PBT Redux #15 Shooting at the Stars

Picture Book: Shooting at the Stars:                                                                   The Christmas Truce of 1914

Author & Illustrator: John Hendrix

Summary: A letter to his mother from Charlie, a fictional British WWI soldier, serves as the framework for this tale about one of many WWI Christmas Eve truces in 1914. 

In this case, the temporary cease fire begins with Christmas carols heard from the German trenches. 

Then small Christmas trees appear. Next a can of jam is thrown from the British trench. A British and a German officer meet in the middle of the battleground, shake hands, and signal their soldiers to come forward. 

Soldiers from both sides introduce themselves in “no man’s land.” Together they bury their dead. 

Then trading tokens to substitute for Christmas gifts begins. Photographs are taken. 

One is in the back of the book. 

After several hours, a furious British major arrives and orders them to separate and begin shooting. 

Charlie suspects they will aim high, shooting at the stars, at least for a while. 

Hanna's Comments: This is such an important story! It will intrigue your audience and inspire loads of comments. Insist that they connect this story to the Advent of today or your lesson won't be transformative. A glossary, bibliography, and index are in the back too. They explain that such truces didn't happen the other years of WWI. Thematically, this story and its supplemental material emphasize the contrast between the suffering soldiers stuck in the trenches who long for peace 

and the outside political and military forces that keep them there for 4 long years. It is a hard story to hear but an important one. Non-Christians should be comfortable using this book since Christian doctrine is not mentioned. 

Publisher & Date of Publication: Harry N. Abrams, 2014

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 8 and up, 3^rd and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections: When the ways of people please the Lord, he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them (Proverbs 16:7); blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God (Matthew 5:9); if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18); let him seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:11)

Idea(s) for Application: This would be a great book to read to an audience of elementary age and up during the week before Christmas. Emphasize the theme of peace and how it requires risk and trust. Consider today's battles, military and otherwise, to make this book particularly meaningful. Peace isn't easy still, but it's worth meaningful conversation, because hope for peace is what Advent is all about. 

Beauty in Response to Violence

The following post was written last week so I do not mention yesterday's massacre in a Texas church. Violence at a place of worship is particularly hard to bear. Prayer is our most crucial tool so I pray for those affected by the madness of yesterday. Picture books and art, such as the music in the story below, are other tools that can benefit faith families reeling from violence, but allow time for the settling of those emotions and deal with most urgent needs first. Stories more easily bring healing when we can sit and listen with open hearts, not hearts burdened with fear and grief. 

Next Monday in the USA, we will be honoring our veterans so I've been saving this book, a true story, that reminds us violence, via war or otherwise, affects not just our veterans but entire communities. Additionally, art such as music as in this book or other artistic expressions, can be a balm of healing. If you are a veteran, thank you for your service and many sacrifices. If not a veteran but violence has touched you recently, my prayer is that healing can come through ritual, beauty, and community.

Picture Book: Flowers for Sarajevo

Author: John McCutcheon

Illustrator: Kristy Caldwell

Summary: Drasko, a young Yugoslavian boy, enjoys helping his father, Milo, sell flowers on the street. 

There Drasko enjoys Sarajevo's diversity of Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christians. Despite their differences, most go home with Milo's flowers. Milo loves their differences, even Goran, the cranky merchant next to them, is enjoyed by Milo. 

But war begins quickly, and Drasko's father leaves for the battlefied. 

Drasko works hard to keep his family fed by remaining on the streets, selling flowers. Tensions increase across those who remain, 

and Drasko gets pushed to the worst corner. At least he's near where the orchestra practices. Lonely and missing his father (the music reminds him of their dancing), 

Drasko doesn't know war is about to enter Sarajevo's streets. 

An explosion shatters a wall in the bakery nearby. Chaos ensues. Those who can scatter.

Twenty people have been killed while in line for the bakery. Still Drasko returns to the emptier street the next day. 

When the church bell rings at 10, a man exits the orchestra 

and carries his cello and a chair amidst the rubble.  

At the site of the bomb, the musician sits and plays. Silently, a diverse group gathers, is moved by the music, 

and then watches as the musician leaves also in silence. 

Drasko is so heartbroken, he gives his roses away. 

The musician solemnly repeats daily for a total of 22 times, his ritual gift for the city, a performance for each lost life. 

Drasko begins a ritual too. Each night he prays 23 prayers, one for each who died and one for his father. 

Routine forms again and sellers, even the bakers, are open for business. Mean Gorin brings a customer to Drasko and compliments his flowers. Drasko returns the favor with a rose as his father often did. 

At each day's end, Drasko leaves roses at the bakery and at the orchestra's door. 

He places a rose at Milo's place at the table. Like his father, Drasko is determined to help Sarajevo remember and return to its beauty.

Hanna’s Comments: Sarajevo, Yugoslavia was a diverse city whose glory days you might remember from the 1984 winter Olympics. During The Bosnian War, a bomb did damage the last bakery, killing 22 people. For 22 days, cellist Vedran Smailovic honored the inhabitants with Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor, a piece known to have miraculously survived a bombing in Dresden, Germany during WWII. Later, Sarajevo was under siege for 1,425 days, the longest for any capitol city in modern warfare. Thousands of inhabitants lost their lives. The beautiful city that had been celebrated only a decade before, was a war zone. Smailovic became known as The Cellist of Sarajevo. In the back of the book, you'll find the score, lyrics, an Author's Note, and a section called A Region Shaped by War which gives a summary of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. An audio CD was included in my book that contains lots of supplemental material such as conversations and the author reading the book with page turn prompts. 

