How Big is Your Umbrella?

Below I feature my favorite picture book find so far this year! It is so simple and yet so profound and beautiful. It will definitely be reposted in the PBT Grab & Go category eventually.

Picture Book: The Big Umbrella

Author/Illustrator: Amy June Bates

Author: Juniper Bates 

Summary: A friendly umbrella is the protagonist of this fabulous picture book. It waits by the door. See its upside down face? 

 It hopes to be grabbed... 

and taken into the world.

It's really big...  

and loves to give shelter.  

 It doesn't matter who... or what you are! Really tall? 

Really hairy?  

Really plaid? 

Lots of legs? No matter, all are welcome! 

There's always room for anyone    

and everyone! 

Hanna’s Comments: If only all our umbrellas (and our invitations) had such smiles and capacities to grow! Obvious connections abound to the sacred practice of hospitality and issues of inclusion (so important in today's news headlines!). Under-girding this simple story and these beautiful images are God-ordained, scriptural themes of kindness, empathy, and a willingness to be squeezed into the joy of companionship. There are other PBT books Amy June Bates has illustrated, but this book is particularly special to her because she wrote it with her daughter, Juniper, who was only eleven at the time. The idea came as they were sharing an umbrella. Check out her illustrations in a book about vocation and giftedness called You Can Do It! here. She has 3 books about popular psalms. You'll find Let’s Make a Joyful Noise and I Will Rejoice featured here. Give Thanks to the Lord is a great book to read near an autumn holiday. Find it here. 

Original Publisher & Date: Simon & Schuster, 2018

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Treat the stranger as a native (Leviticus 19:34); Love your neighbor (Mark 12:31); Parable of the Banquet Guests (Luke 14:15-24); show hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9)

Idea(s) for Application: The sacred practice of hospitality and issues of inclusion are lesson topics important for all ages. Don't let the simplicity of this story keep you from reading it to audiences beyond their early elementary years. Consider questions of who is really welcome at your church and how you show hospitality in light of the difficulty some folks have walking into church communities. 

Was Christ Catawampus?

Picture Book: The Catawampus Cat

Author: Jason Carter Eaton

Illustrator: Gus Gordon

Summary: A cat walks into a busy town; he walks with a lean.

The first to notice him is a married couple of many years. The husband tries to straighten the cat, but...

 When they turn their heads just so, 

she spies her wedding ring and suddenly... 

with that small shift in perspective, they remember love.

Next a barber spots the cat. Tilting his head while giving a client a new haircut may not seem smart...

but she loves it! 

Throughout the town, the cat meanders while the inhabitants notice his slanted ways and do likewise. 

An unfulfilled artist making his living as a house painter watches the cat. After it passes, the painter is shocked to find his work quite original. 

The homeowner, the mayor, proclaims it a work of art! 

Even the local daredevil is distracted during a stunt. Instead of jumping Deadman's Gorge, he takes a different route. 

His stunt even more unusual, he sets a record for height. The daredevil is delighted! 

After seeing the catawampus cat inside the library, Miss Reade pulls the wrong book off the shelf, 

 and her life is changed permanently. Adventure awaits!

Bushy Brows Billiam found that he could see the classroom board when he tilted his head. Suddenly math made perfect sense! 

Soon the whole town is transformed. Even architecture changes with the townspeople's perspectives. 

Slantiness leads to all sorts of sunniness. 

Eventually, the mayor stands before the off-kilter town on Catawampus Cat Day ready to give the cat an award for his positive influence. 

When asked what he thought now that the whole town was like him, the cat's response was surprising. 

Instead of answering directly, he did some calisthenics. 

Apparently wanting to keep his catawampus status, he walked out of town, straightened but still catawampus compared to the town and its people. 

Hanna’s Comments: When I read the gospels, Jesus contrasts with the culture of his day. Likewise, he contrasts with modern culture. People responded to his message in ways that transformed their view of life and others. Today we still are transformed by his message and way of viewing life. He was both a magnetic personality and a confusing one. Like the catawampus cat here, he tended to avoid answering direct questions and offered a new perspective on many topics such as outsiders, status, worry, and even the Law. I suggest you read this book while emphasizing the way the cat is transforming the townspeople. Then say, “Jesus was sort of like the catawampus cat.” Depending on your audience, provide those connections yourself or let your audience discover them. But that’s not enough! Go deeper. Ask your audience to reflect (or answer aloud) how knowing the gospel of Jesus has transformed their perspectives and their lives. Perhaps they have experienced love, been delighted by surprise, discovered their artistry, gained an adventurous spirit, soared to new heights, or found they can do things thought impossible. Even a catawampus cat can give us insight to our spiritual growth and desires to see more like Christ.

Original Publisher & Date: Crown Books, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: The Beatitudes (Matthew 5) and other statements from Jesus that were surprising such as “Whoever finds life will lose it, and whoever loses life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39); Stories about life-changing encounters Jesus had with others, particularly when it resulted in a perspective change and transformation, such as The Woman at the Well (John 4:4-42); Mary in the Kitchen (Luke 10:38-42); and Zacchaeus, the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what are the ways of God (Romans 12:2)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children to help them explore how a biblical perspective can be transformative. Connect this idea to how Jesus came into a town and changed the perspective of so many he met. 

Big Questions

Picture Book: Life on Mars

Author & Illustrator: Jon Agee

Summary: Alone in his determination to prove life on Mars, 

an astronaut arrives on the planet with a gift of chocolate cupcakes. 

He walks upon the “gloomy” surface,

ready to spy any sign of life. Soon he is spotted 

 and followed, 

but he is oblivious or perhaps his companion is particularly sneaky and shy.

With such a desolate landscape, the astronaut reconsiders his position. “Could anything possibly live here?” 

Hopeless, he decides to go home and drops the gift. 

It is quickly inspected by the Martian. 

 After much wandering and losing his way, 

the astronaut spots a lone flower.  

He picks it to take back to Earth, proof that he was right. 

Soon after, he comes upon his gift, picks it up, and climbs a mountain to seek his spaceship.  

The mountain is unusual in its color, but he doesn't notice.

He finds the spaceship and leaves the planet certain of his success and initial position. 

After blasting toward home, he opens the package believing he is deserving of the cupcakes. 

 Surprise!

Hanna’s Comments: Your children in your faith family or at home will love this story. It’s simple, funny, and profound. The illustrations really tell the story so make sure your audience has a clear view. You’ll be surprised how quickly children can step into conversations about proof or lack of proof where God is concerned. Make sure they understand that you are not saying that God is the Martian although there may be ways the Martian is like God (present or  observant, for instance). There’s a lot to interpret here, particularly the thoughts and feelings of the Martian. Belief seems to be the main theme, but it offers an opportunity to explore several theological ideas such as faith, doubt, exploration, certainty, pride, and wisdom. The concept of plunder comes to mind too. For an adult audience, might this book be a parable for those who are oblivious to and disrespectful of the rich and valid theologies of other faiths? Might the flower be symbolic of natural resources as signs of God’s presence? Is this little gift representing the little bit we might offer in exchange for access to something much richer and perhaps not ours to be accessed? All possible directions this fun book can take you and your listeners.  

Original Publisher & Date: Dial Books, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1); for we walk by faith, not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of elementary children, teens, or adults and do some age-appropriate exploring of some of the concepts  and big questions listed above or others you find.