Meetinghouse Children’s Libraries: How to maintain a vibrant collection

May 20 & 22, 2025

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CHILDREN’S BOOK MAY FORM THE FOUNDATION OF A LESSON PLAN, help a child sit quietly in Meeting for Worship, or serve as a way to connect with a child in the Meeting. There are so many beautiful children’s books that it is hard to make choices for the Meetinghouse library, especially on a limited budget. It makes sense to plan carefully, consider gaps in the collection, and examine the written and unwritten messages communicated by a book before making a purchase.

Join this conversation to learn from Friends who have deep experience with teaching children’s religious education using children’s books, including members of the Sparklers Working Group who developed Sparkling Still, a core Quaker curriculum based on children’s books. 

QUERIES

• What are some considerations when choosing books for the Meetinghouse children’s library? 

• What ages are the children and youth in your Meeting?

• What concerns of the Meeting would inform choices of children’s books?

• Is there a list of children’s books every Meeting should have? 

• What about newer books that illustrate Quaker themes and practices?

• What principles and guidelines would help to evaluate and cull the current collection?

CONVERSATION STARTERS

May 20: Erika Mittag, Austin FM, SCYM and Sally Farneth, Portland ME, NEYM

May 22: Erika Mittag, Austin FM, SCYM

RESOURCES:

• Sparkling Still: A Quaker Curriculum for First Day School or Home Use, ages 3-8, Sparklers working group, FGC
• Sparkling Still Library Thing, an online annotated children’s book catalog
• Choosing Books for First Day School: Guidelines for Selecting Books, by Erika Mittag, Sally Farneth and Susan Hopkins.
• 33 Multicultural Children’s Books about Peace, Colours of Us
• Brightly: Raise Kids Who Love to Read  Book List
• Books and Music to Celebrate Earth Day, Anne Collins, Sally Farneth, Susan Hopkins, Erika Mittag
• Social Justice Books (Teaching for Change)  https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/immigration/  

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