Verdi

Name of Book:  Verdi

Author:  Janell Cannon

Illustrator:  Janell Cannon

Publisher:  Harcourt Brace & Company

Audience:  Ages 3 – 7

Summary:  Verdi is a tender tale about a young snake’s desire to stay yellow, young, fast, and adventuresome, avoiding his perceived horrors of becoming green: old!

Verdi enjoys youth: running fast, climbing high, eating anything, and roaming far.  He fears growing green, lazy, old, and stationary.  That is until one day when the young snake takes a giant fall and requires the healing care of his elders.  Strapped to a branch for safety and mending, and with considerable time on his hands, Verdi hears the stories of his green caregivers and learns old snakes are not what they seem.

Literary Elements at Work:  There are two distinct and equally compelling literary devices that invite the listener/reader along on this adventure—storytelling and artistry.  Janell Cannon poignantly tells the risky journey of a young snake’s life from hatchling to adulthood.  Additionally, known for her attention to detail, particularly when rendering critters of all sorts and conditions, Janell Cannon tells the snake’s tale using visually stunning art, expression, and vibrant color.

Scripture:  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, NRSV)

Theology:  God has created us, creates us and promise to re-create us—all of us: green and yellow, young and old, fast and slow, rude and kind.  Resting in God’s promises, we learn to embrace the whole of life with thanksgiving and joy.

Faith Talk Questions:

This story can serve as an illustration on our culture’s obsession with youth, our fear of growing old, and our lessening capacity to be still and listen.

Sit down beside your child.  Let her turn the pages.  Ask her what kinds of animals and insects and reptiles she sees on each page.  Go outside and look for these creatures in your backyard.  Spring is the perfect time to watch older birds, bunnies, and squirrels care for their young.  Ask her, “How would the baby birds learn to fly without their mom and dad?  How would they eat?  How would the bunnies learn to hop?  How would the squirrels learn to climb?”  Without mom and dad, young wildlife depend on human creatures for their care—vets and naturalists at Discovery Place, the Carolina Raptor Center and the Nature Museum here in Charlotte.  Visit some of these places.

Ask your child:

Verdi is afraid of growing old.  Why?

Verdi takes a long hard fall and gets hurt.  Who takes care of him?

While Verdi is healing, what does he learn about Aggie?  Ribbon?  Umbles?

When Verdi gets older, he meets two young and yellow snakes.  What does he teach them?

How can young snakes and old snakes be friends?  Suggest by listening to one another.

Children learn to listen to us through our ability to listen to them!  When your child(ren) talk, be still and listen.  Children learn to respect their elders when we respect our elders.  When older folks need your time, attention, or assistance, give your time, attention, and assistance.  Children learn to take care of creatures who are vulnerable: the sick, injured, dying, very young, elderly, poor when we care for those who are vulnerable.  Jesus taught us to heal the sick; mend the injured; visit the dying; care for the very young and the old; and feed, clothe, and give drink to the poor.  Perform these acts with your children.

Young and old need one another.  The young teach us to run fast, climb high, sing loudly, cry when it hurts, and take a nap when we’re tired.  The old teach us to be still, listen, tell stories, walk when you can’t run, and take a nap when we’re tired!  Thank God for the young and thank God for the old!

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Seminary alumna Kim Lee

Mockingjay

Name of Book:  Mockingjay

Author:  Suzanne Collins

Book Design:  Elizabeth Parisi

Publisher:  Scholastic Press

Audience:  Ages 12 and up

Summary:  The third in a trilogy of science fiction stories, Mockingjay is written for adolescent youth and older due to graphic and violent content.

Katniss Everdeen has survived two rounds of competition in the Hunger Games arena and returns to District 12 to see the ruins after it has been bombed and destroyed by the Capitol. Citizen refugees have been relocated to District 13, the first district destroyed by the Capitol which went underground. The residents of District 13 and the refugees have together plotted the details of the revolution and assassination plan for President Snow.

Peeta has been captured and tortured by President Snow and special army team from District 13 is sent to the Capitol to rescue Peeta and other games survivors. The Capitol retaliates with bombing the districts, but 13 is spared. The district president works to create an army capable of leading the other districts in the revolution against the Capitol to gain freedom from oppression. With Katniss in the army group leading the way as the mockingjay, she will again experience and participate in violence and death as they work to rid Panem of the evil in power.

This particular book moves much more quickly through time than the past two in the series. A war rages on and much death and destruction take place, although it is described over weeks and months rather than days.

Note: While the series has no Christian references at all, there are a number of routes one can take in discussing Christian faith with teenage readers. Parents are strongly encouraged to read this book either before their children or alongside their children and engage in regular faith-based discussions.

Literary elements at work in the story:  This is a science fiction dystopia of revenge imposed by the country leadership onto the individual districts. It is told from the first person point of view of Katniss, a 16 year old tribute to the Games. It is her story of survival in not just the games, but in everyday life as a citizen of the poorest district in Panem. Katniss is portrayed as a survivor, as is her friend Gale, while many of the other child characters, including her sister (and even her mom) are portrayed as weak and needy. The setting of this book takes place in District 13, as well as in the Capital during war time.

How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economic/ability make a difference to the story?  This book portrays all citizens of Panem, even those of District 13, as under oppressive authority. Many citizens have been tortured either physically or mentally, and even within the safety of the district, there is no freedom for citizens. The culture is that of a benevolent dictatorship, creating citizens who will survive the war and hopefully repopulate the country after it has been recaptured.

Scripture:  Isaiah 57:19-21

Theology:  As humans we fall short of the glory of God, but we are still loved and desired by God. We have turned away from God, and each other, in search of our own personal and societal gains. As sinners, we have gone against “the way it’s supposed to be.” We are unable to turn ourselves back toward God and unable to make our relationship with God and one another right. We have been sent Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, to lead us back into relationship with God and others.

Faith Talk Questions:

1. Have you ever been given a gift by someone that you know you can’t repay?
2. How can we trust God when we don’t physically see or feel God?
3. Are there any characters in the book that value human life?
4. What does God teach us about the value of a human life?
5. Katniss struggles with the loss of friends close to her and feels responsible. Have you ever lost someone close to you? Has someone close to you been hurt before? How did you feel?
6. How do you think God would react to the Capitol’s treatment of the citizens of Panem?

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Seminary alumna Katie Todd