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| CHILDREN'S | BOOKS |
Seeking a Catholic Vision in Children’s Picture Books
by Elizabeth Yank
I am the mother of six children. Yes, four more than the politically correct number of two. This means, besides all the rude comments about how could you have so many children, I always seem to have at least one child who is at the picture book stage, ensuring that I and my husband have read a lot of children’s picture books over the years. Actually, my children never seem to outgrow them, even when they are reading thick three hundred page historical novels, they still enjoy reading picture books to their younger brothers and sister. Even as adults, what is it that attracts us to open up and discover the world within picture books?
Reading picture books to our children not only offers parents the wonderful opportunity to snuggle up together and bond with them, it also gives us the chance to enter into another world of the author’s and illustrator’s imagination. Ironically, transported from reality may be the very place to discuss reality. Although the primary objective may not be to discuss certain issues, if a character in a story is doing something the parent doesn’t approve of, that may be the perfect time to discuss how to, for example, treat other people. At the same time, I never read books which are written with the objective to teach specific character qualities. Children know when you’re trying to preach to them and resent it. Besides, those books generally are boring.
Don’t be mistaken. The primary purpose, however, in reading books with our children should never be to teach them a lesson. The lesson flows out of the moment and sometimes the only lesson is simply enjoying the presence of one another as we share the adventures of the hero or heroine. Sometimes the best part of the book may be the breathtaking illustrations. Ultimately, when a book is well written, and beautifully illustrated, it captures the imagination and rivets the attention of the reader no matter what the age.
But is this enough? As a Catholic mother, I want to take one more step. Although I want to encourage my children to read and to love reading, I want them to not only seek books which are, what Phil. 4:8 describes as “true,” “deserves respect,” “honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of praise,” but at the same time read books which express in some sort of way a Catholic vision. In many ways Phil. 4:8 is a “Catholic vision.” It certainly is a starting point. Unfortunately, many books today promote the ugly, scary, and downright evil side of life.
In addition to my children reading books which express a “Catholic vision,” I want them to be able to discern when this truth is distorted. Seeking books with a vision of life that supports the Catholic faith especially in a secular place by authors who are not necessarily Catholic has been a constant challenge. By reading only books which are good, they soon learn to select books of a similar nature. Let’s face it, after a healthy diet, who wants to turn to junk food? Junk food for the mind leaves the reader disappointed, dissatisfied, or hungry. He wants more, but he doesn’t know what he wants more of. Good books are read over and over again.
Obviously, the best way to create the fullest picture of the Faith to our children is to live it, and to read books to them which explain it. This not only includes a good catechism and Children’s Bible, but stories of the Saints as well. But this doesn’t mean we ignore the rest of the world. With diligence, patience, and sometimes a recommended reading list, we can find some very nice story time books.
Since we are voracious library patrons, often checking out over thirty plus books at a visit, previewing books can be difficult and an occasional “bad egg “ may slip in. I try to preview them a second time at home. Sometimes we may be reading it before we discover the objectionable points. These points we discuss as they arise. This provides an opportunity for them to sharpen their discrimination of the truth.
One truth you would expect to find in children’s picture books is a love of children; not necessarily so. Although there are many authors who do evidently love children, few present them in the same lovable way as Mary Rayner and Jill Murphy. Not only do they have children as the main characters, but the children are both loved and lovable in spite of their faults and foibles. These authors admit that in a very real world we are an imperfect people with imperfect children, who do imperfect things, creating very real problems.
Problems! Who wants to read about problems?
Along with a chuckle or two, the problems are written about in such a way that we can’t help but empathize with the mother or father in the story. These are the kinds of problems we find ourselves laughing at, because our children do some of the very same things which, let’s be honest, drive us crazy. We have to laugh about them in order not to go crazy, because children were created to give us patience. Children teach us as much as we teach them. Children, without even trying, show us the cracks, or should we say sins, in our own character which keep us striving for perfection and the confessional line at Church busy.
Because of their realistic, yet amusing presentation of family life, these two authors present a Catholic vision, on a small scale. There are no crucifixes in the homes or May shrines dedicated to the Blessed Mother, but there is a bond of love between the parents and children which is quite evident. Both have created families with more than one child, in fact, many children, and the parents love their children, while never belittling them, in spite of the number of times the children create a mess or get into mischief.
