PBT Redux #21 Waiting for Spring & Easter

Today I post again about a picture book that is perfect for children just before spring and during the season of Lent, the liturgical season before Easter. 

Picture Book: Waiting for Wings

Author & Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Summary: In clever verse, bold shapes, and interesting paper cuts, Lois Ehlert depicts the entire life cycle of 4 different kinds of butterflies. Beginning as tiny eggs hidden among the leaves of plants, these 4 creatures change form into caterpillars, build their cocoons, and become butterflies ready to lay eggs. This book may look simple (and sideways) from the cover, but the amount of information you'll find here is amazing! 

Hanna’s Comments: This picture book offers scientific concepts in an appealing context. Find in the back identifying tips for the 4 butterflies and the many flowers that star in this book, general butterfly information, and instructions on planting a butterfly garden. The butterfly has often been used as a metaphor for spiritual transformation. Even young children can begin to see the connections between changes over time in humans and how butterflies evolve. Because they are growing so rapidly and learning new skills, the idea of transformation is not foreign to young children. Also, the symbol of the cocoon and transformation to new life as a butterfly are natural metaphors for Lent (the 40 days before Easter). This book can help you explain to even the youngest children the symbolic darkness and ritual sacrifices of the Lenten season.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 2001

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

Formats other than Book: Audio, In the video collection: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type and More Amusing Animal Tales.

Scripture Connections: In general, this book connects to any Bible character for which there is great transformation such as Joseph (in Genesis), disciples such as Matthew (in the Gospels), the woman at the well (in John), Saul/Paul (in Acts), and Jesus (in the Easter story). The way in which a caterpillar cocoons and then becomes a butterfly also connects metaphorically to the seasons of Lent and Easter.

Idea(s) for Application: Use the book above and the author’s partner book about a rainbow of plants [here] to celebrate God’s creative diversity by connecting the butterflies and plants to various people in your faith community. With permission, talk about transformations that person has experienced. Then have the children color or draw that butterfly/plant and present their depiction to the person.

Grab & Go #12 - Stone Soup

Here’s another great book if you need a lesson for adults or children in your faith community and don’t have much time to prepare. It practically teaches itself! It’s an old tale full of rich meaning that particularly contrasts with modern paradigms of fear and scarcity. The scripture connections are many.

Picture Book: Stone Soup 

Author & Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
Summary: This is an oft-told legend of scarcity, fear, & selfishness in which 3 strangers enter an unwelcoming village & begin to make stone soup, a dish for which sharing is required. Their mysterious soup prep happens in the center of town so the hungry villagers become curious. It takes a child's courage to make contact and urge her elders to come see, smell, contribute, and eventually taste. Little by little, the villagers give out of their scarcity and experience the marvels of generosity and community.
Hanna’s Comments: Various versions of this old tale have been published; this one has a beautiful Chinese setting. Tom Chapin has recorded a wonderful song with the same title and story. The video version of this book was shared during worship at my church when we were launching a year of focusing our local mission activities on food deserts in our city. This is truly a beautiful book with an incredible message that all will understand! 

Original Publisher & Date: Scholastic, 2003
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Preschool and upFormats other than book: tablet, video on-line and in several video collections

Scripture Connections: ...and a little child will lead them. (Isaiah 11:6); Boy with Loaves & Fishes (Matthew 14:13, Mark 6:31, Luke 9:10, John 6:5); any scripture about generosity, hospitality, or abundance

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to your faith family and explore the importance of hospitality, generosity, abundance rather than scarcity, or unity in community.

PBT Stories #4: Singing Our Faith

A favorite memory at my church happened when I taught Music Play. It was time to demonstrate what the children were learning in a worship service. I had about 12 children (all post high school now!) standing across the front ready to sing and do their motions with great enthusiasm. 

Suddenly, I felt terribly privileged. I had the opportunity to teach these children songs that could spiritually ground their faith for a lifetime. They sang lyrics like…

My God is so great

So strong and so mighty

There’s nothing my God cannot do.

AND

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified.

