Buddha [Hardcover]

Demi (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Celebrated children's-book illustrator Demi puts the Buddha's life story into words any child can enjoy. Even more, children will love the lush, meticulously painted scenes, rendered in traditional Asian fashion yet as light and whimsical as Calvin and Hobbes. (Ages 9 to 12.)

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up?A graceful account of Buddha's life, from the prophecies preceding his birth to his death at age 80. Demi is attentive to historical information, legends, and the long and dearly held beliefs about Buddha. She describes his protected royal youth, his search for a way to end suffering, his enlightenment, and his compassionate teaching of the basic tenets of Buddhist faith, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The book also includes several parables, such as the well-known "The Blind Men and the Elephant." In characteristic vibrant colors and shimmering gold, Demi has painted visually engaging illustrations rich in Buddhist symbolism and artistic conventions. The pictures often overflow their gold borders or are set entirely outside their frames, as if floating beyond the confines of this life. The blended, gentle-hued watercolor backgrounds contrast with both the stark white of the pages and with the precise, detailed figures and scenes. The lovely, simple, descriptive language, together with the design and illustrations, combine dynamically so that the whole book is much more than the sum of its parts. Some readers will treasure this title, some will ponder on it, and all will learn from it.?Susan Middleton, LaJolla Country Day School, CA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 44 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (April 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805042032
• ISBN-13: 978-0805042030
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #658,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Children's Books > Religions > Eastern
  • #48 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Buddha

More About the Author

Demi was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and now lives in Yarrow Point, Washington. Demi is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred children's books, including picture-book biographies. Her work has received numerous awards and accolades.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving, Great Book!, January 12, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Buddha (Hardcover)

This book tells the story of Buddha so clearly and precisely that it taught me a lot that I previously didn't know or understand. I am hoping to share this book with my students during the Buddhist New Year in April.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good book for intro to buddhism, not neccesarily buddhist children, December 16, 2007

By 

M. Sloane "little rosa" (boston, ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddha (Hardcover)

I am a little frustrated with this book because I think it glosses over the most important areas - discussion about the four encounters and the four noble truths is kept to one page, however his birth and childhood have 5? I'm all for stories that add some personal interest, but I think that they need to add some of the meat too, and this story is a little too light on actual Buddhism for my tastes. This book would probably be fine as an introduction to Buddhism for children who haven't had any experience with it, but for Buddhist children who are already familiar with the basic outline of the Buddha's life, it doesn't add much.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, December 3, 2004

By 

M. Marshall - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddha (Hardcover)

Demi's books are wonderfully illustrated with vibrant colors and gold ink. I was very pleased and would recommend this and Buddha Stories highly. (great gift)