Another PBT God Book! What does that mean?

A PBT God book is different from most books featured here. In 2014, I created PBT to tell you about secular books in local libraries and elsewhere that could be treasures for ministry. PBT picture books would keep church curriculum costs down, lead to more topical and visual diversity, and get rich relatable material into the hands of all ages in churches, church-based schools, and homes. I hope you and your settings have benefitted from my work!

In 2014, I knew I would also feature some non-secular books, like Old Turtle, that were what I considered exceptional God Books. Its sequels are here and also here. 

Put simply, PBT God Books are picture books about the nature of God, some overtly so, like these 3 from Karma Wilson and some more subtly, like this reframing of The Giving Tree. But I had no idea how many fabulous God books (and frankly, bad God books) were available! I hoped PBT would help you find the best God books. Right now, there are over 100 here at PBT, sometimes more than 1 in a post. Type “God Book” in the search box in the upper right corner or go to the "God Book" search label that's low in the web version’s format.  

I could easily tell you about many more God Books, and I will! Here’s one I especially love:

Picture Book: Picturing God

Author/Illustrator: Ruth Goring

Summary: In simple language and mixed-media images, Ruth Goring offers a rich spiritual experience for any age. She offers 16 metaphors for God straight from the Bible. Jesus and the Spirit are mentioned as well. 

Hanna’s Comments: There is so much excellent content here that you could use this book for a series of lessons and discuss only a few pages at a time. Then you could have some fun making mixed-media art! My favorite double-page spread won't show well here. It shows 2 dark-skinned children in a dark wood walking along a stone path. The text: 

When we don't know where to go, 

God's light shines on our path 

and leads us home. 

Original Publisher: Beaming Books, 2019

Age Appropriateness: 4 and up

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: This wonderful book has a very helpful list in the back of nearly 40 scriptures that correspond to the book's images! 

Connections to The Revised Common Lectionary: In my Trinity Treasures lectionary-based curriculum for preschoolers, I recommend this book for lessons on God as a rock & cornerstone, God being like a parent, God's Goodness, and The Trinity: Our Helper.

PBT Applications: This would be an excellent book to read to teens or adults. Before showing the book, give drawing materials. Ask participants to draw how they imagined God when they were children. Then ask for volunteers to show &/or tell about their drawings. I was once in a group with my new husband when we were given this task. I was delighted with his image of God on top of the hood of his family's car! I had not yet heard that story!

If you are interested in learning 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 fill out the monthly feedback form.

from the late Rachel Held Evans

 

Want more about this beloved writer? See the previous PBT post, including website link.

Picture Book: What is God Like?

Author: Rachel Held Evans & Matthew Paul Turner

Illustrator: Ying Hui Tan

Forward: Daniel Jonce Evans (Evan’s husband who gives context to her beginning this book & explains the couple’s relationship to Turner.)

Summary: This daring book begins with an acknowledgement that the title is a very big question. It explains that no one has seen “all of God,” but “we can know what God is like.” At the book’s end, it says all people have been asking the title question throughout time. The reader is encouraged to keep wondering and learning. It ends profoundly and assuredly: 

But whenever you aren’t sure what God is like, think about what makes you feel safe, what makes you feel brave, and what makes you feel loved. That’s what God is like.

Hanna’s Comments:  The bulk of these pages are similes (what God is like) and metaphors (“God is…” statements). The illustrations of young children shouldn't limit the age of your audience. For an older or mixed-age audience, such as a whole congregation, simply read the text without showing the book. Besides the compelling and rich text, I especially appreciate the beauty & diversity of Tan's images.

Original Publisher & Date: Convergent, 2021

Age Appropriateness: Preschool & up

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Scripture ties will be driven by the specific images for God you choose to explore. Many tie directly to familiar scriptures. Here are just a few of the 14 images I found: God is like… an eagle, a fort, a rainbow, the stars, a mother, a father, a candle flame, an artist, a shepherd...

PBT Applications: There is a lot of text here. Read it entirely if to a group older than preschool age. This will easily start a faith conversation. For preschoolers, a few select pages will do. If you want to dig into some specifics, pass out several books and have small groups choose which images and words they respond to most.

December Holiday Books #7 & #8

Below I'm featuring 2 very different picture books that celebrate the birth of Christ. The first looks like a secular book on the cover, but it's focus is quite sacred. The 2nd is a visual feast for those wanting to expose their faith family to classical art and new ways of viewing the nativity. Have a blessed and safe Christmas as we celebrate God with us.

Picture Book: My Merry Christmas

Author: Sally Lloyd-Jones

Illustrator: Sara Gianassi

Summary: "What is Christmas?" is the question that begins this book. Sure there are stars and gifts and much more, but "...what is Christmas really for?" Readers are asked to consider what are their favorite Christmas symbols and whether their meanings directly relate to Jesus. The lights of Christmas remind us of a desire for the Lord to light our paths. Angels remind us of joyous celebrations of Jesus' entrance into the world. Evergreens remind us of eternal life. Stars remind us of the wise men who knew to humbly search, worship, and give. And the gifts under our tree are reminders that love is God's greatest gift. The book ends with a thank you for Christmas and John 3:16.

Hanna’s Comments: The illustrations and cover of this book may seem juvenile, but it has great potential for conversations about whether or not we take the time to look beyond the trappings of the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons to their meanings and messages. This author also has written a wonderful Bible for Christian children called The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. That subtitle tells you how it’s different from a typical Bible. I especially love this Bible's illustrations. Check it out as a potential gift to children in your family or faith family.

Original Publisher & Date: B & H Kids, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about the birth of Jesus, (Matthew 1:18-2:1-12 & Luke 1:26-38, 2: 1-15)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group in your faith family during Advent to help them explore what the symbols of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany really mean to Christians. 