Do not be discouraged

For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.

AND

O God, you are my God

And I will ever praise you….

I will seek you in the morning

And I will learn to walk in your ways.

And step by step you’ll lead me.

And I will follow you all of my days.

My children still remember many of these song. I hope their memories will serve them well as they face adulthood.

At present, I’m writing a Sunday school curriculum for our children (age 1 through 5). It is called Trinity Treasures and is tied to The Revised Common Lectionary. Lessons use picture books, readings from particular children's Bibles, and activities to learn more about a key idea or story from the Bible. Yesterday I wrote a lesson for October 22. The Trinity Idea for that lesson is

No one is like God. With your special voice, sing praise songs to God. 

Again, I'm privileged to encourage our children to understand the importance of singing praise to God. 

Today's post is pulled from PBT archives of my first year in which I posted about a new PBT book every day. Your children will love this story about an African girl who wants to find out what to do with all of her happiness. After seeing the many ways her family members show joy, she finds her own special way. I be you can guess what she does! 

Picture Book: Anna Hibiscus’ Song

Author: Atinuke

Illustrator: Lauren Tobia

Summary: Anna Hibiscus is an African child who loves to sit in a mango tree and watch her extended family in their daily tasks. She becomes so happy she doesn’t know what to do with her joy. She comes down and begins asking a series of relatives how she might express her happiness. Each of them has a suggestion (counting the reasons why she’s happy, dancing, tumbling, whispering in an ear “I love you”…) all of which she tries, but her happiness only grows. After her mother confesses to sitting quietly when happy, Anna Hibiscus settles into her mango tree again, but she is still about to burst with happiness. Then the birds inspire her to open her mouth wide and sing. Oh how she sings!   

Hanna’s Comments: Besides the overall delight of this picture book, I especially like the way the love of these extended family members shines through. Also, I am always glad to see various skin colors in picture books. Lauren Tobia has chosen to give us a bi-racial Anna Hibiscus. Anna’s mother appears light-skinned. Anytime book illustrators offer non-white characters, especially protagonists, their offerings are especially appreciated by those of us who hope to see more diverse characters in children’s books. Note and Helpful Hint: There are several Anna Hibiscus books. Some are picture books and some are early chapter books. If you are looking on-line, you can usually tell this by the photo of the book. Picture books are usually more square than chapter books.

Original Publisher & Date: Kane Miller, 2011

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: Let us sing to the Lord (Psalm 95:1); O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt you and praise your name. (Isaiah 25:1); Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4)

Idea(s) for Application: The concept of worship is often difficult for children to understand. This book offers a wonderful demonstration of why and how we worship God in various ways. Sometimes praise and thanksgiving to God is the most natural human response we can make. 

New PBT Series: Picture Book Classics #1

One of the delights of Picture Book Theology is discovering how an old favorite, perhaps a much-loved story from your childhood, can be viewed in a fresh way through spiritual or theological ideals. There are many such classics featured here at PBT. Today I begin a new series highlighting those oldies but goodies, offering again what I gleaned from a silly but compelling read that encourages us to live more fully a life of authenticity and creativity as I believe God intended. Additionally, this little treasure is a model for listening when differences arise in community. Now that’s a topic in which we could all use a little inspiration!

Picture Book: The Big Orange Splot

Author & Illustrator: Daniel Manus Pinkwater

Summary: Mr. Plumbean happily lives on a “neat street” where all the houses look the same. A seagull carrying a can of paint (“no one knows why,” it says) spills paint on his house resulting in a big, orange splot. He delays re-painting his house. When neighbors complain, he paints his home with multiple colors. His neighbors are astounded and fear he’s gone mad. Meanwhile, Mr. Plumbean builds a clock tower, does some tropical landscaping, and adds a hammock. When they complain, he explains, “My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.” His next door neighbor is sent as a delegate to convince him to conform. Instead, the neighbor too rebels, painting his house like a ship. One by one, the neighbors are converted, and the look of their neighborhood is transformed.

