Buddha in the Garden [Hardcover]

David Bouchard (Author), Zhong-Yang Huang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2002 | Age Level: 6 and up

This gorgeous and delightful picture book is the fourth in the award-winning "Chinese Legends" series. In this radiant retelling of an ancient legend, a small boy left at the gates of a Buddhist temple is adopted by the monks who live there. While the monks travel the world seeking enlightenment, the boy tends the temple garden. He befriends a blind monk who sits by the garden gate, too old to travel. One day the old monk tells the boy, "Buddha is in the garden!" and the boy, rapt with the prospect, runs through the gate. Buddha, however, is nowhere to be seen; instead, the boy finds an injured animal. This happens three times, and each time the boy finds a different creature to care for. In the moving conclusion, the boy discovers the true nature of enlightenment, to the surprise of the monks returning from abroad. Here is a classic and beautiful tale, powerfully rendered in incomparable artwork that pays homage to the spirit of the story.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Bouchard's (previously teamed with Huang for If You're Not From the Prairies) spare, eloquently told story, a young orphan finds enlightenment with the help of a blind monk. Unlike the elder monks who travel in search of enlightenment, the unnamed boy, whom the monks raise and care for but refuse to train, must remain at home, assigned the role of gardener. The blind monk who stations himself at the monastery door tells the boy, "Buddha is in the garden!" There, amongst the flowering trees, the boy experiences prophetic visions of the mother who left him at the temple gate. With the help of his blind companion, the young gardener realizes that he is finding enlightenment in the very environment he tends. A sense of peace and tranquility washes over the boy's face and physique in Huang's serene landscapes. The artist spent time at a Buddhist monastery in preparation for the story, and his bleached watercolors convey the feel of the arid air of the Asian mountains, lingering on the rough robes of the monks and their weathered skin. Of as much interest to adults as it will be to thoughtful children, the tale promises that enlightenment is waiting for any who wish to seek it right there in our own gardens. Ages 6-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-Atmospheric and evocative watercolors enhance this legend of the garden boy at a Buddhist monastery. Abandoned as an infant, the child has been raised grudgingly by the monks, whose true task is enlightenment. They assign him gardening duties because he was found with a peony. One day, when the boy is working alone, except for an aged blind monk who sits silent at the entrance, he hears a voice-"Buddha is in the garden!" He questions the old man who says nothing else. After searching the garden and finding nothing out of the ordinary, the boy sits to rest and begins to dream-of his mother, sick, alone, and struggling to protect a tightly held bundle: the child. And so begins his quest for enlightenment. Thoughtful and gently didactic, the tale points out that enlightenment may be found in concerned actions rather than more explicitly spiritual quests. Especially observant readers will wonder why the monks show so little concern for the boy and so much for their own pursuits. For many children, to be sure, the book will be an introduction to another culture and religion as well as to such concepts as enlightenment and reincarnation. As such, it may require additional explanation, but the boy's yearning for his mother and his regard for animals should strike a chord, as should the lovingly detailed paintings, most of which span a full 9"x16" inches.

Coop Renner, Moreno Elementary School, El Paso, TX

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Raincoast Books (May 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551924528
• ISBN-13: 978-1551924526
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful book, February 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Buddha in the Garden (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful combination of lovely words and beautiful illustrations. My 2 boys love the soothing sounds and colors so much we now have our own buddha in our garden. I got this book for my kids even if it is not a 'kids book', and many adults I show it to rush out to buy it, even if they don't know any kids to give it to. A gorgeous introduction to buddhism.

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing book, December 31, 2007

By 

J. Bosjolie (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddha in the Garden (Hardcover)

While the pictures are nice, but a little too pastel for my taste, I was expecting something more concrete at the end. Having the boy turn into a statue of the Buddha, simply did not ring true for me. Perhaps younger children may get more out of this (especially if the ending is explained by adults), but this ending left me cold. A much better, more realistic, down to earth children's book explaining basic Buddhist tenants is Tenzin's Deer