Eastern Books

Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents (The Little Light of Mine Series)

Sarah Conover

Amazon Price: $19.55 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Eastern Washington University Press Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $11.94

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Religions -> Eastern

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Kindness goes a long way 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

First I used this book with my children as we learned about different religions and spiritual views. As they got older we visited it again because these Buddhist stories are applicable to so many situations in life regardless of your views on God, theist, or atheist.
Now as a religious education teacher of younger people at the Unitarian Universalist fellowship I use this book extensively when teaching about buddhism, kindness, compassion and many other concepts. Well written and engaging for all ages, but best for elementary school age children. My middle schoolers still love the stories.

Editorial Review:

Sarah Conover's collection of traditional Buddhist tales leads us to the kind of implicit understanding of ourselves and others that only stories can provide. Following the Buddha through his various transformations, these clarified and often humorous narrative journeys open the ancient master's profound and gentle teachings to persons of all ages, religions, races, and ideological persuasions. Over and over, this marvelous book tells us, "Let go of your anger, your fear, your greedy desire. Embrace gladness. Follow the path." The stories form a wondrous pageant: of elephants, monkeys, monks, and men working through foolishness toward wisdom and delight.

I Once Was a Monkey: Stories Buddha Told

Amazon Price: $11.56 List Price: $17.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $8.30

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very useful short stories 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I read these to my child every night. Some of the stories were a little more mature than I'd prefer for a small child, but they haven't caused any problems.

All in all a great book!

Editorial Review:

A colorful introduction to Buddhist fables

A monkey, caught in a monsoon, finds shelter in a cave amid the rubble of a temple. The monkey is not alone. A lion, a jackal, a turtle, and a dove bicker in the cramped space, until a statue of Buddha comes to life. "Hush, children, hush." Buddha says. "I will tell you a story to pass the time." From the tale of the clever monkey outwidding a hungry crocodile to that of a bird and turtle rescuing a friend, the six amusing parables told by the Buddha will introduce young readers to the famous cycle of fables in Buddhist literature known as the Jatakas, or birth stories, which Buddha originally told to his disciples to illustrate his teachings. Joined with stunning linocut illustrations, Jeanne M. Lee's retellings form a book notable for both its beauty and its wisdom.

Prince Siddhartha (Wisdom Children's Book)

Jonathan Landaw

List Price: $18.95 By: Wisdom Publications Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $2.55

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great introduction to the life of Buddha. All ages can benefit from this story. My son read it from cover to cover. Let's just say, to get him to read is nothing less than impossible. He read it without my asking him to. He just picked it up and read. He is 13 and totally enjoyed it.

Excellent Start for Buddhist Kids 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The little guy i bought this for loves it. It is simple, beautifully illustrated, and content laden with great values. Some Buddhist lit for kids is too vague & overly symbolic, but this book tells the story of Prince Siddhartha well. There are some short moral stories at the end aside from the life story e.g. the Buddha & the angry elephant.

fantastic and beautiful book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book to read to my two young boys (6 and 3). I was concerned at first that the reading would be too intense and I would lose them, but the illustrations are so beautiful and captivating that it kept their attention. They actually request me to read the book each night. I highly recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

This children's title shows in wonderfully intricate and vivid illustrations a tale of this religious founder's childhood. A message of kindness, love, and unselfishness.

Each Breath a Smile

Sister Susan, Sister Thuc Nghiem, Thi Hop Nguyen, Dong Nguyen

Amazon Price: $10.73 List Price: $10.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Plum Blossom Books Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $5.92

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Peaceful, Affirming Read-Aloud 5 out of 5 stars.
25 of 25 people found this review helpful.

This beautifully simple book is deeply spiritual without being "religious." I have read it aloud in Grades K-3 including Special Education classes, and it always has a calming, reassuring effect on the children (and on me too!). It can be an introduction to quiet imagination/visualization activities or a concluding activity to help relax and focus a group. The book itself can be a kind of meditation exercise, since part of the text suggests breathing and calming the body in gentle, repetitive language. This is an excellent book to have on hand; it may be used regularly with the same group or in one particular lesson. Unique and highly recommended.

