Celebrating good gifts

The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep

Hannah E. Harrison
Zonderkidz, 40 pages

In this clever allegory about a stubborn sheep named George, Hannah Harrison blends portions of Psalm 23 with the parable of the lost sheep to point children to a deeper understanding of the Good Shepherd. George is just like any average sheep: He has a terrible sense of direction, is completely defenseless, and can’t get up if he falls on his back. George knows he needs a shepherd. But when his Shepherd tries to give George a haircut, George resists and runs away. While on the lam, George’s wool keeps growing. Soon he can’t see well and he smells like moldy cheese. By the time George realizes he needs to return to his Shepherd, he’s very lost. In George’s darkest hour, though, the Shepherd arrives to rescue the wayward sheep and restore him to the fold. Ages 3–8

Hilwa’s Gifts

Safa Suleiman
Candlewick, 40 pages

The Bible includes many references to olive trees and olive oil, which often symbolize peace and blessing. In Hilwa’s Gifts, author Safa Suleiman invites children to learn more about the olive harvest through the story of a boy named Ali who visits his grandparents’ olive grove. Ali’s grand­father teaches him how to gently whack the tree to release the olives from its branches. Later Ali goes with his grandfather to process the olives and watches as the pressed olives become oil that flows into jugs. The book, set in Palestine, includes illustrations depicting a few of the older female family members wearing head coverings, but it steers clear of any religious or political messages. The resulting story celebrates the many gifts that come from the olive harvest—especially the gathering of family and friends. Ages 4–7

The Spider Lady

Penny Parker Klostermann
Calkins Creek, 48 pages

Many books have detailed obscure and interesting ways people and animals helped during World War II, but the story of Nan Songer and her spider army could arguably take the cake. As manufacturers ramped up production of military equipment during the war years, demand swelled for crosshairs to outfit gunsights, bombsights, periscopes, and rangefinders. The silk used in crosshairs came from an unusual source: spiders. Songer, a self-taught entomologist and arachnologist, combined her careful study of spiders with painstaking experimentation to find the best ways to extract just the right weight and type of spider silk. She even invented a silk reel from an eggbeater and toy train that allowed her to collect silk from more than one spider, creating strong, twisted strands. A fascinating story. Ages 7–10

The Friendship Train

Debbie Levy
Bloomsbury, 48 pages

While the conclusion of World War II marked an end to fighting, widespread suffering remained in Europe. In 1947, American Drew Pearson wrote newspaper articles asking his fellow citizens to help him fill train boxcars to send overseas to the hardest-hit regions. The response was tremendous: Children across the country held food collection drives, donated their allowances and wages, and found other ways to send supplies to European children—enough to fill 500 boxcars. Later the grateful French responded by sending to the U.S. 49 boxcars filled with thousands of thank-you gifts. Author Debbie Levy includes additional historical details and challenges children to find their own ways to give, offering an opportunity for families to discuss how to put their faith into action amid modern-day crises. Ages 5–8