Picture Book: The Nativity

Author: Geraldine Elschner

Illustrator: Giotto

Summary: In this gorgeous picture book, simple text is paired with glowing masterpieces from a Renaissance painter. It highlights Giotto's interpretation of the major events in the Christmas story from the angel Gabriel telling Mary she has been chosen to bear the son of God to the threesome's flight to Egypt.

Hanna’s Comments: Many children have little exposure to classical art. Those living in poverty sometimes have a deficit of beauty in their lives. One of the benefits of PBT is exposure to good art in the illustrations that are experienced with the stories. This art can open us to new possibilities of meaning, delight, and wonder - all important aspects of spirituality and faith. In this book, you have vibrant gold foil artwork on the halos of key players who, in varying degrees, seem human and otherworldly. I think the faces in these images are particularly powerful too. Be sure to ask your audience how they personally react to such images and if these figures of the nativity give new meaning to their own interpretation of Jesus' birth and life. 

Original Publisher & Date: Minedition, 2015

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Scriptures about the birth of Jesus, (Matthew 1:18-2:1-12 & Luke 1:26-38, 2: 1-15) 

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of elementary children and expand their imaginings about the Nativity and the events of Jesus' birth and life.

Patriotism and Religion: Blurred Boundaries

Picture Book: Blue Sky, White Stars

Author: Sarvinder Naberhaus

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Summary: This book is a tribute to the beauty of the American flag and other imagery of the United States. It’s short, simple, and clever. Brief phrases are repeated once, sometimes with a little tweaking. Here are some sample pairings of phrases and illustrations:

Hanna’s Comments: Tomorrow is Independence Day in the USA so I’m featuring a new book celebrating the best of my country. The author, an immigrant at age 4, says her initial idea for this book was of immigrants boarding ships to America, hoping for religious freedom while looking up at a dark blue sky of stars. As he painted, the illustrator, thought of Abraham Lincoln’s “enduring admonition ‘a house divided cannot stand.’” Where does this book fit in the life of a faith family? The lines between patriotism and religion can be blurred (see scriptures below) so a conversation about both could be very enlightening. I encourage you to explore these 2 important aspects of being human and consider how they can be both harmonizing and in tension. If you are not American, find similar patriotic books and do likewise. Such conversations offer great opportunities for discerning our loyalties and our limits.

Original Publisher & Date: Dial, 2017

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

Formats other than Book: Digital

Scripture Connections: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12); …render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s. (Matthew 22:21); Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36); But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29); But our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of tweens, teens, or adults and explore the potential blurring of patriotism and religion. You can see from the scriptures listed above, that the issue is a muddy one.

PBT Techniques #6: Illustration Inspiration

Now and then I read a book with amazing illustration techniques that can be explored by children. I’m not big on crafts in children’s faith lessons because I find that too often they are super simple (pencil, glue, paper, scissors, etc.) or they reinforce the concepts only at the surface (color a sheep after The Parable of the Lost Sheep). Now and then the techniques in a craft or art experience can be another way to get across the message of the lesson. Think coloring mandalas or praying in color - see Praying in Color: Kid’s Edition [here]. 

The book below offers illustrations that would be fun to create. As I read, I imagined a table overloaded with discards and debris being used by children to create some fish. 

The inspiration for your children is all over the pages, but be sure to make some rain fish beforehand so you can guide them through the process. You might want to have some images of actual fish around so they can see the varying shapes, sizes, features, and colors. Also, you'll likely need to make fish cooperatively together or with you modeling, particularly at first.  

The concept of fish is found many places in our scriptures. While the children are making fish, continue talking about the concepts you want to reinforce and tie them directly to the making of the fish if you can. But your lesson doesn’t have to be connected directly to scripture. Your faith family’s history (ancient or more recent) is always another source for lessons. The symbol of a fish was and still is an identifying mark for Christians and an important story for Christian children to hear. There are many reasons a fish was used. The history behind this symbol will intrigue your kids. Check it out [here].

Picture Book: Rain Fish

Author & Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Summary: Mixed-media collage artist and picture book author extraordinaire Lois Ehlert offers an art lesson within a tale of redemption. 

The illustrations are stunning and messages of hope, resilience, freedom, and transformation after diversity are hidden between the lines as the debris and discards from a rain storm are transformed into rain fish. Here’s a bit of the text:

When blue sky turns gray

and it rains all day,

that’s when rain fish come out and play.

They hide in debris

until rain sets them free.  

Hanna’s Comments: In the Author’s Note, Ehlert explains that she collected her art materials from drains after storms. This took her a year so don’t have high expectations for the beauty of your children’s creations. Here the process will be much more important than the product, as is true in life. 

After reading, encourage your children to talk about the kinds of things that happen after a storm and then broaden those concepts into conversation about the positive effects of adversity. Mention that excellent art often comes in turbulent times. Also, people become more resilient and able to persevere when they have been in difficult situations. There are many examples in scripture.

After telling your children one or more of the scripture or historical connections of fish, have them make a fish or two from discards and debris you have provided. 

If you choose to tell them about the Christian Fish Symbol, teach them to make that symbol again and again with tools like paint brushes or calligraphy pens (it’s tricky but fun), until they have some mastery. 

Leaf Man is another of Ehlert’s books with similar illustration strategies. Other excellent Lois Ehlert books can be found at PBT [here] and [here].

Original Publisher & Date: Beach Lane Books, 2016

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: The disciples were called to be fishers of people (Matthew 4:19); feeding loaves and fishes to the crowd (Mark 8 & John 6); All things can work together for good… (Romans 8:28)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book to inspire a lesson about the positive effects after a “stormy” situation or the history of the Christian symbol of a fish.