Original Publisher & Date: Peachtree, 2017
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 6 and up, 1^st and up

Formats other than Book: Audio CD

Scripture Connections: And my God, my soul is cast down within me. (Psalm 42:6); When I remember God, I moan. (Psalm 77:3); These days should be remembered and kept through every generation. (Esther 9:28)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of adults when studying the spirituality of art or resilience. Use this book as an example of the power of rituals of remembering or lamentations and mourning. Consider giving this book as a gift of gratitude to musicians in your faith family.

New PBT Series: Theme List: Picture Books about Memory Rituals

Here in The States, we’re headed toward Memorial Day on Monday so I thought I’d give you a demo showing how helpful the PBT search engine can be. 

You’ll find a large list of search words at the bottom of your screen if viewing PBT on a computer. If you’re on a phone, you must click on “view web version,” a choice found under the comments of a post or at the bottom of the list of recent posts. Play around with it and you'll be amazed at the variety of books you'll find here at PBT, over 600!

This first entry in a new PBT series highlighting books that share a particular theme all have in them some sort of memory ritual. To use the PBT search engine, I clicked on the search words “memories,” “remembering,” and “war.” I found ten stories that have this element.

In the list below, I give you the title, the author, and the PBT postdate. Click on the date, and you’ll go to that book’s post. Not all of these books are appropriate for Memorial Day, but they give you some ideas for creating your own memory rituals which are useful for such a holiday.

Memory rituals you find in these books include hanging objects on an ancient tree for remembering an ancestor (immediately above) and collecting a string of buttons which once belonged to a deceased mother and then using them like prayer beads to remember her (immediately below). 

I’d love a comment about any of these books that you’ve read. Perhaps you have ideas on how they can be used. Some are simple like this one (immediately below) which has the animals publicly sharing what the late Badger taught them. 

Some are complicated and particular such as an usual arrangement of roses created after the destruction of The Twin Towers (immediately below). Ask me a question, if you see some books that interest you but you aren’t sure how to use them at home, a classroom, a therapy session, or with your family of faith.

You might choose to not read the picture book to others. Instead you let the story inspire you to create a memory ritual for yourself or for your group. Memory rituals are healing. They are especially meaningful and found in most religions. In Christianity, communion, remembering our baptism, creating altars, and wearing particular jewelry are just a few ways we remember crucial events and important people. Sometimes creating your own ritual makes such experiences all the more meaningful.

These books highlight some secular ways to remember sacred ideas, pivotal events, or loved ones who are missed:
Lila’s Sunflowers by Kosinski - 11/11/16

September Roses by Winter - 9/11/16

The Wall by Bunting - 5/23/15

I Have an Olive Tree by Bunting - 3/12/15

Sadako by Coerr - 2/15/15

Grandpa Green by Smith - 8/7/14

Badger’s Parting Gifts by Varley - 8/8/14

The Tsunami Quilt by Fredericks - 11/6/14

Aunt Mary’s Rose by Wood - 8/4/14

The Memory String by Bunting -  7/28/14

Three Spiritual Practices

Picture Book: Lilla’s Sunflowers

Author & Illustrator: Colleen Rowan Kosinski

Summary: Lilla and her father especially enjoy the time they spend in her sunflower patch. 

When Papa leaves for a tour in the military, Lilla gives him a single sunflower seed to remember her. 

The coming days without her father are very hard for Lilla. She uses the sunflowers to remind her of her papa. 

As the sunflowers droop in their season, Lilla’s faith that her father will return also wanes. 

When birds attack the flowers, she is especially distraught. 

Then she receives a letter from Papa with a photo of the sunflower he grew and a message of coming home. 

He does come home, and together they plant more sunflowers. In spring, Lilla’s sunflowers bloom and many letters are received. 

Papa explains how the sunflower was such a “bright spot for everyone” that his friends are sending photos from their homes with their families and the sunflowers they had grown thanks to the seeds of Lilla’s sunflower.

The photo above finds Lilla satisfied to have her papa home and pleased that one seed that she offered then grew to bring so much joy. 

Hanna’s Comments: Today is Veteran’s Day in the USA so I offer this book as a personal thank you and reminder of the costs and difficult journeys we require of those in the military and their families. Read this book to a group of children, teens, or adults in your faith community who are choosing to remember the sacrifices of veterans. 

You can also use this book to illustrate important spiritual practices such as affirmation, gratitude, and remembering. Remembrance is not just for those who have died but for those whose stories we find valuable during their lifetimes. Strong connections across generations and congregations are built on such storytelling, affirmation, and gratitude for lives well-spent in service. 

A highlight of this book is its focus on Lilla’s feelings. Anytime you can talk about the feelings of a character, you offer the possibility of connecting to feelings in your audience. If these feelings are then connected to faith, they are even more meaningful.

Original Publisher & Date: Sky Pony Express, 2016

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections:  All things work together for good (Romans 8:28); I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:16); be thankful as you are called in one body (Colossians 3:15); every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17); The Passover and Last Supper rituals are rituals of remembering and thanksgiving.

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book during a time of remembrance for those in the military and their families who have sacrificed for you. Then teach the importance of spiritual practices such as affirmation, gratitude, and remembering.