Hanna’s Comments: One of the many aspects of this book that I like is that the conflicts are handled through face to face, civil conversation. Despite some fear and misunderstanding, the neighbor/delegate visits Mr. Plumbean and somehow Mr. Plumbean convinces the neighbor to risk painting his own house to reveal his dreams. The importance of listening while others dream aloud might be a point of conversation after reading this book. More obviously, it is a delightful book about being drawn to express our authentic selves in community. That is a godly pursuit!

Publisher & Date of Publication: Scholastic, 1977

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

Scripture Connections: Do not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book at a religious community’s arts camp. Tie in the idea of God’s creativity revealed through creation, including our own authenticity.

Creation and Ecclesiastes

From Let There Be Light by Tutu & Tillman

Here are 4 beautiful books that I've been savoring for some time. 

From Creation Song by Scott-Brown

The subject for the first pair of books is the creation story as interpreted by one of the world’s leading Christian theologians, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Anna Scott-Brown, a woman born in Nepal whose words are inspired by her birth country.

From Let There Be Light by Tutu & Tillman

Both offer renditions of the creation of our universe that emphasize God’s desire for relationship and loving delight in the creative process. Also, in both, the illustrations are luminous and joyful.

From Let There Be Light by Tutu & Tillman

Tutu’s book has the 7-day structure. It begins with personal letters from Archbishop Tutu and Nancy Tillman and ends with images of children and the words, “You are loved.” 

I’ve featured several of this illustrator’s other books here at PBT, most recently on 1/11/16.

Different but beautiful as well, Scott-Brown’s book is more abstract and free-flowing. Here God sings... 

and dances the universe into being!

Of the two, only Scott-Brown’s book ends with images of Adam and Eve, who are merely referred to as the two beings who God made in God’s own likeness. There is no story of eating the forbidden fruit.

Both books use masculine pronouns for God. If you don’t want to use these, try using small Post-it notes with the word “God” on them where the male pronouns exist and substitute that word.

From Let There Be Light by Tutu & Tillman

Light is emphasized in both books so consider these when wanting to illuminate that subject and not creation necessarily. 

From Creation Song by Scott-Brown

For either book, I suggest emphasizing God’s creativity and how our desires to create with ideas or materials might be evidence of God’s image in us.

From Let There Be Light by Tutu & Tillman

Here at PBT, I’ve also featured another picture book about creation on 6/9/14. Mr. and Mrs. God in the Creation Kitchen by Nancy Wood and Timothy Basil Ering is a hilarious imagining of how our universe came into being.

Picture Book: Let There Be Light

Author: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Illustrator: Nancy Tillman

Original Publisher & Date: Zonderkidz, 2013

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Picture Book: Creation Song

Author: Anna Scott-Brown

Illustrator: Elena Gomez

Original Publisher & Date: Lion Children’s, 2007

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

The well-known words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 are celebrated in the next pair of picture books. The text of these picture books is almost identical. I’ll explain one minor difference below. 

However, their illustrations are quite different so consider your purposes and audience when choosing. 

In this first book, the connections between the text and illustration is less obvious, but the images are less violent and more relate-able.  

Jude Daly offers these verses in the context of her native of South Africa. Her illustrations are simple and rural. "A time to be born" is illustrated above. 

You can offer your children a geography lesson as well as a lesson in scripture.

The entire scripture is found again on the last page. I recommend this book for younger elementary-aged children.

Picture Book: To Everything There is a Season

Illustrator: Jude Daly

Original Publisher & Date: Eerdman’s, 2006

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

In the second book in this pairing, the illustrators amazingly render each coupled statements in the style of a different world culture. For this reason, I suggest an older audience. Here’s an example:

Above and below you see verse 8 “A time to love, and a time to hate” are offered in the style of stone-cut art created by Inuit people from The Far North (Siberia to Greenland).

Explain to your audience that these images are original to the illustrators; these are not ancient drawings. Below you see "a time to refrain from embracing" represented in the style of art created in Ethiopia in the 17th - 18th centuries ACE. 

