• The Crooked Tree
• Widget
• Circus Girl
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse
• Pedrito’s Day
• Let’s Make a Garden
  
  
• Additional books to consider
• Teaching Resource

The Crooked Tree by Esther Bender, illustrated by Edna Bender. Herald Press, 1996.

Materials: Acorn, large tree or picture of one (optional)

Summary: Over a period of two hundred years, a tree grows thick and crooked, affecting and affected by both animals and humans, but never ceasing to grow. 

This story came out of Esther’s memories of playing in a crooked tree as a child. As she researched, she learned more about the relations between the Native American and European cultures that may have been a part of the tree’s history. The story includes the history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers. Just as the tree’s wounds heal over time, relationships heal when the descendants of these settlers come to carve words of love in the tree’s trunk. The tree becomes part of a park where "it stretch(es) out its branches to the children with dark skin and tan skin and light skin, because they (are) living things."

Procedure: Ask the children to think of a huge tree. [Or, better yet, go out on a walk and sit beneath a tree for the story.] Have them stretch their arms toward the sky and imagine what it must feel like to be a huge tree. Then, pull out an acorn and talk about the miracle that God has created—to take a seed so small, so vulnerable, and turn it into something so magnificent. 

Read the story aloud, especially noting how vulnerable God’s creation is to the actions of human beings. At the conclusion of the story, brainstorm ways in which people can help to protect God’s creation.

Five in a Row Connection: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, Volume 1, thinking about the history that passes by the life of a forest or tree. (Five in a Row is a homeschool curriculum. Visit their website at: www.fiveinarow.com )

This book is available from Herald Press at: http://www.mph.org/hptitles.htm

Or from Provident Bookstores at: http://www.mph.org/pbs/

It can also be ordered through any local bookstore.

(Other Herald Press books are mentioned on this website. They are likely available, although the Herald Press and Provident Bookstore websites may not show them. Email pbsorder@mph.org or call 1-800-759-4447.)

Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001.)

Theme: fitting in, the importance of differences, peace

Materials: Paper and crayons

Summary: A small stray dog is accepted into a household full of cats by learning to fit in. He meows, hisses and spits, purrs, plays with a toy mouse and uses the litter box. When his mistress is hurt, no one can hear the meow of the cats and Widget demonstrates that being a dog is not all bad.

Procedure: Say, "Sometimes it is hard to get along with people who are different from us." Share a short story from your childhood about a time you found it difficult to get along with someone because of her differences. 

Say, "I wonder what how the world would be if we were all exactly alike? (Pause for a moment and allow the children to think about this question.) Sometimes we feel like we have to try and act like the people around us, just to fit in. Let’s read a story about a little dog who tried to do just that."

Read the story. Following the story, talk about the qualities of the dog that made him important, special, and unique. What would have happened had he not allowed these qualities to be seen? Hand each child a piece of paper and a pack of crayons. Say, "Just as the little dog had qualities that made him special, each of you have qualities that make you special. Draw a picture of yourself, showing ways in which you are unique and special." Mount the pictures to display. 

FIAR Connection: Consider using this book with Papa Piccolo, Volume 1.

Circus Girl by Tomek Bogacki, (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001.)

Theme: befriending an outsider

Summary: When a new girl comes to school while the circus is in town, she chooses to pay attention to a class nobody, helping two classmates become friends. 

Procedure: Recall a person from your past who was treated like a "nobody." Describe how people acted toward this person. Ask the children to think about someone they know that is treated like an outsider, picked on, or ignored. Read the story aloud.

After the story, imagine with the children what might have happened if just one person had started paying attention to the nobody from your past. 

Additional Notes: This book is one that speaks to all generations. We’ve all known people who’ve been outsiders—looked down on, picked on, or just simply ignored. This story considers, "What difference can one person make?" Because the circus girl starts paying attention to a "nobody," people are suddenly able to see the child in a different, more appealing light. Challenge the children to take some time talking with someone outside their circle of friends. They may be surprised at the results!

FIAR Connection: In Cranberry Thanksgiving, Volume 1, Maggie befriends Mr. Whiskers, who her grandma treats as an outsider.

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 1996.)

Theme: sin, confession, forgiveness

Materials:

Optional—girl, portraying Lilly, with props such as sharp pencils, boots, kid-drawn pictures, sunglasses, jewelry, quarters, purple purse (handcrafted from purple plastic bag or, more simply, from purple construction paper,) tasty snacks, uncooperative chair.

Optional—man or boy, portraying Mr. Slinger, dressed in artsy shirt, tie and glasses, with props such as cheese curls, book to read.

An additional, but optional note on materials--Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Game contains a purple plastic purse that would serve as a prop during storytelling. 

Procedure: Begin by wondering with the children. Say, "I wonder if you can remember a time when you did something you were very sorry for?"

