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November
2001
Books of Healing
by Susan Heyboer O’Keefe
Because of
print deadlines, October’s column was written and sent before the
September 11th tragedy.
My prayers have been with those affected directly, as well as
with all of us whose lives will never quite be the same again.
Most of the
books recommended by various sources over the past weeks have addressed
the immediate needs of dealing with grief and trauma.
Now that some time has passed, I’d like to offer a few
picture-book selections that offer hope and healing, plus a suggestion
for adults.
All Things Bright and
Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander, illustrations by Bruce
Whatley. The classic hymn
celebrating the goodness of life is here rendered in gorgeous
double-page spreads, lush realistic art of sun-kissed days and man in
harmony with the earth.
Old Turtle by Douglas Wood, with illustrations by Cheng-Khee
Chee. The ten-year
anniversary edition of this modern classic has a CD read-along,
sing-along companion. For
those of you not familiar with the story, it’s a time when all the
animals spoke each other’s language.
Each type of animal saw in God their own characteristics and thus
claimed Him for themselves, until their arguments filled the air.
Old Turtle, who almost never spoke, silenced them, then explained
that they were all right -- that God is like each of them and all of
them, all at once. Old Turtle went on to explain that humans were coming, and
that they would have the very same argument to the point of earthly
devastation -- unless they first learned to see God in each other. Incredible watercolors complement a simple and elegant text.
The Tin Forest by Helen Wood, with illustrations by Wayne
Anderson. An old man lives
in a wasteland, a forgotten place filled with garbage.
Each day the old man tries to burn the garbage or to bury it,
while each night he dreams of a tropical forest filled with animals.
One day he gets the idea to build his own forest out of what is
already around him. When he
does, a bird and its mate come to live there, and eventually the tin
forest is transformed. The
early illustrations are eerily like scenes of the devastated Twin
Towers, making the building of the tin forest a hopeful symbol of New
York and the country’s rebuilding from the ashes.
For adults
-- Close
the Book on Hate: 101 Ways to Combat Prejudice. This free pamphlet was put together last year by
Barnes and Noble, together with the Anti-Defamation League, mostly as a
response to the many school shootings.
After the World Trade Center attack, the pamphlet was reissued
and distributed free in B&N stores.
The book lists strategies for fighting the type of behavior that
leads to violence at home, in schools, and in the workplace.
There’s also an extensive reading list, with choices for all
age groups. If your local
Barnes and Noble is out, the entire pamphlet can be read onscreen or
downloaded free from the Anti-Defamation League.
See their website at http://www.adl.org
.
While the thrust of the pamphlet is of course much more local
than the national threat we face, preventing hatred and violence on the
personal level can perhaps help us restore some measure of peace.
Writer Susan Heyboer O’Keefe can be visited
online at http://www.susanheyboerokeefe.homestead.com
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