Holding On to Grandparents

With gratitude practices as favored health regimens, Thanksgiving plans upon some (sorry I'm too late for countries who had Thanksgiving already), and legacies of our saints remembered in early November, this book seems perfect to feature. Meaningful rituals, issues of memory, a grateful orientation, profound joy, and loving grandparent legacies (think Lois mentioned in 2nd Timothy 1:2) are obvious scripture connections!

Picture Book: Holding On

Author: Sophia N. Lee

Illustrator: Isabel Roxas

Summary: This book begins: There is always singing in Lola’s house. From the point of view of a granddaughter with her grandmother only in summer, this book celebrates the pure love that skips a generation. 

Within sentences describing grandmother fun are profound statements of deeply meaningful love held with ritual. Lola tells her granddaughter: 

If you want to hold on, you gotta sing your songs.

The granddaughter explains how her grandmother holds on. Tokens from her childhood are treasured. Outgrown clothing is transformed into quilts. Photographs and framed childish drawings are dusted. 

The narrator holds on to all that her grandmother has taught her and “carries it in her heart.” Their loving rituals include singing, listening to music, dancing, cooking special recipes, even playing the lotto. Stories of her grandfather Lolo and the narrator’s infant ways are ritually shared too. 

When Lola no longer remembers some things, the granddaughter sings for her. She explains: 

It is my way of letting her know that’s it's okay if she doesn’t remember sometimes. I’ll remember for her.

Hanna’s Comments: Oh, how I wish I had grandmother memories like these! My sister is such a grandmother to my children. She tells me, “There is no love like grandmother love!” These lessons ground children with love of course, but also identity and meaning. They can be soothing in childhood and offer inner strength in adulthood. Encourage children who don’t have grandmothers in their lives to think about people who are invested in them unconditionally. Hopefully, they will think of people in their church family.

Original Publisher: Antheum, 2022

Age Appropriateness: 4 and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Any scripture about generational rituals or beliefs such as 2^nd Timothy 1:5 where Paul affirms the legacy of sincere faith from Timothy’s grandmother Lois. And there is Proverbs 22:6 which instructs us to train a child in ways that will not be lost when they are old.

More generally, this story connects to scriptures about gratitude, joy, and grandparents. Because so many Psalms were initially sung with sincere faith and with great joy, they too connect with this book and could lead to a powerful conversation about music and other worship rituals that are reminders of grandparents’ faith.

Connections to The Revised Common Lectionary: This book is listed in my Trinity Treasures preschool curriculum in Year C (theme: Faith from Family) on a week which lists the 2^nd Timothy scripture mentioned above.

PBT Applications: Read this book to a group of parents of young children. Help them identify the gifts and values their parents are passing or would want to pass on to future generations. Consider asking participants to bring a treasured item from an ancestor that symbolizes a particular legacy of faith from family.  

OR

Read it to a group of young children and ask them to draw or dramatize the ways their grandparents (or others in your church) show love.

If you are interested in learning more about Trinity Treasures, a scripture based preschool Sunday school curriculum that features picture books & children’s Bibles, contact me at hannaschock@bellsouth.net. Right now, free lessons are emailed if you agree to fill out the monthly feedback form.

December Holiday Books #3 and #4

Two brand new (and gorgeous!) Christmas books are featured below. Want to see more PBT December holiday books? Go to the Blog Archive which is to the right and down in the web version. If you're on a smart phone, click on "view web version," near the Home button. Then click on December of a year other than 2015 (I took a break then) and explore previous posts.

Picture Book: Mouse’s Christmas Gift

Author: Mindy Baker

Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk

Summary: Mouse lives in the sanctuary of a village church from long ago. Puzzled that the Christmas decorations are not in place, Mouse finds his favorite - the creche. After much effort, Mouse has the delicate figures in place where he will sleep with them in view. Then Mouse scurries to the living quarters of the pastor and his wife. The pastor is sick. His wife places a notice on the church door that states “Christmas Eve Service Canceled.” Mouse has an idea to light a candle in the window, hoping the village will be inspired by the light. Various villagers do bring decorations for the church door and nearby evergreen. A blacksmith creates a star. A woman bakes a sweet treat. On Christmas Eve, they gather, not sure what will happen. They find the church door mysteriously unlocked, so they enter and create their own Christmas Eve service. The pastor and his wife enter the sanctuary and realize that Christmas has come.

Hanna’s Comments: There are many Christmas themes in this beautiful story. Here are a few I see: humility, small acts of service, faith and trust in God's Spirit, hope for meaning and healing, loving community, and the joy that is ours when we participate for the common good. Let your audience find their own meaning here and be inspired to make this Advent and Christmas a time of participation in Christian community and service to those who need us most.

Original Publisher & Date: Zonderkidz, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: This book connects with any scripture about light or scriptures that encourages us to get involved, such as those about The Body of Christ and those about being servants.

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to inspire your audience to step up and be a part of The Body of Christ during this season in which we celebrate Christ's birth.

