2/29/2008 Editor's note: "The Purple Puzzle Tree" is no longer available from the source mentioned when this article was published, nor is the staff of The Lutheran able to help with requests to help locate the books.
Tiger, tiger, tell me do you fly? Do you slink around the ground or soar about the sky? God made tigers, God made you and me, to fit together piece by piece in a purple puzzle tree. ... You will find the pieces fit, much to your surprise, when you learn to see God's world through laughing children's eyes."
Anyone raised on "The Purple Puzzle Tree" Bible stories, popular in the 1970s, recalls the delightful songs— then on record— accompanied by 36 colorful storybooks. The original series sold more than 2 million copies.
Norman Habel, the Lutheran Church of Australia pastor who created the series, credits his children for the original inspiration and his Tamil (a South Indian ethnic group) daughter for God's younger image in the re-release. "When I talked with a group of children, they wanted a face that made them happy. And when I asked my Tamil daughter how we could have God looking so young, she pointed to the baby Jesus," Habel says. "God becomes incarnate in a human form we relate to, not in the form that is old, cold and distant."
© 2013 Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Comments
eisenkay
Posted at 5:46 pm (U.S. Eastern) 9/2/2007
Hello,
I've been looking for the Purple Puzzle Tree sets for so long. I grew up listening to these records and reading along in the books. Now I want to share them with my son.
I have the first set. Is it possible to buy sets 2-6, all at once? Please provide the information, as I'd really love to have them. They were instrumental in my development and just so fun when I was young!
Thank you,
Kathleen
Sonia
Posted at 12:58 pm (U.S. Eastern) 9/6/2007
Kathleen,
I just now noticed your comment to the little Currents article I wrote 5 years ago.
Did you, by any chance, try to contact the Youth and Family Institute at the phone number listed? When I did this story, I talked with Norman Habel in Australia but I no longer have his information. I also talked with the folks at Youth and Family, who at that time were intending to re-release the entire set. If memory serves, I heard sometime later that the Institute had changed its plans later on.
Contacting them at the phone number given or through the Website would be the best. If they aren't releasing, I doubt if anyone is.
I wish we could help you more. And I so wish these would be released again. My childen loved them, and my grandchildren loved Set 1 when it was re-released.
I have no idea whether anyone ever tries to sell these on eBay but that's a thought too.
All best in your search, Kathleen.
Sonia
Erin
Posted at 11:36 am (U.S. Eastern) 9/7/2007
I grew up listening to these records. We lost them in a move when I was about 10. I have been looking for them for 20 years now. I am so glad I found this I will be getting one
Edwin Paul
Posted at 4:53 pm (U.S. Eastern) 11/1/2007
Hi Pls tell me where i could buy the entire set i used to listen to them as kid and want my kiddo to listen to them
Lawrence K. Warner
Posted at 8:13 pm (U.S. Eastern) 3/4/2008
I have the complete boxed set of The Purple Puzzle Tree (6 LP records and 36 books).....all in very nice condition.....contact me if interested.
Web manager's note: Solicitation is not permitted on The Lutheran's Web site, per Section 5 of our Terms of Use.
Martha
Posted at 7:01 pm (U.S. Eastern) 3/6/2008
I also am looking for the Purple Puzzle Tree sets. I have the old records, but they skip something terrible. I just bought the CD of the first six stories. Are the others out yet?
Liane Wilkinson
Posted at 8:56 pm (U.S. Eastern) 3/24/2008
I'm so happy to see that other people shared the same wonderfull experence of my childhood. I noticed one of the e-mails stated they bought the first seies on CD. Are they out there? I have looked for years! My record dissapeared when my grandparents passed. I only have the first few books. I would love to have the complete set again and share them with my children. If anyone can tell me where to get the complete set, I would be so happy! Please tell me where to find them!
Judy
Posted at 6:31 pm (U.S. Eastern) 4/3/2008
edwin
Posted at 2:37 am (U.S. Eastern) 4/6/2008
I recently purchased the first set books 1-6 form http://www.crossways.org/reading/forchildren.shtml
it costs about 40$ trying to get the net set. if any one k.nows any other vendor pls let me know
Kathleen Kaufamn
Posted at 6:36 pm (U.S. Eastern) 5/11/2008
Hello Lawrence K. Warner.
I'd really like the set of Purple Puzzel Tree records and books. How can I contact you?
Kathleen Kaufman
Posted at 6:41 pm (U.S. Eastern) 5/11/2008
Dear Lawrence K Warner,
Please contact me regarding the Purple Puzzel Tree records and books complete set. I'm really interested.