Editorial Review:

Each Breath a Smile introduces preschool-aged children to mindful breathing. Through beautiful color illustrations, children learn to connect with their breathing to help them experience calmness and enjoy a deeper relationship with their friends and family. Illustrations of trees, frogs, crickets, and birds remind them of the many simple joys available in the world around them.

With twenty-eight full-page color illustrations by artists Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong, this book will delight children while serving as a valuable resource for parents and teachers.

How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head

Harish Johari, Vatsala Sperling

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Bear Cub Books Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $9.34

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths -> Asian

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant

• The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children ages 6 to 9

• Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition

Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction.

Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

Buddha in Your Backpack: Everyday Buddhism for Teens

Franz Metcalf

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Ulysses Press Amazon Marketplace: 60 new & used starting at $2.41

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I can't recommend this enough. 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Out of all the "self-help" or advice books I've purchased or been given over the years, Buddha in Your Backpack is the only one I've ever been able to read without cringing, and the first with advice I've tried to apply to my life. The author presents Buddhism not just as a religion but as a set of ideas of which anyone can take advantage.

I'm the sort of person who absolutely hates being preached to, whichever religion happens to be doing it, and I'm pleased to report that Buddha in Your Backpack does none of that. It doesn't need to - one great advantage of Buddhism is that many of its teachings are so practical that they don't need a justification like "do this or our God will smite you." In fact, there's no pressure in the book to treat Buddha as a god, and not every Buddhist does so.

Besides guidance towards the answers of many Big Questions, and advice for life that anyone can appreciate, there is also guidance on practices such as various forms of meditation. Whether or not this sort of thing appeals to you, there is plenty in the book that can positively influence your thinking and perhaps even provide a bit of hope for an otherwise bleak mind.

And the other strength of Buddha in Your Backpack? The tone is nearly flawless, something difficult to pull off for an adult author writing for teenagers. I didn't feel either talked down to or that the author was making too much of an effort to be appealing. He's very straightforward - funny, but blunt and sensible on sensitive issues. Again, he doesn't preach, he advises.

I'll admit that it's difficult to change one's lifestyle based on the advice of any book, but Buddha in Your Backpack is the best motivation I've come across. Whether you're interested in Buddhism as a religion or simply looking for a path in a muddled, confusing and generally difficult world, I can't recommend this book enough. It won't change your life, but it may well inspire you to do just that.

All that, by the way, came from the fingers of a total cynic, so you'd better believe it.

Editorial Review:

A guide for navigating the teen years, Buddha in Your Backpack is for young people who want to learn more about Buddhism or for those who simply want to understand what’s going on inside themselves and in the world around them. Buddha in Your Backpack tells Buddha’s life story in a fashion teens will relate to, describing Buddha as a young rebel not satisfied with the answers of his elders. It then introduces Buddha’s core teachings with chapters like “All About Me” and “Been There, Why’d I Do That?” The author presents thoughtful and spiritual insights on school, dating, hanging out, jobs, and other issues of special interest to teens — inviting readers to look inside themselves for answers.

Wide Awake: Buddhism for the New Generation

Diana Winston

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Perigee Trade Amazon Marketplace: 51 new & used starting at $3.49

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

wake up sleepyhead! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful introduction to Buddhism. I have been sitting for several years and I am closer to middle-aged than teen-aged, but this book has a concise yet scholarly nature that presents Buddhist practice beautifully.

I want to buy this book for everyone I know, from my 13 year old god-daughter to my 93 year old grandfather. Diana Winston illuminates the beauty and difficulty of living honestly in the world. If I were to change one thing, I would make the subtitle read; "a Buddhist guide for teens and those who were once teens"

Thanks Diana!

Editorial Review:

Many of today's teenagers are tired of the pressure to compete and consume-and are looking for a different way to live their lives. This book offers an alternative: the 2,500-year old practice of Buddhism.

