man whose life has obvious connections to Jesus. That’s why I told the summary above in the manner I did, highlighting biographical milestones that had some connection to Jesus life. Direct your audience to look broadly for character traits and aspects of power, not story details. In some cases, encourage your audience to find the differences. I don’t equate Crazy Horse to Jesus, but I do think it’s good to know when humans approach the level of humility, self-giving love, and courage of Jesus. The story of Crazy Horse is not well known. The little I knew of him before reading this book I learned at the monument being built in his memory, an amazing feat in progress that also isn’t well-known. 

If you find yourself in South Dakota, perhaps to see Mt. Rushmore, don’t miss The Crazy Horse Memorial. It’s nearby. Don’t wait for it to be finished; it will likely not be finished in my lifetime. It is astonishing for its size; Mt. Rushmore would fit only in the head of the huge Crazy Horse of this memorial. See it and read about the memorial and why it is being built without government money [here].

Original Publisher & Date: Lee & Low, 2000

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: There are numerous connections to Jesus such as Crazy Horse’s political concerns for his people, his humility, his vision quest, and his martyrdom. You might find connections to other biblical figures such as Moses and John the Baptist.

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book or use Crazy Horse’s story in a lesson or sermon, making connections to Jesus or another man of God. Consider telling about The Crazy Horse Memorial as well.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 318

Picture Book: Horton Hatches the Egg and Horton Hears a Who

Author & Illustrator: Dr. Seuss

Summary: Lazy Bird Mayzie takes advantage of dependable Horton. Despite his size, she begs the elephant to sit on her egg while she takes a beach vacation. Horton gently sits on the egg and waits. The weather turns horrid for Horton while Mayzie enjoys herself on a beach and decides to never go back. Through autumn and winter, Horton faithfully sits, reminding himself, “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful, one hundred per cent!” In spring, animals tease Horton. When 3 hunters come and aim their rifles at Horton, he holds his head high and refuses to run away. The hunters are so amazed by this sight that they take the tree, Horton, and the egg all the way to New York. They sell the collection to the circus where it goes on tour all the way down to Florida. There they meet Lazy Bird Mayzie who claims the egg just as it starts hatching. The cracked egg reveals a little Horton with wings, an elephant bird. A happy ending follows. Horton is allowed to go home with his baby.

Horton’s next story has him hearing a very faint call for help from a small speck of dust. Horton gently captures the speck and places it on a clover. A mother kangaroo and baby pass by so Horton tells them about the voice, but they respond with unbelief and disdain. Horton declares, “A person’s a person no matter how small.” Horton realizes the speck is in danger so he plucks the clover and carries it into the jungle. Meanwhile, Horton begins a conversation with the voice on the speck. It is a Who, the Mayor of Who-ville, who is thankful for Horton’s protection. Monkeys overhear Horton talking so they steal the clover and take it to an eagle who flies with it far away and drops it into a field of clover. Horton diligently follows and is able to find the clover after picking millions of them. The Whos report their damage and beg for Horton’s continued protection. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos have convinced others to cage Horton and boil the clover. Horton responds with a plea to the Whos to all shout together so that they can be heard by the other animals. The Whos cry together, “We are here! We are here!” But the other animals can’t hear them. Horton compels them to make more noise, suggesting that someone might be “shirking.” The mayor finds a young, quiet Who so he takes him to the top of a tower and compels him, saying “every voice counts.” Finally, the Whos are loud enough to be heard by the other animals. The kangaroo promptly promises to protect the Whos as well and they are safe.

Hanna’s Comments: I think children will respond easily to these books if they don’t already know them. They likely know the Whos from Who-ville because of How the Grinch Stole Christmas so they already have a connection to these stories. They will be glad to hear that the Whos were saved by the “Smallest of All.” In the book on the left Horton says, “I’ll stay and be faithful.” This statement and others, including Horton’s quotations above, directly relate to messages in our Holy Scriptures. Note that these are quite lengthy picture books. Consider the attention spans of your audience and don’t try to do them both in one sitting.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Random House, 1940 (book on left) 1954 (book on right)

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 5 and up, K and up

# of Pages: 64 (book on left) 72 (book on right)

Available in Spanish? For Horton Hears a Who only

Formats other than Book: Tablet, Audio, Videos are available on Youtube.com and there is a feature length movie of Horton Hears a Who. Random House has created a website full of Dr. Seuss activities and information. Here’s the link: www.seussville.com.

PBT Category: Both are Classics

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: acceptance, action, adoption, awe, babies/children, belonging, betrayal, bonds/connections, caring/tending, challenges, commitment, communication, covenant/promises/vows, dependence/interdependence, differences, difficulties, eggs/seeds, evangelism, faith/faithfulness, fathers, flowers/leaves/trees, helping, heroes, kindness, life, listening, mission, noise/sounds/voice, nurturing, parents/parental love, patience, poaching/stealing/theft, protecting/protection, reverence, righteousness, sacrifice, servant/service/serving, steadfastness, storms, waiting, weather

Scripture Connections: Do not break a vow (Numbers 30:2); wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage (Psalm 27:14)

Idea(s) for Application:  These books connect to scriptures about compassion, faithfulness, commitment, perseverance, protection, and many others. Also, for adult or youth programming, consider checking out The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss by James W. Kemp. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 284

Picture Book: Mrs. Toggle’s Zipper

Author: Robin Pulver

Illustrator: R.W. Alley

Summary: Poor Mrs. Toggle! The zipper of her puffy winter coat is stuck, and it seems she is destined to wear it all day as she teaches her young students. Also, the thingamajig, as she calls it (the pull-tab from the zipper), is missing. Her students pull with all their collective might, but the coat won’t go past her nose and her students end up in a heap on the floor. The class and Mrs. Toggle get help from the school’s nurse and principal. Each one adds their nonsensical efforts, and together they again attempt to remove the coat, but the result is the same. Finally they ask the janitor, who knows the name of the thingamajig and just what to do. Thankfully, Mrs. Toggle is released. She and her students gladly return to her classroom, and the janitor goes to find a dictionary to look up “thingamajig.”

