Religious Picture Books With Sidura Ludwig

November 11, 2024 Stefanie Hohl

We are so excited to have Sidura Ludwig join us today to share information about Religious Picture Books!

Hi! I'm Sidura Ludwig, writer of books for children and adults. 2024 has been a busy year for me, with my debut picture book RISING (illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy, Candlewick) published in May, and my debut middle grade novel SWAN: The Girl Who Grew (Nimbus Publishing) out in Canada in September. SWAN comes out in the US March 2025! I'm thrilled that RISING recently won the 2024 Canadian Jewish Literary Award for children. I got my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts (where I met the amazing Stefanie!) in July 2021. I live in Thornhill, ON with my husband, three kids and a geriatric, toothless Havanese dog.

When I wrote RISING, I thought I was writing a picture book about making challah. I didn’t realize I was writing a book about my relationship with God.

Let me back up. During the early days of the pandemic, we all remember how upside down everything felt. Weekly routines blended into weekend routines, which blended into “what routines?” Who knew when we would get back to a world we recognized?

But the one routine that didn’t change for me and my family was getting ready for and celebrating Shabbat. Shabbat is the Jewish 25-hour period of rest from sundown on Friday to one-hour after sundown on Saturday. For religious Jews, there are a number of rituals and restrictions we follow during that period in order to “keep” Shabbat. In those early pandemic days, I still got up early on a Friday to make my challah dough. I still prepared all the foods my family enjoyed eating for Friday night dinner and Saturday lunch. We still lit Shabbat candles when Shabbat came in and took comfort in the prayers and rituals around our Shabbat table. We may not have had guests, but for those 25 hours, life felt more normal than any other time of the week.

At the time, I was getting my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. That semester, I took the Picture Book Intensive. My advisor, Jane Kurtz, challenged us to write a non-fiction picture book. RISING was born out of that challenge. It started with the mixing of ingredients. A mother and child rising early in the morning to spend quiet time together with this weekly ritual. But as the day goes on, as the child’s anticipation and excitement for Shabbat grows, challah becomes something so much more than a loaf of bread. It’s the food that connects her to her family, to her community, to her history and to her faith. Challah becomes an anchor for her, and in the end, the ritual is a comfort she can count on week after week after week.

Maybe this was my love letter to God. A thank you for granting me one of many rituals that sustain me through joyous, and difficult, times. Religious books that pose big questions are important for young readers, who have big questions themselves. But so too are religious books that show the “doing,” the actions that make up faith and allow us to connect with each other and something greater, time and time again.

Thanks so much for joining us, Sidura!

You can find Sidura on Instagram@siduraludwigauthor, Facebook @siduraludwigauthor, or her website siduraludwig.com.

Ten Favorite Religious Picture Books

November 4, 2024 Stefanie Hohl

From Hanukkah to Diwali, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or the bodhi tree, religious beliefs and celebrations have infused human experience since ancient times. We’ve collected ten of our favorite picture books that celebrate the traditions and connectedness that spiritual beliefs can bring into our lives. Enjoy!

The Remember Tree by Stefanie Hohl, illustrated by Wes Wheeler

Years ago on Christmas Eve, Grandma pulled out a wooden box filled with carefully carved ornaments. As she unwraps each ornament, Grandma shares a riddle—and teaches her granddaughter the meaning of the symbol. Warm and inviting, this story helps children understand how modern symbols of Christmas coincide with the holiday’s Biblical roots.

The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard, illustrated by Laura K. Horton

It’s Ramadan, which means that Sophia’s family fasts from sunup to sundown. Grandma says that fasting makes you sparkle inside, and Sophia loves sparkles! But when hunger gets the best of her, she eats a cookie—has she ruined her chance to sparkle? This sweet story introduces children to the traditions and meaning of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler, illustrated by Jill Weber

Once farmers and shepherds, ancient Jews worshiped in the temple in Jerusalem, where a light, called the ner tamid, was always kept burning. When the Greek army attacks Jerusalem and destroys the temple, the Jews have only enough oil for one night of burning the light in the temple—but the ner tamid burns for eight nights! This simple story gives a wonderful overview of why Hanukkah is celebrated and what its traditions represent.

Under the Bodhi Tree: A Story of the Buddha by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Kailey Whitman

When Prince Siddhartha was born, his mother dreamed of a white elephant, an omen of a special child. As a young man, Siddhartha realizes life’s hardships and seeks to help those in need. After learning from others, he sits beneath the heart-shaped leaves of the bodhi tree to meditate until he finds answers within himself. After days of meditation, his spirit awakens to the interconnectedness of life, loss, joy, and pain. Now known as the Buddha, Prince Siddhartha spends the remainder of this life spreading his message of peace. With beautiful illustrations and lyrical text, this story teaches children the history and foundational message of Buddhism.

Diwali (Celebrate the World) by Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

Long ago, Hindu people celebrated Diwali in homage to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, who they hoped would bless them with bountiful crops and prosperity. People all over the world still celebrate Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, for five whole days! With delicious food, plenty of lights, and visits to loved ones, each day is dedicated to honoring family, friends, and the goddess Lakshmi—in hopes of good fortune in the coming year! This book uses simple descriptions and fun, colorful illustrations—a perfect way to introduce readers to the meaning of the festival of Diwali.

