Best this month
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
in Bears, the fourth film in the Disneynature series. Directed by Alastair Fother-
Bear For many indigenous peoples, the bear symbolizes
grounding forces and strength. It has been revered for centu- ries as a powerful figure, inspiring those who need courage to stand up to adversity. Some of these qualities are revealed
Lost for Words
In this pic-
ture book writ- ten and illus- trated by Nata- lie Russell, Tapir and his friends have gotten nice new notebooks
Author bio:
The Brussats publish the website www.SpiritualityandPractice. com where you can find more information about the items reviewed in this column.
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www.thelutheran.org
in which to express themselves. Giraffe comes up with a poem, Hippo writes an exciting story, and Flamingo composes a song about the sun. Tapir tries but can’t think of any words to write on the page. In a place of solitude, he sees the light. His talent has nothing to do with words: he can draw! Tapir proves to be a gifted artist whose images thrill his friends. Both adults and children will be exhilarated by Russell’s story, which shows that God loves diversity in creativity (Peachtree Pub- lishers,
www.peachtree-
online.com).
gill and Keith Scholey, this beautifully crafted documen- tary focuses on how a mother bear and her two babies suc- cessfully navigate the danger- ous first year of the cubs’ lives. It’s a delight to watch the play- fulness of the two little ones, but all is not fun and games. The family has to avoid preda- tors, including larger bears and a wolf, while hunting for
enough fish to sustain them through the next winter. This family film does justice to both the joy and suspense of their incredible journey through the wilderness (Walt Disney Pic- tures, G).
Learning to Walk in the Dark Barbara Brown Taylor, a former parish pastor and
religion professor at Piedmont College, Demorest, Ga., observes: “In this culture, darkness has gotten a bad rep with children frightened of monsters under their beds and millions of Christians unsettled by images of God in the Bible plunging the world into darkness and chaos. And others are paying a high price for their fear of the dark—sleep deprivation, anxieties about being a victim of a dreadful crime.” In a series of wise and enlightening chapters, Taylor shares her informal study of those who have worked with darkness, including Miriam Greenspan, Jacques Lussey- ran, John of the Cross, Gerald May and Mother Teresa. The author has some interesting things to say about the Black Madonna, healing through the dark emotions, dining in the dark, the night sky and the moon.
Taylor’s book models the faith, courage, and creativity
and playfulness it takes to walk in the dark without fear or dismay. She is grateful to have discovered a potpourri of Bible stories that happen after dark, a new set of teach- ers to usher her around in unfamiliar places, and a deeper reverence of the mysteries that accompany God’s presence and absence (HarperOne,
www.harpercollins.com).
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