Illustration by Nolan Pelletier.
Buddhist children’s literature offers parents a fun, gentle way to share dharma concepts and practices with their kids.
For babies and tots, check out Baby Present (Parallax), inspired by the teachings of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, and The Day the Buddha Woke Up, written by Lion’s Roar’s Andrea Miller and illustrated by Rima Fujita (Wisdom).
Preschoolers and kids in elementary school will enjoy Everything Is Connected, written by Jason Gruhl and illustrated by Ignasi Font (Bala Kids); Steps and Stones, written by Gail Silver and illustrated by Christiane Krömer (Plum Blossom Books); The Buddha’s Apprentice at Bedtime by Dharmachari Nagaraja (Watkins); and Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda by Kerry Lee MacLean (Wisdom).
Finally, for young adults, try Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens, by Diana Winston (Perigee), and the novel Zen and Gone, by Emily France (Soho Teen).
