Book Corner: Spiritual Reading for Toddlers
Let me mention first that I want to try to post once a week about books. In a perfect world it would be on a certain day of the week, but I’m not that organized yet.
Earlier I posted about my dissatisfaction with one of Hambet’s board books (The Lord’s Prayer, illustrated by Maggie Swanson, published by Regina Press.)
When Hambet and I read books together, we spend a lot of that time discussing the pictures. He refers to this book (and others like it) as “kids” because that’s who he sees in the pictures. And that’s fine, but when I read him a book like this I want to talk about Jesus and Mary with Hambet, not about “kids.”
This week I found a couple of board books that I really liked. Strangely, they are in the same series as The Lord’s Prayer.Angel of God, my guardian dear prayer in a phrase for each page spread. The pictures show a guardian angel follows a brother and sister through their day. They just do kid stuff — breakfast, playing outside, stuff like that; the only danger picture is the one on the front where they are crossing the stream. My only quibble with the pictures is that the angel is female.
I really like Mary’s Prayer. The text is the Hail Mary, a phrase for each spread, and the pictures are of the events commemorated in the Joyful Mysteries. So lots of stuff to talk about with Hambet: “Mary! Angel! Izzabeff!” The fifth and last picture is not of the Finding in the Temple, but of Mary and the Christ Child surrounded by modern-day kids.
Another Nativity book that Hambet and I really enjoy is The Christmas Story.
The illustrations are just lovely. Baby Jesus is shown as a real infant. The picture where He’s gazing at Mary’s face, with His tiny, delicate baby fingers in the air and His little fuzz of baby hair just covering His head — it just gives me the goosebumps.
Another big favorite with Hambet is Little Acts of Grace, by Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli.
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This book is actually intended for older children, but Hambet already loves it. Each page presents a different sacramental action (sorry, can’t think of a better way to phrase it) — making the Sign of the Cross (properly,) using Holy Water, dressing properly for Mass, bowing one’s head at the Name of Jesus — and discusses the action as “a little way” to show our love for God. The pictures are richly colored, and full of images and ideas to discuss. (“See, that boy is thinking about Jesus. He’s saying he’s sorry for pushing his friend.” Later, we can talk about how the picture of Jesus shows His Divine Mercy.) The people in the pictures are a diverse crowd too, reflecting reality.
Hambet and I had a really nice reading session over this book the other night. He drifted off to sleep murmuring “Meh-wy… kids…. Bless’ ‘Ment (Blessed Sacrament)….)
The authors have a new book coming out this month, Just Like Mary.
I haven’t seen this book yet, but I’m looking forward to it. The only thing that worries me is Our Sunday Visitor’s description of the book:
From her Immaculate Conception to her Ascension, here is the story of Mary told in a way that will charm and delight your children…..You’ll be pleased to see that they’re learning solid Marian doctrine….
Oh yeah? I hope that bit about “her Ascension” is only on the webpage and not in the book. (I suspect that’s the case.)