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.

Growl as Gift

Picture Book: The Story of Growl

Author & Illustrator: Judy Horacek

Summary: Horacek's clever tale features a small monster named Growl, for obvious reasons. 

Growl lives in a castle at the end of her street. 

There her neighbors don’t appreciate her hyperactivity 

 or her favorite past-time. 

Growl never stops growling! 

She even has a little song she loves to sing about her particular passion! 

One day she thinks the perfect place to let go a big one is across the fence at her unsuspecting neighbors, during afternoon tea!

The neighbors are not pleased. 

They call the police who respond with swift limits. 

Growl is so sad! Time slows, and she is hyper no longer,

"Running is hard when you're trying not to cry." 

Sleeping is hard too. While awake, she spies a prowler in the neighbors' yard trying to steal the afternoon tea set!" 

  

She can't help herself! 

The neighbors are grateful, especially that she has saved their afternoon tea set! 

Maybe her growling isn't so bad after all they reason! They trash the sign. The police agree, explaining that it "was much too quiet in your neighborhood." 

Growl is so very happy. She can growl again!

And sing her little song! 

But not at afternoon tea, where instead, Growl enjoys her neighbors, their tea, and their afternoon tea set. 

After tea?

 Everybody growls!

Hanna’s Comments: I love this character! I can’t tell you how many people in my church family have a little bit of Growl in them, including myself at times. I bet you can relate. One of my church’s priorities is to “encourage authenticity.” On our website, we suggest you leave your “church face” behind and come as you are. That might result in some complaints, but even the Bible has plenty of complainers. Remember all those lamentations! And what about the prophets? I don’t imagine Isaiah or Jeremiah spoke with soft, quiet voices. I suspect they growled a lot and weren't popular in their neighborhood. What else can you do when God is no longer worshiped or justice is forgotten? The heart of this little parable is a story of neighbors trying to get along. Despite early prejudices and fearful misunderstandings, (Sound relevant?), they discover that even a growl can be a gift and a fun pastime with a friend.

Original Publisher & Date: Kane/Miller, 2007

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

Formats other than Book: None at present

Scripture Connections: I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. (Job 7:11); Scripture concepts of lamenting and the growling of prophets

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of children to help them understand that all sorts of people are found in the scriptures (and in faith families), even those who lament or growl for justice. God’s image is in each one, and we are called to be their neighbors.

An Alternative to The Giving Tree

Picture Book: The Amida Tree

Author & Illustrator: Bonnie Ferrante

Summary: Healthier emotional bonds are the "gift" of this variation of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. The story strongly echoes the 1964 classic, but the apple tree loves a girl, 

and the girl, in less selfish ways, benefits from her relationship with the tree while repeatedly demonstrating her love for it. Initially, she feels loved by the tree in the way it tickles her fingers.  

As she observes nature around the tree, she becomes intrigued and wants to purchase a microscope. When she asks the tree for its apples, the tree answers, "Many eat my apples... Take a few and perhaps a better idea will come to you." 

She does get a better idea. She creates forest characters and apple dolls and sells them, earning enough money for a microscope and a chemistry set! She wants to show her gratitude so the tree suggests that she plant some fallen apples. As her fascination for the tree and her understanding of botany grow, she creates compost. 

Hoping to pay for university, she asks for tree branches to sell for firewood. "That will weaken me," the tree responds and encourages another "better idea." 

Upon seeing a beaver's face in a branch, the girl becomes a woodcarver.

The success of her art, leads to an exit for university so she gratefully says goodbye to the tree. 

When she returns, the planted apples have sprouted. She explains that she is writing a book about the importance of wild fruit trees and will be traveling and telling their story. 

Age and burrowing insects weaken the tree so that a storm splits its trunk and a portion falls. 

After many years, the girl returns, aided by a carved cane and surrounded by blooming apple trees. All declare that they have missed each other!

Grateful for a place to rest, the girl settles into the sweet scent of apple blossoms, content with a life well-lived.

Hanna’s Comments: Honestly, these illustrations don't do much for me, but the story is excellent. Here you have a book that celebrates creative, artistic problem solving, a relationship with nature that seems vocational, and the many other positive aspects of this story mentioned above. I’m a big fan of The Giving Tree, I even consider it my earliest inspiration for PBT. I first heard it at church camp, but I do remember feeling guilty about being human as I heard how the boy used and used and used the tree that loved him. The end wasn’t particularly positive either. I still think it’s a valuable book. You’ll find my PBT post on it [here]. A simple faith-based lesson could be to read Silverstein's book first and then this book. Glean from your audience (children or adults), the differences in these stories and consider the value of each. Find God (or Christ or the Holy Spirit) in both of the stories. See if your audience notices the similarity between the apple doll and the girl as an elderly woman. Tie this to being made in God's image and connect that idea to both stories. Be sure to check out the excellent questions that Ferrante provides at the end of the book. You won't want to ask them all, but do consider asking some of them to your audience. 

Original Publisher & Date: Single Drop, 2015

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

Formats other than Book: Tablet
Scripture Connections: Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. (Proverbs 22:6); Jesus said, I am the vine; you are the branches (John 15:5); Paul wrote he hoped that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17-18)
Idea(s) for Application: I’ve created an elementary Sunday school lesson that features this book and connects it to the scriptures above and the 2^nd component of my church’s mission statement: All are welcome to worship, GROW, and serve. Interested in purchasing it for just $4? Leave a comment and I'll get back to you.