Book Description

Our Most Dear Friend presents the essence of the Bhagavad-gita, the timeless scripture that forms the basis of India's sublime spiritual culture.Through the simple yet captivating paintings, text and photographic montages, children of every race, nationality and religion will deepen their understanding of God, themselves, their relationship with God and all his children everywhere. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Combines text with beautiful paintings & superb photography
Our Most Dear Friend is an excellent picturebook introduction for young readers to the Bhagavad-gita, the world's oldest religious scripture. This "Song of God" originated about five thousands years ago and is still read and revered by 850 million Hindus around the world. Highly recommended for school and community multicultural picturebook collections. Our Most Dear Friend combines text with beautiful paintings and superb photography.

Great photography, Great message!
Vishaka's Bhagavad-gita for Children has been one of my 11-yr. old's favorite books since we first purchased it 3 years ago. Kids of almost any age can appreciate the brightly-colored, mind-capturing illustrations/photographs, and the spiritual message of the Bhagavad-gita is presented at just the right reading level for elementary-grade readers to understand. All in all, the presentation is very attractive and will appeal to any child, anywhere. This book provides a great yet subtle way to introduce good values and principles of good character into the minds of our children, as well as a healthy respect for the concept of a supreme, loving God.

beautiful book
This is a beautiful book for all ages. My only criticism is the children do not have on any tilak. ... Read more

Book Description

Buddhism began in northern India about 2,500 years ago. Its founder was a royal prince named Siddhartha Gautauma who became known as the Buddha. He taught his followers how to overcome suffering, greed, and desire, and how to achieve "enlightenment." His teachings spread from India to Sri Lanka and then to other parts of Asia, where it has thrived down to the present day. ... Read more

Book Description

This colorful book introduces you to the world of Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most amazing people of the twentieth century--and today. You will be inspired as you learn about Thich Nhat Hanh’s life--from his work to end the war in Vietnam, to his eventual founding of the Plum Village community in France--and his teachings about peace and "mindfulness" in the world.

Through enjoyable biography, activities inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh’s values and beliefs, and poems written by the teacher himself, Thich Nhat Hanh: Buddhism in Action will show you how to be braver, more caring, and happier in your own life. ... Read more

Book Description

What do Hindus believe? Where do they pray and what are the major Hindu festivals? Where and when did Hinduism begin?

This series takes an exciting look at religion, history, and culture through the everyday lives of people from all over the world. Using color photographs and detailed illustrations, each book helps young people ask questions and leads them toward a better understanding of a particular historical era, religion, or culture.

Anita Ganeri was born in Calcutta, India. She graduated from Cambridge University and earned an M.A. in Indian studies. She is the author of many information books for young people. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Covering the basics
This book did a great job of covering the history of this ancient and simple religion. Easy to read and understand, it covers both the original pure Shinto and the merging with other religions. ... Read more

Book Description

"Here Comes Diwali" brings this most celebrated hindu festival alive for young children. From the very beginning when the family starts cleaning the house to the end of this five-day journey, it takes you to the heart of festivity through stories and cultural concepts with simple elegance.

"Here Comes Diwali" is not only a great read-aloud book at home but also a wonderful addition to any school, library or a pre-school. It offers fun activities, recipes and a word game for children to immerse themselves in this holiday." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

There are better books available.
'Here Comes Diwali' was a huge disappointment.
The illustrations, which are mono-chromatic and poorly executed take up 6 entire pages of the 21 pages allotted to narration.
The text is written unevenly, shifts between first and third person and provides only minimal information about the traditions of Diwali. For example, "The kitchen smells so..o..o. good. Mom is making lots of sweets and snacks."(sic)
The four-page 'crafts' section consists of very vague instructions for making rangoli, wicks and diyas--with no illustrations. These are the diya instructions: "Using clay have each child make a small container or a bowl by using his or her hand as a base."(sic)
There are also a glossary, word-search and four recipes included which I will not test as I am returning this book.

Instead of this title I would recommend:
Diwali by Chris Deshpande (bright photographs and informative text)
Lights for Gita by Rachna Gilmore (a fictional story)
Ravi's Diwali Surprise (a fictional story with a few photographs and, again, weak illustration)
Rama and the Demon King by Jessica Souhami (lushly illustrated children's version of the Ramayana)

The bright, cheerful jacket of "Here Comes Diwali" belies a dull and uninspiring interior.

