Llama, Llama Author/Illustrator Dies

On Saturday, picture book author and illustrator of the much-loved Llama, Llama series for preschoolers died of brain cancer. Anna Dewdney was only 50. Here are couple of links from the New York Times that celebrate [her life] and [her work].

I have not featured any of her books here at PBT, but certainly the loving tone of her books parallel our life experiences with God and the families God gives us. Take a moment to read about this author who has blessed the lives of many, and be grateful. 

PBT Redux Series #4 – All the World

Here’s the next re-posting of one of my favorite PBT books that was published in the last decade or so. Since picture books are getting better and better, it’s really easy to forget about a particular gem that’s sitting for free at your local library, ready for you to use in ministry. It’s Labor Day here in The USA; this book has a Labor Day sort of feeling. Enjoy!

Picture Book: All the World 

Author: Liz Garton Scanlon 
Illustrator: Marta Frazee 
Summary: This wonderful book follows a circle of human families of all kinds throughout a day of outside activities. When rain comes, the families come together in another family’s restaurant. They share songs and sweet good nights. Each beautiful double page spread emphasizes our connections with the natural world and other humans. 
Hanna’s Comments: Like looking at the night sky, when reading this book you'll feel as if you and your audience are small but significant pieces of humanity in the beautiful masterwork of the natural world. The meter of the poetry allows for slow reading and the pages are big on most versions so help your audience catch the details and inferences in these fabulous illustrations. Finding the blessings of connections, just like I do here at Picture Book Theology, seems to be the theme of this storybook, one of my all-time favorites.

Original Publisher & Date: Beach Lane Books, 2009 

Age and Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up 
Available in Spanish? Yes 
Formats other than Book: Tablet, A video of this book can be found on a Scholastic compilation of 4 picture book videos called: Children Make Terrible Pets and More Stories about Family

Scripture Connections: Creation (Genesis 1 or 2), Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-15), the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12)
Idea(s) for Application: Read this book during a lesson on finding the Holy in the ordinary or how we are all spiritually connected.

Stuff and Friendship

Picture Book: More

Author: I. C. Springman

Illustrator: Brian Lies

Summary: The key character in this fable of few words, is a magpie who collects stuff, lots of stuff, nests and nests of stuff! His mice friends give him the first object, a beautiful marble, 

but then they begin to comment on is hoarding. 

What on the surface is a story teaching collective adjectives (less, more, enough…) becomes a lesson in the consequences of having at first, 

"Lots" and then "Plenty,"

“A bit much”  

and then “Way too much.”

Then there's a kind of community intervention. 

After the collapse of a limb under too much weight, 

the mice, and a squirrel friend, take away item after item from the nests 

and help the magpie be contented with a few treasured items. 

The number of words is few. The illustrations are many and detailed. And the messages are clear: Too much is a problem. Friends can help with that.

Hanna’s Comments: I love Springman’s bio in the back in which she describes herself as a “small-house person living in a McMansion-loving world.” She wrote this book for her grandsons hoping that “one day there will be enough for all.” That’s a PBT message for sure! Help your audience see the changes in expressions of the magpie and mice as the amount of stuff changes. Also, help them see the detailed illustrations, but don’t allow them to get too caught up in the treasures. The point of this book is that gluttony is a distraction and a problem. Explain that gluttony, one of the deadly sins according to Roman Catholic tradition, isn’t limited to the realm of food. It is overconsumption of anything. I personally struggle with gluttony and view it as a key issue in my spiritual development. My hunch is that many in your faith community, particularly if you’re American, have similar struggles, even your children. If you struggle with this, pray about sharing your struggles. Friendship is a key part of this story. Considering the amount of stuff (or assets) in our bedrooms/playrooms (for children), homes or places of worship (for adults) as spiritual questions would be valuable conversations to have in a faith context.

Original Publisher & Date: Houghton Mifflin, 2012 

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Scripture Connections:  The wilderness lesson of hoarding manna (Exodus 16); be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters (Proverbs 23:20); where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:21/Luke 12:34); do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth (Matthew 6:19); I will not be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children or adults when discussing the spiritual issue of gluttony or the spiritual practice of simplicity.