This picture book offers wonderful comparative art history while subtly emphasizes how these ancient verses have been true across time and cultures. It would be perfect for a homeschool or private school situation. Below "A time to plant" is represented in the style of a Japanese woodblock print.

Each pair of illustrations is explained in brief in a list in the back of the book. Be prepared to answer questions about the illustrations, like the one below illustrating "a time to heal" in the style of art found in pre-conquest Mexico. 

The small difference in text referenced above is simply that this book ends with verse 9 “One generation passes away, and another generation comes: But the Earth abides forever.”

Picture Book: To Everything There is a Season: Verses from Ecclesiastes.

Illustrators: Leo & Diane Dillon

Original Publisher & Date: The Blue Sky Press, 1998

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 10 & up, 5^th and up

Formats other than Book: None at present

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 365!!!!!!!!!!

Picture Book: Big and Small, Room for All

Author: Jo Ellen Bogart

Illustrator: Gillian Newland

Summary: The first double page spread of this book has a little girl in a tree. The words read, “Big and Small, Big and Small.” Then a visual jump is made to the vast universe. “Room for all, Big and small.” With each page, a tighter view occurs. First the big sky (universe) and small sun, then the big sun and small Earth, and so on until you read, “What is smaller than a flea? A world of things too small to see.”  

Hanna’s Comments: This book captures my values in a nutshell. I believe every element of this universe is a beloved creation of our loving God. Also, here the mystery of the Divine is captured in the big sky and even in the tiniest creatures. My church’s vision statement is “An Open Place for All to Worship, Grow, and Serve.” This big statement is an invitation to anyone who happens to walk in our doors, no matter how small they are feeling. We are a big church, with a big steeple, and big stained-glass windows. But we know that small things matter, a warm greeting for a visitor, a phone call when someone is missed, or a touch when a beloved friend is hurting. I love my church because our big hearts for our much bigger God are expressed in the small ways we are the hands and feet of Christ to others on a small corner of this world in downtown Birmingham, AL, USA, Earth….

I have now demonstrated for you 365 times that big ideas can be found in even small picture books. The two extremes represented in this picture book ground my faith in a way that is comforting and has kept me writing these blog posts for you for 365 consecutive days, a big goal that I have managed, with God’s help, to accomplish, one small step (day) at a time. Praise God!

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Tundra Books, 2009

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book connects with: abundance/bounty, adoration, animals, attentiveness/observation/seeing, awe, babies/children, beauty, belonging, blessings, creation, diversity, Earth/world, the environment/nature, God’s care/providence, heaven/sky, life, moon/space/stars/sun, mystery, reverence, variety, wonder

Scripture Connections: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers… who are we that you are mindful of us? (Psalm 8:3-4)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children, youth, or adults who are wanting to consider both the enormity and detail of God’s creation and the way in which God is in the big picture and the details.  

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 355

Picture Book: Above My Head, Beneath My Feet

Author & Illustrator: K. D. Plum

Summary: This is a cleverly designed book that demonstrates in several situations what can be found above a young boy’s head and beneath his feet. Each page has a flap to flip, revealing the boy’s discoveries. Some are cut-away illustrations and some are wide expanses in space. For example, he awakens and sees curtains, his window, and the sun above his head. His lost slipper and kitty are found underneath his feet in the bed covers. He goes outside and sees the city’s clock tower, flags, and leaves above his head while beneath his feet are sidewalk, grass, dirt, anthills, and ant tunnels.

Hanna’s Comments: There’s some great science in this fun flap book, but even better, you’ll be encouraging young children to be more observant and discover new aspects of God’s creation. While reading this book, be sure to ask them about other discoveries they can make on each page. Help them identify which of those discoveries are made by God and which are human-made. With observation comes wonder, and with wonder comes gratitude to God for making such an amazing world and giving humans the abilities to use our minds to invent things. All are celebrated here! Consider this book an invitation to go out and explore God’s world with a sense of wonder and gratitude.