Written in a style that will have immediate appeal to young "seekers" and those wanting to understand the ancient teachings, this book addresses such relevant topics as peer pressure, emotional difficulties, stress, fostering peace, and even protecting the environment. For everyone looking for self-help, self-esteem, and self-awareness, this book offers advice on:

€ Discovering truth in a world of hype
€ Finding peace amid the ups and downs of life
€ Accepting ourselves
€ Working with difficult emotions
€ How to meditate
€ Dealing with temptations and making the right decisions about sex and drugs
€ Advice on volunteering, working for peace, and protecting the environment

Hanuman

Erik Jendresen, Joshua M. Greene

Amazon Price: $7.95 List Price: $7.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Tricycle Press Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $3.15

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Amazing 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book has an amazing story and amazing pictures. It's great~

A nice adaptation with gorgeous art work! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a children's rendition of the later portion of the Ramayana, pertaining specifically to Hanuman's role in freeing Sita from Ravana, her abductor. It has great moral lessons while still being an adventure. There is some violence that a very small child might find scary (we see soneone with a spear through him) and it's definitely a military motif, but given that Rama's identity is as a warrior that is appropriate. A great adventure with attractive illustrations!

Simple But Powerfully Evocative and Imaginative 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had ordered this for a gift for a young nephew, but think I may just read it to him and keep it for myself until he's old enough to appreciate the beautiful paintings that illustrate this ancient tale. It's a wonderful introduction to Hanuman, the most devoted of servants. Text and illustrations mesh perfectly, and there is so much life and movement, not to mention gorgeous color! High praise to everyone involved.

Editorial Review:

This retelling of one of India’s most sacred texts, the Ramayana, recounts how the great monkey army helped save Princess Sita from a demon king.

Buddha

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $4.02

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Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> People, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Buddha
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Many centuries ago, in a kingdom in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, a miraculous child was born to the king and queen. The young prince, Siddhartha, was raised in the greatest luxury, sheltered from all pain and ugliness. But one day Siddhartha left the palace and saw, for the first time, human suffering and death. He knew then that he must relinquish everything-- his family, his wealth, his position-- to discover the Truth of life and death. With only a few humble possessions, he began a remarkable spiritual journey that ended many years later under a bodhi tree. There he finally discovered the Truth and became an Enlightened One, a Buddha. The Buddha taught the Truth and the path to inner peace for forty-five years, attracting thousands of disciples. Today millions of people around the world live by his teachings.

Demi's exquisite illustrations, inspired by the paintings and sculptures of several Asian cultures, are layered with meaning; each brush stroke has a special significance. Demi, herself a Buddhist, brings her devotion to the teachings of the Buddha and her vast knowledge of his life to this comprehensive picture-book biography of an extraordinary spiritual leader.

Story of Divaali

Verma Jatinder

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Barefoot Books Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $3.97

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Should be titled differently 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

It is an excellent story book indeed but it should have been titled something like "The Ramayan". I bought it to introduce my child to the festival . Most of the book depicts the Ramayan and there is very little about Diwali as such. I guess it is a challanging task to write a book about Diwali without mentioning Ramayan. The illustrations are very pleasing to the eye and are proportionate to the text contained on each page. This should make it easier for early readers to keep the interest as they read. There is a page on how it is celebrated currently, it would have been more interesting to have some more illustrations to support that. I certainly recommend it to anyone interested.

Editorial Review:

The Story of Divaali is a wonderful rendition of the "Ramayana," an age-old Hindu epic filled with magic, miracles and adventure. The compelling story tells of a young prince Rama who overcomes Ravana the Demon King. Out of his triumph, Divaali, the Indian festival of lights, is born.

The powerful narrative is perfectly complemented by the jewel-like illustrations of Nilesh Mistry. Drawing on the versions told to him in childhood by his parents, Jatinder Verma brings the essence of this great Indian epic to life for a new generation.