Explore customs & traditions associated with this festival
Diwali, the festival of lights, is probably the most celebrated ethnic Hindu festival around the world. In Meenal Pandya's Here Comes Diwali: The Festival Of Lights, young readers explore the customs and traditions associated with this festival beginning when the family begins cleaning the house, through a five day journey. Now in a completely revised and expanded second edition, Meenal Pandya's colorfully illustrated picturebook story is enhanced with easy recipes and fun crafts and activities designed for children. Here Comes Diwali is a welcome and unique contribution to any personal, school, and community library multicultural collection.

Excellent job!
This style of writing is so easy for a young child to enjoy. Books like these make it a bit easier to keep our culture alive thru our children. ... Read more

Book Description

On a night more than two thousand years ago, a prince was born in India. He could have been the most powerful rajah in all the world. But instead, the prince chose to become a common beggar, seeking a way to end the suffering he saw around him. He knew riches could not end suffering. He learned that deprivation could not end suffering. Then, under an enormous spreading fig tree, deep in concentration, he found Enlightenment. He understood Dharma, the law governing all things. He had achieved Nirvana, the peace that triumphs over suffering. And he found this knowledge and understanding inside his own mind, nowhere else. He became the Buddha, and taught his way of ending suffering to all who wished to learn. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Book!
This is one of the most moving and best books for children about Buddha's life. There are many other good books, but this one is really straight forward and clear in his life's details. I would use this books with others to teach about Buddha, but this book would be the cornerstone while teaching about his life on Earth.

Siddhartha for the Grade School Set
This is the first children's picture book I've seen about the life of the Buddha, so I find it interesting for that alone. It is beautifully, though at times a bit garishly, illustrated but with the Mara depicted in it, this might have been what illustrator Fahimeh Amiri was going for. Regardless of subject, however, I sometimes think there are simply too many colors in a few illustrations when I believe a subject demands subtler colorings, but this is likely just a matter of personal taste. Besides that, the illustrations are fine except for the one of Siddhartha in his ascetic phase when he, in this picture, resembles one of those extra terrestrials I've seen in movies before. Also, in the illustration of the prophet looking at baby Gautama's feet, the feet look to be half the length of the baby's body. I say these things not to be picky but because they distracted me from the story, which I think is relevant. There are some perfectly beautiful illustrations too, that do not distract with either too much color or with distortions. One is of the Buddha meditating under the Bo Tree, when Mara is sending down fierce rains and the king of the cobras shelters Gautama from the rain. There's a color theme at work here, too, rather than the clash visible on other pages.

The story proceeds as is known--prince is born, mother dies, prophecy induces king to shelter prince from sorrow and pain, prince finds out anyway and, after a brief marriage, sets out to find the cure of suffering becoming, ultimately, the Buddha. No surprises here. Suffice it to say, however, that my 7 year old son is mad about this book, stares with wonder at the illustrations and listens intently to the story.

As an introduction to the Buddha for elementary school kids, it's a good choice. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Entertaining Morality
"The Magic of Patience" has a moral theme that entertains as it teaches my 3 and 4 year olds. A buffalo, monkey and sprite interact to show how paitence, instead of anger, can bring about harmony and goodwill. ... Read more

Book Description

Magical retelling of one of the Buddha's past-life stories for ages 4-10. ... Read more

Book Description

Children can color this story of universal love and compassion. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Mindfulness of Coloring
If you have children, then this is a must have. This coloring book accompanies the "Prince Siddhartha" children's book....

The book is great way for children to experience the tales of shakyamuni in a peaceful and fun fashion!

The usefullness of the coloring book lies in the opportunity it affords a child and partent to practice mindfulness and artistic expression at the same time.

Coloring after the story also affords the child opportunity to ask the parent questions about why Prince Siddhartha acts the way he does.

Not to mention being an adult I still like to color...( but i still haven't mastered staying between the lines ;)

Remeber, above all else let your child have fun with it!

may tranquility follow in your footsteps

a simple dharma man, ron ... Read more