Picture Book: I Got the Christmas Spirit

Author: Connie Schofield-Morrison

Illustrator: Frank Morrison

Summary: You’ll want all your church family to meet this "spirited" young girl! She’ll teach them what Advent & Christmas are all about. She hears the spirit in the air and sings the spirit in her heart. All her senses are in play as she tastes and skates and sees the spirit in the sparkling lights and many more signs of the season. BUT this wise one is not just about having Christmas fun. Outside a store, she sees a homeless mother and child and “feels the spirit deep down in my soul.” Then she promptly goes in to let Santa know something must be done! Santa and a small crowd bring gifts to the family that needs help. On those pages, you read, “The spirit is here! The spirit is you!” 

Hanna’s Comments: I’m so glad I discovered this new book. It was perfect for my 3^rd Advent lesson in Trinity Treasures, the lectionary-based preschool curriculum that I’m writing. The theme for that day is “A Noisy Time” which I connected to Isaiah 12:5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for God has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth." And Zephaniah 3:14 "Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” My lesson that day involves lots of singing and making joyful noises! Notice that here spirit is written with a lower-case s. Consider with audiences older than preschoolers how the story’s meaning would be different had the publishers chosen to use an upper-case S. Then explore all the ways the word "spirit" shows up this time of year. 

Original Publisher & Date: Bloomsbury, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Besides the 2 scriptures mentioned above, connect this book to any verses about being spiritually inspired to spread love and joy.

Idea(s) for Application: Read this fun book to a group of children during Advent and have them explore what The Holy Spirit inside them encourages them to do and be and feel and sense during this holiday season. Then offer lots of noisy, spirited praise!

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 Series: For Our Youngest Children #2

Here's another book (and series) that I discovered while writing my lectionary-based curriculum for very young children. These books offer a fun start to a growing spirituality with very basic concepts and loveable characters. Itty-bitty peeps in your home or faith family will really enjoy these books! 

If you are interested in learning more about Trinity Treasures, my scripture-based preschool Sunday school curriculum that features picture books & children’s Bibles, contact me at hannaschock@bellsouth.net. Right now, free lessons are emailed if you agree to fill out the monthly feedback form.

Picture Book: Here’s the Reason God Made Me

Author: Mikal Keefer

Illustrator: Paula Becker

Summary: When young children experience this board book, they learn that God made them for affectionate loving. They are made for hugging,  

 snuggling,  

tickling,

and even napping - the quiet happy times. 

For children who love to dance and sing, they will be urged to do so because God wants them to.  

What's really nice is this book ends with a kiss from the child to you, the reader!

UPDATE: This post was written before the COVID pandemic.  

Hanna’s Comments: Be sure to engage in some of these affectionate and joyful behaviors when appropriate given your setting and your relationship with the child. The point is that we are made for joy! Joy in one another can be expressed in many ways! This book series is entitled Best of Li’l Buddies. Here are other titles published as of this date:

Everywhere I Go, God is with Me

From Head to Toe, God Made Me

Mad, Glad, or Sad, God is for Me

All Day Long, God Loves Me

Never Fear, God is Here

Original Publisher & Date: LifeTree (Group), 2017

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 1 and up, Toddler and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 100:1); A joyful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22); Love one another (John 13:34); ...above all these, put on love (Colossians 3:14); Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to very young children who are beginning to embark on their faith journeys. 

Froodle, Tiffle, and Wuppy

Picture Book: Froodle

Author & Illustrator: Antoinette Portis

Summary: This story of authenticity, silliness, and word play begins with a variety of birds singing their usual songs. 

Then Little Brown Bird decides not to peep. She suddenly lets out an usual sound. It gets everyone's attention. 

The other birds are surprised but not too displeased, except for Crow. 

Her friends remind Little Brown Bird of their usual songs.

Disheartened, Little Brown Bird peeps as she is supposed to, but it can't last. A tiffle, biffle, and a little miffle slip out. 

Then Cardinal decides to sing her special silly song - Ickle, zickle, pickle, trickle! 

Dove, who wants to be a peacemaker at first, tries out a new song too - Oobly, snoobly. 

Crow is encouraged by Cardinal to try to be silly too, but Crow rejects such a ridiculous idea and flies off. 

Little Brown Bird wants very much for Crow to enjoy the silliness and wonders. She and some friends approach Crow with caution and many demonstrations.  

 Finally...  

everything changes. 

Even other species join in with new sounds and therefore new possibilities.

Their world was never the same. 

Hanna’s Comments: This book is very fun! You can encourage your audience to emit some silly sounds themselves. There are several connections to scripture. Paul encourages us not to be conformed to the world. Both Psalm 33 and Revelation mention a new song. Isaiah speaks of doing a new thing. Whether discussing a new song, a new thing, or (for adults) True Self versus False Self (see Thomas Merton's writings), emphasize the spiritual practice of authenticity and the courage it takes to transform. Do explore together how monotony and mindless routine can become lifeless and inauthentic. Then consider when it might be a good idea to break the rules. Because of all the nonsense words in this story, you’ll want to do a thorough practice read. The message of this book is similar to the classic The Big Orange Splot. Check out that post [here].

Original Publisher & Date: Roaring Brook, 2014

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Sing to the Lord a new song (Psalm 33:3); Behold, I am doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19); Do not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:12); One who is in Christ is a new creation (2nd Corinthians 5:17); 

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of teens. Then talk about how God calls us into authentic transformation for the sake of the world.