Need book recs re: Buddhism for children

[Audrey]

Ds (9) is interested in Buddhism. I'd like something in book form, not online. Anyone have some favourites they'd like to share?

[IATeachingMom]

Just a thought, though I'm sure you've seen this site:

 

http://www.buddhistchildrensbooks.com/

[calandalsmom]

We have the DK World religion book which is quite in depth.

 

We also will use the book Buddha by Demi. In addition if you are interested in a bio there are quite a few- noteably in the Childhood of Famous...(Same as childhood of famous americans) series.

[Karen in CO]

Under the Rose Apple Tree . It is the third in a series by Thich Nhat Hanh.

 

We also really recently enjoyed this collection of Tibetan tales that were a nice addition to the Jakata tales we have always read, but it may have more girl appeal.

[Matryoshka]

I'd definitely find a good picture book of Buddha's life - I've seen a few.

 

And Jataka Tales - they are Buddhist teaching tales, usually about animals, very kid accessible. If you look on Amazon, there are many, many books of Jataka Tales.

 

And a great story that was written as Buddhist parable is Monkey (also known as Journey to the West). I read a kid's version to my kids when they were 7 or 8, and they just loved it and begged for more. Monkey is a trickster - very naughty. I just read a longer version (I don't even think you can find the whole thing translated - the original goes on and on and on), that I also found fun to read - I'll be assigning it to my 11yos to read next year when we study Ancient China. There are picture books, but I haven't seen one that really does the story justice. This is the one I read to my kids when they were little. This is the one I'll have them read next year. The longer version is where more of the religious stuff comes in - Monkey accompanies a Buddhist monk to get Buddhist scriptures from India. But he's still constantly getting himself into trouble.

[EmilyK]

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse was something I read in high school.

 

As an adult, an approachable book I liked was It's Easier than You Think. She wrote another book too "That's Funny, You Don't Look Like a Buddhist" about her combination of being Jewish and Buddhist. Marcus Borg wrote a slim book comparing the sayings of Jesus and Buddha that might be accessible to kids. Preread all of these since I read them pre-kids. I remember liking some other accessible books -- if I remember the titles I'll post again.

 

The movie Little Buddha might be good too. I keep thinking I should watch it with my 10 year old. There's a great movie called "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana" that might not work for kids but moving about the effects of meditation practice with prisoners.

 

Finally, if you live near a Vipassana center, some have family or children's camps. see www.dhamma.org. And other Buddhist communities may have kid-friendly acitivites.

 

Hope that helps.

[swimmermom3]

Under the Rose Apple Tree . It is the third in a series by Thich Nhat Hanh.

 

We also really recently enjoyed this collection of Tibetan tales that were a nice addition to the Jakata tales we have always read, but it may have more girl appeal.

 

Thank you, Karen. I love to read Thich Nhat Hanh for myself. This should be a great addition this year. My dd just discovered his books and finds them very soothing.

[buddhabelly]

My favorite book for kids is "A Pebble For My Pocket" by Thich Nhat Hahn. It is written directly to the child, but the tone is as one peer to another, like a confidante or mentor might talk to the youth. My favorite part is when he talks about how statues of bodhisattvas are sometimes shown as having many arms because they can do a thousand things at one time. Then he suggests that "perhaps your mom is a bodhisattva...she can take care of you , cook, do her job, run errands.... Moms and dads often have more than two arms if you look closely." the book offers lots of helpful strategies to the children, like what to do when they get angry.

 

I really wish we had a children's program near us. Best wishes, and be sure to let me know if you're going to a Buddhist family camp and I'll meet you there!

 

Julie

[Aurelia]

We liked Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha. It isn't directly about Buddhism as in "this is what you do," but a nice narrative for children about the founding of Buddhism.

[Audrey]

My favorite book for kids is "A Pebble For My Pocket" by Thich Nhat Hahn. It is written directly to the child, but the tone is as one peer to another, like a confidante or mentor might talk to the youth. My favorite part is when he talks about how statues of bodhisattvas are sometimes shown as having many arms because they can do a thousand things at one time. Then he suggests that "perhaps your mom is a bodhisattva...she can take care of you , cook, do her job, run errands.... Moms and dads often have more than two arms if you look closely." the book offers lots of helpful strategies to the children, like what to do when they get angry.

 

I really wish we had a children's program near us. Best wishes, and be sure to let me know if you're going to a Buddhist family camp and I'll meet you there!

 

Julie

 

This one looks especially promising!

[KarenNC]

A couple my daughter has enjoyed that haven't been mentioned specifically:

 

Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth

Zen Comics by Iohanna Salajan

http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Comics-Ioanna-Salajan/dp/0804811202

 

Some books that our UU religious education program recently used for the Buddhist part of world religions study are (sorry, don't know the authors):

Mountains of Tibet

Buddha in the Garden

The Brave Little Parrot

 

DK has a book called A Faith Like Mine that might be useful.

 

The following are resources listed in the Buddhist lessons for a different UU religious education curriculum that is available free online and might give you some ideas:

 

• One Hand Clapping: Zen Stories for All Ages, Martin Rafe, St. Martin’s Press.

• I Once Was a Monkey : Stories Buddha Told, by Jeanne M. Lee, Farrar Straus & Giroux

• The Prince Who Ran Away: The Story Of Gautama Buddha

by ANNE ROCKWELL (author), FAHIMEH AMIRI (illustrator), Knopf, 2001

Buddhism: World Religions, by Madhu Bazaz Wangu, Facts On File, New York, 1993

Buddhism, by Philip Wilkinson, DK Publishing, London, 2003

 

(the curriculum is at http://www.smuuchurch.org/index.php?page=re-curriculum)

[amsunshine]

 

We liked Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha. It isn't directly about Buddhism as in "this is what you do," but a nice narrative for children about the founding of Buddhism.

This would be the first book I'd recommend for a child. It tells the story of Siddhartha very simply -- my dds love it. We also love "A Pebble for Your Pocket".

[Kareni]

 

Some books that our UU religious education program recently used for the Buddhist part of world religions study are (sorry, don't know the authors):

 

Mountains of Tibet

Buddha in the Garden

The Brave Little Parrot

 

 

 

I can tell you that Mountains of Tibet is by Mordicai Gerstein. It's a lovely book.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Greta]

I think all our favorites have been mentioned, but I'll give another thumbs-up to:

 

A Pebble for Your Pocket

Zen Shorts

The Mountains of Tibet

Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha (an account of his life and enlightenment)

and a collection of the Jataka Tales (tales of the Buddha's previous lives, when he was incarnated as various animals, involving a demonstration of morality and self-sacrifice.)

[MUJLBE]

My son enjoyed this book from our library:

 

Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents by Sarah Conover

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kindness-Treasury-Buddhist-Children-Parents/dp/091005567X/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3GF1ETV0J8IOY&colid=NEGAF8URQNE4

 

He read it with his Dad in nightly before bed sessions rather than sitting down and reading it straight through.

 

Susan

(ds)8)