Hanna’s Comments: There are several subtle jokes in this story that you might want to share with your audience. Note the names of the characters. Also, if Mrs. Toggle’s coat used “toggles” as fasteners instead of a zipper, she would not have a problem. There are three aspects of this story that make it a great PBT book. First, the problem is solved in community, with everyone lending a hand. Secondly, the care and concern for Mrs. Toggle is evident. Thirdly, it is the humble janitor who has the smarts here. He is the hero and his practical problem-solving skills are the reason.

Publisher & Date of Original Publication: Simon & Schuster, 1990

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 5 and up, K and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: There are amateur videos on Youtube.com.

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abilities, action, babies/children, body of Christ, brokenness, caring/tending, challenges, clothes/shoes, comfort, community, cooperation, dependence/interdependence, difficulties, education/learning/school, gifts/talents, helping, heroes, humility, mentors/teachers, problems/problem solving, servant/service/servant leadership, unity, wisdom

Scripture Connections: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

Idea(s) for Application: Consider reading this book when you want to talk to children in your faith community about God’s variety of gifts and how God wants us to respect and value all of those gifts and use them together to solve problems. Be sure to emphasize our interdependence on one another.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 149

Picture Book: The Friend

Author: Sarah Stewart

Illustrator: David Small

Summary: This beautiful book in verse is the story of a fair and quirky preschooler, Belle,  who lives in a mansion by the sea with her mostly absent parents and a black housekeeper/caregiver, Bea, who watches over her daily while doing chores. They head to the beach to play at the end of most days. One day, Belle heads to the beach on her own. Bea senses her absence and frantically runs to the beach just in time to save her. At the end, we see an adult Belle looking out to sea and remembering her loving caregiver.

Hanna’s Comments: I especially loved this book when I first read it because of Bea’s character. I saw both a Christ-like and feminine God quality to her loving care and guardianship of Belle. This is a wonderful book for expanding children’s or adult’s views of God as more than masculine or white. The dedication in the back is especially poignant: "To all the people across the world who have saved the lives of children by paying attention when others did not - but especially to Ola Beatrice Smith." This kind of personal tribute makes this story that much more powerful.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2004

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 5 and up, kindergarten and up

# of Pages: 48

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Audio CD, The video on Youtube.com is from Described and Captioned Media, meaning that this video is adapted for those who are visually impaired.

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: affection, affirmation, attentiveness/observation/seeing, babies/children, beach/ocean/pond/river/sea/shore, beauty, belonging, blessings, bonds/connections, call/calling/vocation, caring/tending, commitment, companionship, creation, creativity/imagination/ingenuity, danger, dependence/interdependence, differences, disobedience/obedience, encouragement, the environment/nature, equality/inequality, family, found, friend/friendship, fruit/fruit of the Spirit, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, gifts/giftedness/talents, God’s care/providence, God’s nature, God’s presence, God’s will, goodness, grace, gratitude/thankfulness/thanksgiving, heroes, home, image of God, intercession, Jesus, kindness, labor/work, love, mothers, neglect, nurturing, parables/stories, parental love, patience, play, presence, protecting/protection, race relations/racism, relationships, rescue, safety, savior/saving, servant hood/service/serving, steadfastness, survival, wisdom

Scripture Connections: Love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4); Let all you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14); For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people (Titus 2:11); We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19)

Idea(s) for Application: The love of our creator is so vast that we have to try to understand it through metaphor and human forms. This picture book offers a rich image of a loving and sensitive caretaker and protector. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 70

Picture Book: Peach and Blue

Author: Sarah S. Kilborne

Illustrator: Steve Johnson with Lou Fancher

Summary: Blue is a blue-bellied toad. On a cloudless day, he is surprised to feel raindrops. He looks up to find a crying Peach. Peach explains that she is ripe and about to fall or be picked. Instead she yearns for adventure, longing especially to see the beauty of the world. Blue gathers his many siblings and creates a tower to free her. Then they bring her a bowl to float in so that she will be comfortable while they explore the pond. Blue thoughtfully cares for Peach, and thanks to Peach, Blue sees more clearly the beauty of the world. The 2 friends commit to staying together, despite Peach admitting, “I don’t think I’ll last forever.” Blue responds, “That’s okay. Not many folks do. But until then, you have me and I have you.”  

Hanna’s Comments: The illustrations in this book are lush and unusual, as is the idea of 2 very different characters from nature having such a loving relationship and human-like features, feelings, and responses. This book will grow on you, offering striking images of loving-kindness, empathy, and attention.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Knopf, 1994

Age Grade Appropriateness:  3 and up, Pre and up                                                

# of Pages: 32                                                                                           

Available in Spanish? Not at present                                                              

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: attentiveness/observation/seeing, beauty, body of Christ, caring/tending, commitment, community, cooperation, differences, disabilities/handicaps/limitations, encouragement, exploration, fear, friends/friendship, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, gentleness/meekness, God’s care/providence, goodness, helping, journeys/pilgrimages/migration/quests, kindness, leadership/servant leadership, listening, loneliness, love, mission, obstacles, outreach, outsiders, partners/teamwork, patience, rescue, respect, savior/saving, servant hood/service/serving, steadfastness, vision, wonder

Scripture Connections: Blessed are the meek (Matthew 5:5); Paralyzed friend lowered through the roof to be healed (Luke 5:18-26)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book as an illustration of the power of empathy when relating to those with illness or disabilities and how those we care for can often teach us to view our world differently.