Year: 2020

Birdsong

Sophie Rosen , , , ,

Flett, Julie. Birdsong. Vancouver, BC: Greystone Kids/Greystone Books, 2019.
A young Cree girl moves to the countryside where she makes a new friend, an elderly woman who shares her love of art. Passing through the seasons of the year, this wistful picture book is filled with quiet love. It can take its place along with Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney as a story for readers who appreciate the power of creativity.

More books about the power of art

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” – Leonardo da Vinci

More indigenous stories

“One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

More Canadian writers

“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Red Butterfly

Sophie Rosen , ,

Noyes Deborah. Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2007.
A Chinese princess secretly takes along silkworm cocoons and mulberry seeds when she is sent to marry the king of Khotan. This exquisite picture book – illustrated by Sophie Blackall – includes a two-page explanation of the legends surrounding the history of silk-making. Highly recommended for readers 7 years old and up. 

The poetic description of everything the princess will miss when she has to leave her home is reminiscent of Shi-shi-etko by Nicola Campbell (Groundwood, 2005). Readers – and teachers – might like to compare the five senses details in the two stories.

Then, try writing your own descriptive sentences. Find techniques and examples HERE.

If you want to try writing a descriptive paragraph, see the writing at the end of a student’s literary analysis of The Colours of British Columbia by David Bouchard (Raincoast Books, 1994) HERE.

More stories about China

A Stone Sat Still

Sophie Rosen , ,

Wenzel, Brendan. A Stone Sat Still. San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books LLC, 2019.
A stone is a pebble to a moose and mountain to a snail. A wild place to some but a home for others. A dark rock in the night until the moonlight shines upon it. In this beautiful picture book, a stone is depicted from many different perspectives while all the while remaining steadily the same. A lovely book – in rhyming verse – to share with preschoolers, it is perhaps even more valuable as a way to start a conversation about life. Most highly recommended for all ages.

“Not enough people in this world, I think, carry a cosmic perspective with them. It could be life-changing.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson 

“I believe everyone should have a broad picture of how the universe operates and our place in it. It is a basic human desire. And it also puts our worries in perspective.” – Stephen Hawking

“It’s useful to go out of this world and see it from the perspective of another one.” – Terry Pratchett

“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” – Dr. Seuss

More picture books in rhyming verse 

More philosophical books

“What Christian stories can you recommend?”

Sophie Rosen

“What are some Christian stories?” 

There are many outstanding picture book versions of Bible stories. Gerald McDermot and Cynthia Rylant each have their own version of the biblical story of creation. Tomie de Paolo and Brian Wildsmith have both written and illustrated several Biblical stories, as well as biographies of Christian saints.

Then there are all the beautiful picture books of spiritual songs and poems. Ashley Bryan’s All Things Bright and Beautiful and Let it Shine. Nancy White Carlstrom’s Glory.

But do people of the Christian faith cease to be Christians on the days when they do not openly speak about their religion?  Of course not.

Is speaking about one’s faith the essential characteristic of Christianity? No. The signs of mature faith are clearly listed in Galatians 5.22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A believer’s actual devotion will be shown by the presence of these qualities. Therefore, any stories that depict the “fruit of the Spirit” can be viewed as depicting “Christian” character.  

Of course, they can also be viewed as depicting the values of many religions since those “fruit” are what are often called universal values. Nevertheless, stories that do not openly proclaim allegiance to Jesus Christ are not – as a result – inferior to instructive narratives of Christian faith.

Actually, many writers of children’s books are quietly Christian. Katherine Paterson, winner of the Newbery Award, says that “What you are will shape your book whether you want it to or not. I am Christian, so that conviction will pervade the book even when I make no conscious effort to teach or preach. Grace and hope will inform everything I write.”1

Brian Wildsmith, the award-winning British illustrator who died in 2016, said, “When I look at the most recent so-called religious books for children, I am appalled.”2 I agree. Many books put out by Christian publishing houses are not well-written. The emphasis on encouraging readers to become Christians seems to be more important than the quality of the writing.

Therefore, if you are looking for well-written Christian stories, look for books that are literary masterpieces. Look for stories that depict real people dealing with complicated life situations. Look for fantasy novels that show characters facing moral issues with resolve and integrity. Look for beautiful picture books that provide comfort and reassurance in a world that is too often full of uncertainty. Look for stories that portray hope and courage and goodness.

  1. “FAQ.” Welcome to the World of Katherine Paterson, www.katherinepaterson.com/faq. Accessed 1 Mar. 2020.
  2. Wildsmith, Brian. “Open Their Eyes to Beauty.” Questia, www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-72503291/open-their-eyes-to-beauty. Accessed 1 Mar. 2020.