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Price, Stern, Sloan, Inc., 1997

Age & Grade Appropriateness: Toddler and up 

# of Pages: 14

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Rare but Worth the Search, Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book connects with: abundance/bounty, animals, attentiveness/observation/seeing, awe, beauty, blessings, creation, discovery/invention, diversity, Earth/world, the environment/nature, exploration, found, gratitude/thanksgiving, heaven/sky, land/mountains/soil, moon/space/stars/sun, reverence, variety, wonder

Scripture Connections: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1); for by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16); you, Lord, laid the foundations of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands (Hebrews 1:10)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of young children who are learning to explore and be grateful for God’s amazing world. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 352

Dynamic Duo: Book 1

Picture Book: A Seed is Sleepy

Author: Dianna Hutts Aston

Illustrator: Sylvia Long

Summary: This informative and striking picture book offers pictorial details and fun facts about a wide variety of seeds in a range of sizes, textures, structures, colors, idiosyncrasies, transport methods, and habitats. You’ll find the anatomy of a seed and the life cycles of several common seeds. There are some anecdotes such as the story of an ancient seed, unearthed in an archeological dig, that surprised the scientists by sprouting! The title comes from the fact that most seeds are dormant for a season or more.  

Hanna’s Comments: This picture book is one of a beautiful series of 6. Each offers gorgeous details and facts about its subject, even on the end papers. More books may follow. Here are the other titles, all of which have central subjects that are often spiritual or religious themes:

A Nest is Noisy

A Butterfly is Patient

A Rock is Lively

An Egg is Quiet
A Beetle is Shy

Remember, this type of non-fiction book is perfect for doing some creative program planning around a particular scriptural theme.This is the first offering in a PBT Dynamic Duo about seeds. Tomorrow’s book is a narrative from the point of view of a moonflower seed.

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Chronicle Books, 2007

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

# of Pages: 40 

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Tablet 

PBT Category: Non-fiction, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book connects with: abundance/bounty, awe, beauty, beginnings/morning, blessing, breath/breathing/wind, caring/tending, dependence/interdependence, diversity, dying, eggs/seeds, the environment/nature, evangelism, faith/faithfulness, flowers/leaves/trees, fruit/fruit of the Spirit, gardening/planting/pruning/sowing, growing up/growth, hope, land/mountains/soil, patience, perseverance, purpose, quiet/rest/silence/sleep, transformation, variety, waiting, wonder

Scripture Connections: I have given you every plant yielding seed… and every tree with seed in its fruit. (Genesis 1:29); the seed parables (Matthew 13); unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24); whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this picture book when researching and planning lessons about how seeds are viewed symbolically in the Holy Scriptures or in a personal faith journey. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 335

Picture Book: Whose Eyes are These?

Author & Illustrator: Elizabeth Burman Patterson 

Summary: In this book of riddles and enchanting paintings of animals’ eyes, a simple question is asked, “Whose eyes are these?” Thus the beautiful and distinctive attributes of a variety of species are offered for amazement and contemplation while giving God the credit for such wonderful designs. The introduction explains that readers are about to go on a sight-seeing safari. The answers are surreptitiously given in upside down text on the page. You’ll also find a mirror at the end for your children to gaze into their own eyes and think about their perfect design. 

Hanna’s Comments: There are other books with this title that are similar though they use photographs rather than paintings. I like this one because I can consider it a “God book” since there is an introduction by Rev. Bern Brunsting, and in one of the animal riddles you’ll find, “God made me just right,” a phrase I suggest you have your audience repeat after each animal description.

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1997

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

# of Pages: 28

Available in Spanish? Not at present 

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: God Book, Pre 2K 

PBT Topics this Book connects with:  abundance/bounty, animals, attentiveness/observation/seeing, awe, beauty, blessings, bonds/connections, contemplation, creation, difference, diversity, the environment/nature, reverence, variety, vision, wonder

Scripture Connections: God created every living creature that moves (Genesis 1:21); Who teaches us more than the beasts? (Job 35:11); the Lord’s mercy is over all that the Lord has made (Psalm 145:9)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children who are learning about animals and God’s wonderful design for them. 

