A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 90

Picture Book: She Taught Me to Eat Artichokes: The Discovery of the Heart of Friendship

Author: Mary Kay Shanley

Illustrator: Paul Micich

Summary: The peculiar and prickly artichoke serves as a metaphor for emerging friendship in this beautiful picture book written for adult women. This is a memoir regarding a time in the author’s life when a burgeoning female friendship began with a bit of awkwardness but genuine tenderness. The author’s son is in a car accident. The neighbor she barely knows comes to sit with her at the hospital. After a few other interactions, the author is invited to the neighbor’s for a party where artichokes are served. First the host explains that the steaming has softened the prickly artichoke petals. Then she says the “best is yet to come” as the pulling of the petals eventually reveals the heart of the artichoke. Thus, this acquaintance through time and effort has become a tender, treasured friendship.

Hanna’s Comments: Picture books designed for adult readers are rare. Often they are treasures. Years ago I had an experience at a friend’s house that was similar to this author's. I had never eaten an artichoke so she taught me how. Soon after, I discovered the book and bought it for my friend. Instructions for preparing artichokes are in the back of the book.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Sta-Kris, 1993

Age & Grade Appropriateness: adults only (This book would not interest children.)

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Non-fiction

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: acceptance, adaptation/assimilation, armor, beginnings/morning, challenges, communication, communion/Eucharist, companionship, discovery/invention, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, friends/friendship, hospitality, humanity, mentors/teachers, neighbors, presence, relationships, Sabbath, sharing, at table, time/timing/over time, treasure

Scripture Connections: treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native (Leviticus 19:34); whoever receives you receives me (Matthew 10:40)

Idea(s) for Application: This book would be welcomed by a women’s group discussing spiritual hospitality and friendship.

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 89

Picture Book: Orphan Train

Author: Verla Kay

Illustrator: Ken Stark

Summary: In rhymed verse, this author tells the story of 3 fictional children who are place on an orphan train. Because of a large numbers of orphans in northeastern American cities in the early 1900s, these trains full of children headed west to provide adopted children to farm families. This book begins with Lucy, Harold, and David experiencing the death of their parents to typhoid fever. Then they must fend for themselves on the streets. An orphanage takes them in and gives them clothes, meals, and beds.  Later they are placed on an orphan train. In Midwestern towns, they are paraded in front of farm families with no regard to their staying together. David is taken first. Later Lucy and Harold are taken in the same town so they are able to see each other. The book ends with Lucy and Harold hoping to find David someday.

Hanna’s Comments: This book explores an important historical time in American history when children’s rights were not valued. Even though many orphans on these trains were little more than slave labor to their adoptive families, the orphanage employees and adoptive families are not presented as good or bad characters, revealing the emotional complications of the time period. An author’s note at the beginning gives some historical context. Do not confuse this book with other books with the same title for older readers.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Putnam, 2003

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: There are videos on Youtube about the history of the orphan trains.

PBT Category: NF, Post 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: adaptation/assimilation, adoption, America, anxiety/worry, babies/children, belonging, change, chosen, death/loss/grief, emotions/feeling, exile/separation, family, home, homelessness, journeys/pilgrimages/migration/quests, judgment/judges/judging, labor/work, orphans, parents/parental love, poverty, siblings/sibling rivalry, survival, tragedy, victims

Scripture Connections:: You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child (Exodus 22:22-24); children separated from parents during the Babylonian exile in the Old Testament

Idea(s) for Application: as part of a homeschool/religious school lesson on the history of the orphan trains and how your faith informs issues of adoption and parenting

A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 88

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

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: Amateur videos on Youtube

PBT Category: Classic

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: adaptation/assimilation, art, authenticity, beauty, belonging, bravery/courage, change, choices/decisions, communication, community, conformity, conversion, creativity/imagination/ingenuity, differences, discord, disputes/fighting/opposition, diversity, dreams/aspirations, evangelism, home, image of God, individuality/uniqueness, intolerance, judgment/judges/judging, the Law/rules/10 commandments, leadership/servant leadership, neighbors, neighborhood, presence, rebellion, relationships, religious differences, risking, satisfaction, self-discovery, sin, surprise, transformation, variety, wisdom

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.