A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 221

Picture Book: All the Places to Love

Author: Patricia Maclachlan

Illustrator: Mike Wimmer

Summary: At his birth, Eli begins cherishing his family’s farm as soon as his grandmother wraps him in a blanket made of the wool from their sheep and holds him up to the window to feel the wind and see all the places to love. Eli tells of each family member’s favorite place on the farm and why. While his baby sister, Sylvie, is born, Eli waits in the barn with his grandfather for the news and then carves her name into a rafter where all their names have been carved at birth. Eli looks forward to showing Sylvie all the places to love as his loving family has shown him.  

Hanna’s Comments: This is a beautiful book about the power of place and how loving experiences in these places will ground and connect you. It celebrates the natural world and intergenerational family bonds. The affection Eli has for his family home reminds me of the love and longing that so many Jews of old had (and modern Jews have) for their homeland, especially for the city of Jerusalem and their Temple.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Harper Collins, 1994

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, affection, ancestors/patriarchs & matriarchs, babies/children, belonging, birth/birthday, blessings, bonds/connections, the environment/nature, family, fathers, gentleness/meekness, God’s care/providence, grandparents, gratitude/thanksgiving, heritage, home, identity/names, love, manna,  memories/remembering/ritual/tradition, mothers, nurturing, parents/parental love, relationships, reverence, security, unity

Scripture Connections: I love the place where Your glory abides. (Psalm 26:8); Oh give thanks to the Lord (Psalm 107:1); rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17)

Idea(s) for Application: This would be a wonderful book to read to children during a homecoming or anniversary of your faith community. After the reading, you could connect the family events and favorite places mentioned in the book to particular important events and special places in your religious home. Encouraging young people to think of their faith community as another kind of family and home is always a good idea.