PBT Redux Series #2

Here’s the second book I’m offering as a part of my PBT Redux Series in which I re-post (with a little editing) an earlier post about a particularly good picture book that was published in the last few years. The books in this series are treasures with so much potential for ministry! 

Picture Book: Beautiful Oops!

Author & Illustrator: Barney Saltzberg

Summary: Mistakes are celebrated in this interactive book full of folds, stains, holes, tears, tabs, drips, and even a paper wad. This picture book’s ingenious design has readers helping to transform the various mistakes into fun possibilities. The first pages declare that an “oops” (mistake) is just the beginning. Then we are encouraged to help the author find the potential in all sorts of oops, demonstrating that oops can be seen as wonderful opportunities.

Hanna’s Comments: Underneath the fun of this book are messages of grace, self-forgiveness, and hope. Although here the idea of transforming our mistakes is delivered with a clever and light tone, between the lines is encouragement to accept that our mistakes are inevitable and at times fun to alter. How we respond to our mistakes is what counts. Because this is a board book, you might want to demonstrate the story with some mistake-ridden artwork yourself. However, if you do this, be sure to give Barney Satzberg the credit he deserves. If your audience is able, allow them to make some mistakes and then transform them into something new. God’s grace and providence abound in this wonderful book.

Publisher & Date of Publication:  Workman, 2010

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up

Formats other than Book: Youtube.com has a video of the author demonstrating the art concepts underlying the book which is mentioned but not read. There are also amateur readings of the book on Youtube.com.

PBT Category: Post 2K

Scripture Connections and Idea(s) for Application: Grace is such a multifaceted and abstract concept. It’s hard for adults to comprehend, much less children. My husband wrote a summer arts camp curriculum for elementary children based on this book. He was able to connect 4 Bible Stories with 4 of this book’s categories of oops and then tell each story’s message of grace. Here they are: Joseph in the pit (hole), the Demoniac on the rocks (torn), the Prodigal Son with the pigs (stained), and Jesus’ tears of blood in the Garden (drip). Contact me if you are interested in hearing more about this curriculum. The kids loved it!