Personally, I am tired of a child’s best friend being a dog. A dog naturally loves its owner when the owner is good to it. It takes real strength of character to have a brother or sister as a friend. To build a relationship requires sacrifice, forgiveness, and the fostering of many other virtues.
Another big plus to these two authors is their character development of the parents. The parents act like real parents. They lose their temper. They apologize. They are exhausted at the end of the day. And even though Mrs. Large, for example, desperately wishes for five minutes peace, she never utters those dreadful words so often heard, “I can’t wait until the children go back to school.” She may wish a few minutes peace, but she doesn’t wish to abandon their formation. At the same time, the parents don’t look like they walked out of a fashion magazine. Then again, how could a pig or an elephant look like Barbie and Ken? Actually, the issue of appearance is dealt with in A Piece Of Cake. As one of the children notes; “I do think elephants are meant to be fat.”
On the other hand, as is sometimes portrayed, the father is not a moron to be the butt of all the jokes, and equally important, the children are not smarter than the parents. Yet, the children do use their wits and are quite clever when they need to be, especially in Mary Rayner’s, Garth Pig And The Ice Cream Lady.
Children are very perceptive of the messages that books, and in particular some publishing houses, and authors are trying to promote. Are the books the children reading uplifting, not just interesting, but uplifting? I don’t mean uplifting in just a happy sort of way, that is good also, but are the books uplifting them toward the ideal of Catholic family life as exemplified in Familiaris Consortio and Letter To Families from Pope John Paul II?
While Rayner’s and Murphy’s books are written from a secular point of view, they do succeed in creating families which we can readily identify with. Jill Murphy has written several books about the “Large family,” which happens to be a family of elephants. The titles include: Five Minutes Peace, A Quiet Night In, All In One Piece and A Piece Of Cake. Another book about a family of bears is entitled: Peace At Last.
A delight to the viewer, her illustrations, because of her perceptive details, draw the reader into the moment, and that is before we have begun to read. Perhaps more than anything else, we are entranced by the priceless expressions on the character’s faces. Disappointment, joy, or a touch of exasperation are all masterfully captured.
However, it isn’t just the interesting pictures that make these books a good read. The characters are equally a delight. The children are not, for lack of a better word, brats. They love their parents. They do not suffer from disrespect due to the “generation gap.” On the other hand, they are not sickening saccharine sweet. They are real. They leave a mess. They miss their Mom when she’s not with them. They look forward to seeing their Dad come home from work after a long day.
These very real characters, wonderfully illustrated, are then immersed in a very real situation. How they cope with their predicament, combined with her superb illustrations truly creates several wonderful stories. Without revealing too much of the plot, it is the development of the situation and its humorous outcome which creates an empathy between the reader and the author. As a mother or father of small children, you will have great sympathy for the parents seeking a night out, a good night’s rest, or a few minutes peace.
Likewise an intriguing artist as well as a masterful storyteller, Mary Raynor has created a modern day twist on Little Red Riding Hood in several of her stories. With the appearance of the clever Mrs. Wolf, children soon surmise her wicked intentions. Will Garth pig escape her evil clutches? Can the ingenious little piglets outwit her? Loaded with surprises, Garth Pig And The Ice Cream Lady is as memorable as it is exciting. You will never hear the music of an ice cream truck in the same way again.
Because Raynor has chosen pigs as her characters, she has created some very interesting possibilities. Children recognize that wolves do like to eat young pigs. Furthermore, children should mistrust strange characters. With their atrocious manners at times, the little piglets certainly do behave as little piglets. Who knows? Not wanting to be compared to a little piglet, your own children may decide to improve their own manners.
Besides the suspense and drama of an occasional wolf, Raynor does treat some of the more typical problems of a large family. Children do get into mischief, intentional and otherwise. Baby has a bad day. And Mother pig tires of certain culinary delights. This is just an overview of a few of the stories titled: Mrs. Pig Gets Cross And Other Stories, Mrs. Pig’s Bulk Buy, Garth Pig And The Ice Cream Lady, Mr. And Mrs. Pig’s Evening Out, and Garth Pig Steals The Show.
Although all these books were written years ago, they should be easily accessible through the library system. Both authors do have other stories in print, but I haven’t read them, and therefore can’t endorse them. While looking through the stacks at the local library for an exciting bedtime read or afternoon snuggle, you may wish to consider these books. Catholic in their presentation of family togetherness and heroic resourcefulness, they will not disappoint you.
Elizabeth Yank is a free lance writer and home educating mother of six from
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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