Grab & Go #19 - I Will Love You Anyway

What's a PBT Grab & Go? These books are extremely easy to use in sacred settings. God’s holiness is all over them. The connections to sacred ideas are easy to find. You may have to be patient as your audience finds the scriptural connections you see. Give them time, and they may surprise you with holy ideas you had not seen. 

Today's book is a funny read about a misbehaving dog. Coax your audience to talk about all viewpoints. There's humor, but there is also temptation, separation, worry, shame, love, and of course, grace! 

To find more PBT Grab & Go books, make sure you're in the web version (On your phone? You must click on that version.). Then check out the Grab & Go search label at the bottom of the screen or type "Grab & Go" into the search box in the upper right corner.

 Picture Book: I Will Love You Anyway

Author: Mick Inkpen

Illustrator: Chloe Inkpen 

Summary: The dog in this story is bad, sooo bad, but lovable and loved unconditionally.  

The desire to please, to do the right thing, is evident but the follow through? Not so much.

He's adorable in his sweat bands, perhaps worn because he never stops. He's constantly running away

  or chasing

 or being chased. 

There is one lesson that Doggie seems to have learned

the hard way. 

The boy's parents plan to find another home for the dog because of all the trouble it is causing. But, a loud thunderstorm leads to another escape and a long night of missing and longing and waiting. The humans realize the depth of their attachment.

 Then there is another reunion!

The family decides to keep the mischief-maker, despite his bad behavior because they love him unconditionally. Good thing! Some things (and dogs) never change!

Hanna’s Comments: This tale of misbehavior and unconditional love is from a father (author) daughter (illustrator) duo. Makes sense! Many picture book plots involve unconditional love. I call this kind of love parental love in the search labels below. This book has the added benefit of definite connections to the Parable of the Prodigal Son (the running away, the embrace...). The overall sense is that this little pup wants to please but can’t seem to overcome urges. I can relate!

In Paul’s Letter to the Romans, similar frustrations are confessed. Paul doesn’t explain what behavior he wants to avoid, but it sure is good to know that, even a man who Jesus spoke to in a vision, never stopped struggling with temptations. 

Original Publisher & Date: Aladdin, 2015

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet 

Scripture Connections: Adam & Eve's temptations (Genesis 3), The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32); I don’t do the thing I want and do the very thing I hate… (Romans 7: 15-17,19-20)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this adorable book to a group of children or parents in your faith family who are learning about God’s unconditional love, Jesus’s parable of The Prodigal Son, or Paul’s frustration with his own behavior. Be sure to practice reading! The rhyming rhythms are crucial for the humor.  

Another New God Book!

Sorry for the delay in posting, folks. I have been sick. It’s great to feel healthy again and ready to share a story! Here is another wonderful book about the nature and gifts of God, what I call here at PBT a God book.

Picture Book: When God Gave Us Words

Author: Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Illustrator: Darcy Day Zoells

Summary: This is a wisdom tale about all sorts of human words. God believes humans will "make something beautiful with words,"

but the angels (represented in glorious geometric form) are not so sure and just might be jealous. They deliver the words, all sorts of words - long (leading to dictionaries) silly (gibberish is mentioned), hard to spell (here comes spelling lists!). Then God and the angels listen. Even when the angels thought there were enough words (we humans do go on!), God wanted more words. Then the humans started distorting and dirtying words. Gossip, curses, and threats were heard. God was about to take all the words back, but humans began to get creative. They found music and rhythm. 

Dance and poetry and jokes and stories and prayers began to enchant God, and even the angels, so the words remained. Our world is all the better for those many, many words.

Hanna’s Comments: I’m a big fan of this author. You might want to check out her fabulous conversation with Krista Tippett on the On Being podcast (my favorite podcast!). It’s an old but relevant conversation The Spirituality of Parenting. Listening to this wisdom would benefit any church leader. I’ve featured several of her books at PBT. Check out a classic [here] and 2 new books by this same amazing publisher [here] and [here]. Or you can simply type in "Sasso" in the search box at the top right.

Original Publisher & Date: Flyaway Books, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Let the words of my mouth… (Psalm 19:14); For by your words you will be justified… (Matthew 12:37); [Let come from your mouths] only such [words] as is good for building up… (Ephesians 4:29); Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him. (Colossians 3:17)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of tweens or teens. Then celebrate and explore the power (blessings, deceptions, beauty, damage, curses...) of human language. Then expand your conversation to include the languages of non-humans on earth as well. They will love it!

PBT Techniques #8 - Adapt for a Play

Now and then I read a book with illustrations that I think do the book a disservice. Below I’m featuring one of those books and giving you ideas about using this book’s great content in a different way.

Picture Book: The Want Monsters: And How They                                          Stopped Ruling My World

Author & Illustrator: Chelo Manchego 

Summary: Want Monsters just want to make people happy. The little guy in the illustration below explains that his Want Monster, Oskar, motivates him do GOOD things, but lately Oskar has gone a little crazy! 

He wants four cupcakes, not one. The narrator gives in 

and gets sick which leads to a lot of time in the bathroom! Oskar has grown some extra thumbs. He spends too much time playing games in front of a screen. 

Now the little guy's high fives hurt! 

 The desire for attention gives Oskar a crown, but

when the boy gets too much attention, no one else wants to be around him! 