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner, illustrated by David Catrow

When God made you, he made you with special gifts all your own! God knows you inside and out, and his dream is for you to follow your dreams. With colorful, expressive illustrations, this rhyming book describes what many people of faith believe about God, His relationship to everyday life, and ways in which this belief can shape daily actions.

What Do You Believe: Religion and Faith in the World Today by DK Publishing

From ancient belief systems to modern spiritual ideas, religion and spirituality has infused human life from the beginnings of recorded time. This extensive exploration of religious faiths through time includes timelines, descriptions of main world religions, a map detailing where religions began, and even compare-contrast statements regarding religious topics. Packed with information, this book is guided by the belief that no matter what you choose to believe, more understanding will bring greater peace and tolerance into the world.

Yo Soy Muslim: A Father’s Letter to His Daughter by Mark Gonzales, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

If you ask questions about the meaning of humanity, if you’re faced with questions you cannot answer, and if you struggle to find kindness in others, you can say “Yo soy Muslim” (I am Muslim). In those words, the narrator reminds us, is a reminder that you were created by Allah. Those words will teach you where you came from and how to hear God. Full of colorful, engaging illustrations, this book teaches readers of the power that can come with faith.

The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

When Teita arrives from Egypt, Zain knows it’s time to prepare for Eid! Better yet, Teita is finally going to teach him how to make the sweet treat, ka’ak. Together they bake, decorate, and enjoy the treat together. At the end of the story, readers can learn more about Eid and the history of ka’ak—with a recipe included as well! This story includes colorful illustrations and lots of information about this traditional celebration at the end of the Ramadan fast.

Rising by Sidura Ludwig, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy

As Shabbat approaches, the narrator and his mother prepare the traditional challah bread. While the bread rises and the narrator waits, his pregnant mother reminds him that all good things take time to grow. And when the family shares the bread together, they add salt for tears and honey for good things to come. This beautiful, lyrical story even includes a glossary of Hebrew terms– as well as the author’s personal challah recipe!

I hope you enjoyed these Ten Favorite Religious Picture Books!

For more great ideas, feel free to check out 10 Favorite Scary Picture Books or 10 Favorite Holiday Books.

And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss more great ideas and future blog posts!

Religious Picture Books Are For All Children with Maria Oka

November 1, 2024 Stefanie Hohl

We are so excited to have Maria Oka join us today to share information about Religious Picture Books!

Maria Oka earned her MFA in writing for children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She’s studied picture books through SCBWI, VCFA, a lifetime of reading them, and ten years writing them. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters.

Most children have deep questions about life, death, and a higher power. Religious picture books can be a powerful, yet gentle way for children to explore these questions. Parents can share their faith or beliefs with children through spiritual or religious books, and children can peer into belief systems beyond their own, gaining further knowledge and empathy.

*Some religious picture books are wildly imaginative, but still touch on deep and abiding spiritual concepts. Examples:

DOG HEAVEN by Cynthia Rylant, where we see dogs in Dog Heaven running through fields,playing with angel children, and eating biscuits baked by God.

MR. AND MRS. GOD IN THE CREATION KITCHEN by Nancy Wood and Timothy Basil Ering, which shares a creative but accessible version of the creation of the earth, ending with Mr. and Mrs. God wondering how the creation of man will turn out.

*Other religious books are meant to share specific elements of a belief system in bite-sized ways that kids can really chew on. Examples:

WHERE’S BUDDHA? By Marisa Aragon Ware, a lyrical book that shows us that Buddha can be everywhere, in everything and all of us.

GOD GAVE US LOVE by Lisa Tawn Bergren and Laura J. Bryant, where Little Cub and Grandpa talk about love, where it comes from, the different ways we feel it, and that God’s love is always there.

*Others weave a beautiful story to share cultural elements or specific teachings of a religion. Examples:

DEEP IN THE SAHARA by Kelly Cunnane and Ho. Lalla wants a malafa, and goes on a journey of discovering what a malafa truly represents before she is ready for her own.

WHERE IS POPPY? by Caroline Kusin Pritchard and Dana Wulfekotte, which follows a girl on Passover night as she looks for signs of her beloved and deceased Poppy, ultimately learning that he is still there in all of them.

*Some share traditional folktales from a belief system in creative ways. Examples:

ZEN SHORTS by Jon J. Muth, which shows a kind panda teaching three siblings through Buddhist and Taoist stories, or short meditations.

THE TALE OF THE THREE TREES by Angela Elwell Hunt and Tim Jonke is a traditional folktale which shares the story of Jesus’s birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection through the perspective of three trees who, in the forms of an animal feedbox, a boat, and a cross, witness events of Jesus’ life firsthand.

Many children are deeply spiritual, and religious picture books should respect where they’re at by honoring their depth, and approaching these deep topics in kid-centric, simple ways. Good religious picture books invite a child in. They share beliefs, stories, concepts, or faith traditions in accessible ways. They can provide answers, encourage questions, and often leave the reader with a sense of peace or wonder.

There are many ways to write religious picture books, but a good way to start is to focus on a central question, theme, teaching, tale, or religious event…and build a story around it! Happy writing.