During the summer months, we vary our curriculum to provide a time for children to apply biblical concepts to daily life situations by reading excellent children’s illustrated books. Children will think and talk about how we should treat God’s creation, each other, people who have lives that are unfamiliar to us; and what we can do to share God’s love and beauty with others. We conclude our time together with a connection activity or craft and by lighting the Christ Candle and praying. The Summer Books Center will begin on June 12 and continue through September 11. Look for the book titles and activities each week.
Book for June 19: The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken by Jennifer Frank and David Ezra Stein
Emma is excited for her worm family to have their portrait taken. But when she sees her other friends’ portraits, she gets discouraged. “We had the most beautiful smiles,” Ellie the Chipmunk squeals. Abigail the Cat meows, “I looked gorgeous with my big poufy hair.” The worm family doesn’t have teeth…how will they show their beautiful smiles? They don’t have hair either…how can it look big and poufy?! So Emma gathers wigs, giant fake teeth, and colorful clothing for her parents and sisters. But it’s only after taking off their costumes that the worm family is able to wriggle and squiggle and squeeze into a delightful pose that only a worm family can make. And Emma? She thinks it’s perfectly perfect.
Questions:
- Why was Mrs. Worm so eager to have the family picture taken?
- Why did Emma start to wonder if her family’s picture would be good?
- As Emma got more and more discouraged about her family’s picture, what did she keep telling herself?
- What did the family’s picture spell out?
- How did the family end up having their picture taken?
Activity: Take photos of individuals and the group to hang on a hallway poster as a church family photo.