After a few moments say, "I’m going to read you a story about someone who did something she was very sorry about. This story is about Lilly."

Read Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse aloud—or—if time to rehearse with older child actors, have the character playing Lilly enter now, and then continue reading.

If using actors, read the book aloud with actors portraying the two main characters. For example, on page 2, Lilly might pull out some sharp pencils from a bag and grin as she touches the points, rub her tummy when she hears "fish sticks," and vehemently nod when she hears "she loved her teacher, Mr. Slinger."

Mr. Slinger, dressed in a very artsy shirt, tie, and glasses, should remain hidden until his name is mentioned for the first time. Then, he may stand next to Lilly, and join her in portraying as much of the book as possible as it is read aloud.

After the story say, "I wonder how Lilly felt when she told Mr. Slinger she was sorry? [Pause for reflection.] I wonder what would have happened if Lilly had never told Mr. Slinger she was sorry? I wonder how it feels when you tell people you’re sorry?"

Additional Notes: On our refrigerator is a heart that is cut down the center with jagged edges. On one half it reads, "I’m sorry," on the other half, "I forgive you." When one of the children does something he is sorry for, he can carry the "I’m sorry" half to the person he wronged; the other child can then hand back the "I forgive you" half. They can join the two parts back together on the fridge. 

Pedrito’s Day by Luis Garay (Orchard Books, 1997.)

Theme: confession, forgiveness, taking responsibility for mistakes

Materials: Coins in a bag, one for each child

Summary: When Pedrito replaces, from his own earnings, money he has lost, his mother decides that he is finally big enough for some of his father’s earnings to be used towards buying him a bicycle. 

Procedure: "I wonder if any of you have ever lost something. I especially wonder if you have ever lost something belonging to someone else." Pause for reflection. 

"Today we read about Pedrito and his mistake." Read story aloud, showing children Pedrito’s bag of coins when it is mentioned in the story.

After the story, hand each child a coin saying, "This coin is for you—to help you remember how Pedrito took responsibility for his mistake and paid back all that was lost. When you make a mistake, you can remember Pedrito and try to make things right again, just as he did."

Let’s Make a Garden by Tamara Awad Lobe, Herald Press, 1995

Theme: Working with Creator God; Gardening; Peace

Materials: Items to represent the plants in the book: small bags of rice (for the rice plant), oranges (for the orange tree), spices, corn seed, rocks, tulips (or other flowers, enough for each child to have one), beans, wheat, potatoes, olives, cacao beans. Tape on the floor as a guide for the rock border. Large basket.

Summary: Children from all over the world bring plants from their homelands, plant them in a garden, and enjoy the harvest together. 

Procedure: Give one of the items listed above to each of the children. As each item is read about in the story, ask the child to hold that item up. Then, invite children to participate in the action: place rocks along the tape line, pretend to "dig," bring "plants" up and "plant" them, collect the items at "harvest" and put them into a large basket. 

You may also chose to actually cook "the rice, potatoes, and beans with the spices from India" for a meal, or "HUGE PARTY!"

FIAR Connection: This book fits perfectly with How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, Volume 1. 

Additional books to consider

The Big Book for Peace. [Dutton Children’s Books, 1990.] Seventeen stories by outstanding authors illustrate the wisdom of peace. 

The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie DePaola. [The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1998.] A knight who has never fought a dragon and an equally inexperienced dragon prepare to meet each other in battle. A failed battle turns into an opportunity for peace and friendship.

The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. [Random House, 1961.] The sneetches try to better one another by paying to attach or remove stars from their bellies. When the money runs out, they learn to accept one another—stars or not. Many other Dr. Seuss books also discuss peace: Yertle the Turtle, The Zax, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Ted Studebaker: A Man Who Loved Peace by Joy Hofacker Moore. [Herald Press, 1987.] Traces the life of a conscientious objector who volunteered to serve in Vietnam as an agriculturist and was killed by the Viet Cong. The illustrations in this book are amazing—and all done in crayon, I believe. Great examples to show children what can be done with crayon!

Walking with Jesus by Mary Clemens Meyer. [Herald Press, 1992.] Stories originally printed in "Story Friends" about real people who return good for evil. 

Why Does That Man Have Such a Big Nose? by Mary Beth Quinsey (Parenting Press, 1986.) The title question and others ("Why does she wear funny clothes?, Why are there lines all over her face?, What’s the matter with his hand?, Why is his skin so dark?") are posed, along with matter-of-fact answers. Differences are recognized and valued as a part of each person’s uniqueness.

Teaching Resource

Growing Toward Peace, Kathryn Aschliman, coordinating editor. [Herald Press, 1993.] Contains stories from teachers and parents about real children learning to live peacefully.