Oscar gives the boy a flower with a caterpillar in it; the boy asks the caterpillar if he too has a Want Monster. 

The caterpillar explains that eating is already all he wants to do, 

but that is the way of caterpillars so they can become butterflies. 

He suggests that the boy tell Oskar "no." 

 

That won't always work so just let "Oskar be Oskar."  

When our narrator had ice cream the next day, Oskar insisted on the whole carton, but the boy stood up to him. 

Oskar tantrumed, the boy ignored, and both forgot about the want of ice cream. When the best video game ever, "Zombies Ate My Teachers" came out, both were happy. 

But when "Zombies Ate My Teachers TWO" came out just 10 days later, Oskar insisted that another trip to the video store was in order.

The boy explained that you can have too much of a video game. Besides, new games come out all the time and don't keep them happy for very long. 

Oskar tantrumed, but both eventually forgot about that particular want.  

When they saw a girl win a big contest on TV, Oskar got jealous and wanted his boy to win a contest on TV, but the boy responded, "We can't have everything we want." Oskar tantrumed. Eventually, Oskar forgot. Eventually, Oskar got much smaller. 

Renamed, Oskarcito, he is being trained to want things that make everyone feel good, like kindness and sharing. 

Everyone wants those and feels good afterwards!

Hanna’s Comments: The ideas in this book offer great potential for meaningful conversation with elementary-aged children about greed, gluttony, anger, and difficult relationships. Convert this story into a simple play that your kids act out. They will relate and be able to easily act out these emotions and respond to these situations. In fact, have your children help you write the play. You might want to have some of your girls help write a character who tells about how girls struggle with Want Monsters. Expand it even further by including some of their parents Want Monsters too! Be sure to cast kids for human and Want Monster characters. The best learning happens when we are synthesizing information. That means we take various aspects of what we have learned, combine, and make something new. Writing and producing a play about this book might be a great tool for making a difference in these issues that hit at the heart of modern family dynamics.

Original Publisher & Date: Shambhala, 2016

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. (Psalm 78:18); A greedy man stirs up strife. (Proverbs 28:25); Take care and be on your guard for covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. (Luke 12:15); You are God’s holy temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17); Their god is their belly…with their minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3:19); Keep your life free from love of money and be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5); Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation…The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:9-10); The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in posessions – is not from God but is from the world. (1 John 2:16)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book as a basis for a play that your children act out. Connect the issues in this book to some of the many scripture verses about greed and gluttony.  

Touching Conversations

Picture Book: God Made All of Me:                                                                A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies

Author: Justin S. & Lindsay A. Holcomb

Illustrator: Trish Mahoney

Summary: This book begins with praise from 10 psychologists, child advocates, and theologians. Next comes a detailed letter to parents explaining the importance of the message inside. Here’s a startling fact:

 Scripture is sprinkled throughout the pages.

A story begins within the context of a traditional family with 2 very inquisitive children whose questions will encourage questions from the listeners. 

It seems the older child is very comfortable with these messages and has likely heard them before. This conversation is for the younger sister. 

Here’s the heart of the message which you’ll find in the letter to parents:

God made all of you. Every part of your body is good, and some parts are private. He made the parts of your body that other people see every day, and he made your private parts. Every part is good because God made every part and called them all good. 

I especially like the less significant message that says if you don’t want to be touched (even via a hug from a relative), that’s your choice. It should be respected.  

If you are touched anyway, tell parents, teachers, or doctors. When the child responds that these people are sometimes too busy, the children are instructed to "keep asking for help." 

Subjects like bath time and doctor visits are discussed. Anatomically correct names for body parts are used.  

The children are warned about several ploys that abusers often use. They are told that rewards and games should never be a part of touching or showing private parts. Secrets are never a good situation. 

Because this family doesn’t keep secrets, the parents explain that they should be told immediately if anyone asks the children to keep a secret. Secrets are distinguished from surprises, two easily confused concepts.

The last section is a list of 9 Ways to Protect Your Children from Sexual Abuse. The book is dedicated to Grace, an organization of professionals that provides abuse prevention training and other services. 

Hanna’s Comments: This book is designed for parents to read to 2-8 year olds and is a tool for beginning and continuing conversations and questions about sexual abuse. Typically, I feature books to read in ministry. Today I’m offering a book for those who do children’s ministry (whether ordained or not) to have handy to pass on to parents to read with their children. 

This book isn't designed for those times when a question of sexual abuse arises. Instead it is for your children’s protection from and empowerment in sexually inappropriate situations. These conversations are best done in a loving, non-threatening home and at the doctor’s office. 

If a reading is going to happen at your place of worship, parental involvement in planning is crucial. Make sure parents have read the book beforehand. I recommend having them help design the program and make all parents welcome. If parents in your faith family are suspected of such behavior, then you must report your concerns to the appropriate government authorities. 

Whoever reads this book should feel welcome to substitute gender-neutral words for God. I typically use Post-it notes to make such changes before reading. It is crucial that these conversations reflect your theological beliefs and spiritual values and your children feel positive about God. 

Original Publisher & Date: New Growth Press, 2015

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

Formats other than Book: Digital

Scripture Connections: God created human beings in God’s own image and called us good (Genesis 1 & 2)

Idea(s) for Application: Loan or give this book to parents in your faith family when they want to have a conversation with young children that will protect and empower them should they encounter inappropriate sexual advances or contact.