I'm at eisenkay@sbcglobal.net
Thank you.
Web Manager
Posted at 5:38 pm (U.S. Eastern) 5/13/2008
Solicitation is not permitted on The Lutheran's Web site, per Section 5 of our Terms of Use.
Please also note that if you choose to disclose your email address or other personal information in this public forum, The Lutheran is not responsible for any spam, junk mail, or unsolicited contact you may receive as a result.
andrea coger
Posted at 11:43 am (U.S. Eastern) 8/9/2008
does the purple puzzle tree come in cd. i have the set but i do not have a record player?
Sonia
Posted at 3:29 pm (U.S. Eastern) 8/26/2008
I have never seen nor heard of the CD set. Judging by the comments to this short article I wrote years ago, I can see that re-issuing of these sets would be a real service. I wish I had more information for all of you but I do not.
Steven DeNeal
Posted at 10:31 am (U.S. Eastern) 9/8/2008
Since many of you have been looking into this topic far more than I have, I have a question. Has the copyright for the Purple Puzzle Tree expired. I recently made a digital copy of all the records in the PPT series and would like to offer them as an mp3 download free of charge but I do not know if the copyright is still in effect (i.e. I do not know if it is still illegal to do what I just mentioned). Does anybody here know the status of the Purple Puzzle Tree copyright?
Judy Dichsen
Posted at 1:02 pm (U.S. Eastern) 9/8/2008
I am happy to have learned that others are searching for the "Purple Puzzle Tree" set of recordings and books as I have been searching for many years. The complete set was a gift from my parents to my children and it disappeared from our church as I used it in teaching there. I would love to have it now to share with my grandchildren. Any help in locating would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
kacie
Posted at 12:10 pm (U.S. Eastern) 11/15/2008
I'm ok the hunt for the entire set if possible. Has anyone found them? I too loved them as a child
Steven DeNeal
Posted at 6:48 am (U.S. Eastern) 11/18/2008
Ok, since no one knows the copyright status of PPT, I am going to post the episodes on my web server. I will link the URL once I get it set up for all who want an mp3 version of the records. I will just assume that it is ok unless I get a seise and desist letter in the mail.
Editor's note: We will not allow you to use our site to encourage downloading of unknown copyright-status materials. Your later post with a link to your site has been removed.
Elaine Ritterling
Posted at 7:19 pm (U.S. Eastern) 12/9/2008
I have a Purple Puzzle Tree record, with six accompanying books which we will be putting on EBay by the end of the month. Elaine
Margaret
Posted at 1:00 pm (U.S. Eastern) 12/19/2008
this is quite a discussion, however, I haven't heard of a resolution. I just spoke with Crossways and the funding for the second half of the Purple Puzzle tree was unavailable. Does this site have it or not? Someone please let me know.Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas.
Erin
Posted at 2:08 pm (U.S. Eastern) 12/24/2008
Anyone figure out how to get a hold of a set? I am suprised to seee how many ppl know of it. When I was a kid I thought everyone knwe the Purple Puzzle Tree. I would still love to track it down.
Elaine
Posted at 10:07 pm (U.S. Eastern) 1/1/2009
I have just posted my Purple Puzzle Tree recording along with five accompanying books on EBay if anyoine is interested -- this is the last record of the six part series. Elaine
Sonia
Posted at 4:39 pm (U.S. Eastern) 1/7/2009
How I wish we did have information on where people could get PPT. I raised my sons on these and would love to have had lots of extra copies for all my grandkids. But, Margaret and others, as you can see from our note at the very top of this page, we too are unable to provide information on this much-loved series.
Sonia
Terri
Posted at 11:53 pm (U.S. Eastern) 1/9/2009
I googled and found a site with the audio mp3's available for download.
Barbara Elio
Posted at 5:30 am (U.S. Eastern) 6/16/2009
I too, loved this series! I had asked my father to make tapes of the copies every time we borrowed one from my church library. You know how horribly that went. Tapes don't last forever. I would love a copy of the entire series. I have a baby girl on the way and would love for her to have her own copy.
damita
Posted at 4:39 pm (U.S. Eastern) 10/4/2009
To Whom It May Concern
I was going through my lps records lol old yes i know.
well i came across the purple puzzle tree .
1956 with 6 books and record know what would i do with this . someone any ideas
Sonia Joy
Posted at 10:55 pm (U.S. Eastern) 8/18/2010
I teach RE and wish to have a copy of the CDs .My tape is getting old and not working . Please contact me for a set. Thanks
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