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 326

Picture Book: And Here’s to You! 

Author: David Elliott

Illustrator: Randy Cecil

Summary: This book is a collection of clever and loving affirmations of all sorts of people, not your typical categories of people though: feather people (birds), bubble people (fish), hungry people (bears) and others. In the illustrations, the human characters are delighted by all the diversity within and among these species. For each set of animals, there’s a rhythmic verse with a consistent meter and form that is repeated with substitutions for each species, including one celebrating People People (humans) at the end. Here’s a sample:

Here’s to the frogs!

The Singing People!

Frogs!

Here’s to the bass ones.

The big nothing–but-face ones.

Here’s to the little peeping ones,

And lily pad and leaping ones.

Oh, I love the frogs!

Hanna’s Comments: This picture book is not just about animal diversity. It's also all about the practice of loving affirmation! It could easily be used to explore gratitude and even contemplation. All are faith practices that are easy and important for children to learn. What is contemplation as a faith practice? It’s simply centering your body while quietly considering a word, object, or any bit of God's creation. If you have some good writers, encourage them to come up with their own verses using the same meter or do this together as a group. They don’t have to continue the animal theme. You could offer other themes such as flowers, weather, foods, trees, vacation spots, music, etc. I do think these should be natural, not man-made, so that the gratitude and contemplation are easily realized. Allowing your children to be creative will engage them and make the learning more meaningful. Be sure to emphasize and demonstrate one of the faith practices mentioned above.

Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Candlewick Press, 2004

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Audio CD

PBT Category: Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book connects with: abundance/bounty, affirmation, animals, awe, beauty, community, differences, diversity, Earth/world, environment/nature, gladness/happiness, gratitude/thanksgiving, joy, variety, wonder

Scripture Connections: Ask the beasts, they will teach you. (Job 12:7); whoever is righteous has regard for the life of their beasts (Proverbs 12:10) let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6); for by God all things were created (Colossians 1:16)

Idea(s) for Application:  Read this book in a lesson for preschool or elementary children on God’s creative diversity or the practices of affirmation, gratitude, or contemplation.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 313

Picture Book: What a Family! A Fresh Look at Family Trees

Author & Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

Summary: Ollie navigates his family tree with Grandpa Max’s help. This book offers a unique way to help children understand a family tree and how various attributes are inherited. It represents one particular family and demonstrates how features such as freckles, hair texture, and skin color are passed on through generations and shown across generations. It also explains the difference between a first cousin and a first cousin once removed. To help with understanding Ollie’s family composition, the end papers offer the diagram of his family tree.

Hanna’s Comments: This book can serve as a fun entrance into conversations on the concept of genetic inheritance and blessing. The concept of “inheritance” doesn’t have to be limited to genetics. Consider talking about these words in ways that are connected to our Holy Scriptures. We have parables and stories that mention these concepts, and we have a rich inheritance from our biblical patriarchs and matriarchs. Even those who are unnamed in the scriptures have passed on a tradition of precepts, stories, and wisdom that benefit and orient us thousands of years later. Don’t forget to talk about the most valuable aspects of our inheritance: faith, hope, and the greatest of these… love. These are all a part of our inheritance/blessing. Then consider what the younger members of your family of faith are now gaining from your older generations. Perhaps there are observable attributes or passions that are shared. Certainly there will be beliefs and religious practices. All of these are a part of your community’s rich inheritance.

Publisher & Date of Publication: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Non-fiction, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abilities, ancestors/patriarchs/matriarchs, babies/children, belonging, blessings, bonds/connections, dependence/interdependence, differences, family, grandparents, heritage, identity/names, individuality/uniqueness, legacies, relationships, variety

Scripture Connections: Parables and stories that mention "blessing" or “inheritance” such as Jacob’s stealing Esau’s blessing (Genesis 26:34 - 27:38) and the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this story to your children in a homeschool or private school lesson when studying the science of inheritance/genetics. Expand this lesson to consider your children’s religious inheritance and blessings as described in my comments above.