From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 20:36:43 -0600

This discussion topic offers much about which to reflect. We've barely begun to explore all we might want to say. Whenever I've been invited to consider Religion in books for the young, I've found it helpful - just for myself - to organize my thoughts according to three general categories. Maybe they'll be helpful for someone else, as well:
  1) New editions of writings considered holy within any world religion here I'd put some of the beautiful books with artwork by Gennady Spirin, for example;
  2. Books about religious topics, such as holidays & observances, for example, Eric Kimmel's handsome Passover Companion "Wonders and Miracles" to which Monica referred (11/24) and Pearl Gaskins' "I Believe in..." mentioned by Megan (11/18).
  3) Books - usually picture books and novels - with explicit & implicit religious and/or spiritual themes. This is a huge area of literature. As Stacy (11/19) and Joan (11/21) have observed, Katherine Paterson's novels come to mind. Her novels are usually an exploration of specific scripture, as in "The Great Gilly Hopkins," as Mary Ann pointed out
(11/19). Paterson doesn't hit a reader over the head with religion or religiosity. Her books stand on their own as solid fiction. She isn't fooling her readers or trying to somehow communicating a covert message to certain readers. Recognizing or understanding a religious theme or deeper level in Paterson's fiction depends upon the knowledge of certain scriptures a particular reader might already bring to her/his reading. This is one reason why Paterson's novels can be reread years later by older kids or even in adult life, because for some readers there can be an "a-ha" moment. I appreciated reading Dean's comment (11/17) about David Almond's stunning novel "The Fire?ters" and Carol's (11/27) reference to Louise Erdrich's splendid "The Birchbark House." Each of these outstanding novels falls into what my third category embraces.
  There are so many others. Although Dylan Thomas's boy narrator in "A Child's Christmas in Wales" relates what he does on a particular Christmas Day, it isn't a "Christian" work, as such. To me it's one of the outstanding works of literature in any season. Originally written by Dylan Thomas for adults, "A Child's Christmas in Wales has been published over the years in various editions. Artists as different from each other as Fritz Eichenberg and Edward Ardizzone have illustrated this classic. Chris Raschka created the artwork to accompany an edition just published (Candlewick). Trina Schart Hyman's edition (Holiday House) seems to me to be the most child-friendly of all. My personal favorite as an adult reader is the wee New Directions edition decorated with Ellen Raskin's woodcuts for which she was paid a flat fee (and it's still in print!).
  Each year I experience the wonder of "A Child's Christmas in Wales." Near the end of Christmas Day, as always I'll savor each sentence as I reread the text and listen to the work as recorded by Dylan Thomas himself. Maybe I'll discover a nuance or poetic reference I've never noticed before. Usually I do. Occasionally I'll chuckle, for example when I hear that Mrs. Prothero (who always says the right thing) asks the firemen - who've arrived to extinguish a small house fire - if they'd like something to read. Most of the time I'll probably barely breathe until I hear & read the final lines once again, "...and then I went to bed. Looking through my bedroom window, out into the moonlight and the unending smoke-colored snow, I could see the lights in the windows of all the other houses on our hill and hear the music rising from them up the long, steadily falling night. I turned the gas down, I got into bed. I said some words to the close and holy darkness, and then I slept."
  Peace, Ginny
 
 

Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse at education.wisc.edu
Received on Sun 28 Nov 2004 08:36:43 PM CST