Recommended Publishers

Well-written stories that mention religious faith

 

Spy Runner

Sophie Rosen , , , , ,

Yelchin, Eugene. Spy Runner. New York: GodwinBooks, Henry Holt and Company, 2019.
In 1953 America, 12-year-old Jake is keeping his eyes open for Russian spies. His father has been missing in action since the end of the war in 1945, so when his mother invites a mysterious boarder into their home, he is suspicious. Why do the stories about his father not make sense? Why is his mother so affectionate toward this new man? Why is his principal so afraid of two strange men who visit the school? What is going on? This dramatic page-turner – evoking all the secrecy and paranoia of the Cold War – will appeal to curious readers 11 years old and up. 

More historical fiction

More novels by Eugene Yelchin:

Yelchin, Eugene. Arcady’s Goal. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2014.

“When twelve-year-old Arcady is sent to a children’s home after his parents are declared enemies of the state in Soviet Russia, soccer becomes a way to secure extra rations, respect, and protection but it may also be his way out if he can believe in and love another person–and himself.” – CIP. Recommended for readers 11-years-old and up. [Communism; Foster children; Russia; Soccer]

Yelchin, Eugene. Breaking Stalin’s Nose. New York: Henry Holt, 2011.
This novel, a Newbery Honor book, tells the story of ten-year-old Sasha who adores his father who works for the secret police in Stalinist Russia. But his perspective changes when he discovers secrets about his deceased mother and his father is unexpectedly arrested, leaving Sasha homeless in the middle of winter.  While easy to read, this powerful story is best suited for brave readers aged eleven and up. [Communism; Fathers and sons; Homelessness; Russia; Secrets] 

Yelchin, Eugene. The Haunting of Falcon House. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2016. 

“In 1891, twelve-year-old Lev Lvov travels to Saint Petersburg, Russia, to assume his duties as Prince, but must first use his special gift to rid the House of Lions of a ghost.” – CIP. Written by Prince Lev Lvov with pictures drawn in his own hand; translated by Eugene Yelchin who writes in the preface, “when I was a schoolboy in St. Petersburg, Russia,…I came upon a bundle of paper held together with frayed twine….Some years passed….Resolved to faithfully restore Lvov’s original narration, I set to work. To carry Prince Lev’s feelings across to the reader, I became inwardly connected to the young prince…” A spell-binding story for readers 11 to 14 years old. [Aunts; Extrasensory perception; Haunted houses; Orphans; Princes]

The Fountains of Silence

Sophie Rosen , , , ,

Sepetys, Ruta. The Fountains of Silence. New York: Philomel Books, 2019.
In 1957, wealthy eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, an aspiring photographer from Texas who is visiting Madrid with his parents, discovers the quietly dangerous world of Franco’s Spain as he becomes friends with Ana, a hotel maid. Political intrigue, romance, and history all combine in this compelling story by an accomplished author. An extensive bibliography and black-and-white photographs supplement this 472-page novel highly recommended for readers 13 years old and up. [Dictatorships; Franco, Francisco; Photography; Secrets; Spain] 

More young adult novels by Ruta Sepetys:

Salt to the Sea

Sepetys, Ruta. Salt to the Sea. New York: Philomel Books, 2016.

Fleeing the invading Russian army near the end of the war, refugees try to escape aboard a military transport ship transporting German evacuees. Told from alternating points of view and based on the true story of the Wilhelm Gustloff, this award-winning 389-page emotion-laden novel is highly recommended for mature readers 13 years old and up. Includes a map. [Germany; Historical fiction; Poland; Refugees; Survival; WW 2; Young adult fiction] 

Picture 10

Sepetys, Ruta.  Between Shades of Gray. New York: Philomel Books, 2011.
“In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Based on the author’s family, includes a historical note.” – CIP.  Due to the vivid description of some scenes, this novel, while highly recommended, is more suitable for mature readers in grade 8 and up. It may also be appreciated by readers of The Diary of Anne Frank and The Upstairs Room. [Historical fiction; Labor camps; Lithuania; Russia; Siberia; Survival; WW 2; Young adult fiction]  

More young adult novels

More novels set in Europe

More historical novels

Dream Within a Dream

Sophie Rosen , , ,

MacLachlan, Patricia. Dream Within a Dream. New York, Toronto: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019.
Many of Patricia MacLachlan’s novels are about children in some way abandoned by their parents. In My Father’s World, a Fiona and Finn grieve the death of their father.  In Arthur, For the Very First Time, Arthur is sent to live with his aunt and uncle for the summer. In Dream Within a Dream, Louisiana and her younger brother Theo are left with their grandparents on a small island while their parents travel around the world studying birds. In each case, the characters learn to see life from different perspectives. They learn more about themselves and their own talents. And they become stronger and more courageous. This pattern could become tiresomely repetitious, but the vivid writing and unique characters make each novel a new delight. Happily recommended for readers 9 to 12 years old. 

What makes Patricia MacLachlan’s novels such a pleasure for so many students?  Lots of conversation. Heartwarming relationships. Courage in the face of adversity. Short sentences and paragraphs. Big print and wide margins.