Godly Silence for Everyone

 

Picture Book: Shhh… God is in the Silence:                                                                     A Story for All Ages

Author: Fiona Basile

Illustrator: Alice Mount

Summary: This is a book of shushes and questions. Every page begins "Shhh... God is in the silence. Can you here him?" 

What follows is a series of statements declaring this ideas repeatedly:

God speaks to your heart, saying...

I love you.

You are precious.

There is no one else like you.

I created you.

You are mine.

I am with you always.

Next, it declares that God lives in your heart, and adds to the reassurances above: You are safe so rest little one.

Hanna’s Comments: This beautiful book gets to the heart of what children and families need today: silence and a sense of God's presence. The subtitle declares this is a story (book) for all ages, and surely it is! 

If you prefer to avoid masculine language for God, simply change the text. Sticky notes are helpful for this. 

This book has its own website. Click: here to check it out. You can order the book, while finding activities and instructions on teaching children how to pray. These methods could easily be adapted for adults or teens. I especially liked this: Personal Noise Survey

Original Publisher & Date: Loyola  Press, 2016

Age Appropriateness: 3 and up

Formats other than Book: None at present, but there is a bilingual (Spanish & English) edition of the book.

Scripture Connections: Any scripture about silence, such as Psalm 46:10 (mentioned below) and Elijah's experience of God in the silence (1 Kings 19), connects strongly to this book.

Connections to The Revised Common Lectionary: I listed this book in my Trinity Treasures preschool curriculum for a summer lesson in Year C (theme: Be Still) based on Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.

PBT Applications: This book would be perfect to read to a group of parents of young children. You might want to leave out the "little one" endearment. Then have them brainstorm ways to be in relative silence with their children while modeling mindful experiences of God's presence. For young children, you may want to read only a few pages and show all the images. With each illustration, encourage their responses about God in those images. For teens, you may want to simply read the text since the images are of young children, but the questions are intriguing for any age.

If you are interested in learning about Trinity Treasures, a scripture-based preschool Sunday school curriculum that features picture books & children’s Bibles, contact me at hannaschock@bellsouth.net. Right now, free lessons are emailed if you fill out the monthly feedback form.