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Reviewed by Rev. Patricia Hoertdoerfer
Children, Family, and Intergenerational Programs Director
Religious Education Department, UUA, Boston, MA

Buddhism: Jataka Tales Series, Dharma Publishing
Dharma Publishing is a nonprofit publishing house founded thirty years ago to preserve the written teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and to produce books that demonstrate the relevancy of these teachings to our times. In addition to their translation series of traditional Buddhist texts and their arts and culture series, they have published the Jataka Tales Series of children's books. These timeless and timely stories were first related to Buddha over two thousand years ago. These tales are filled with heroes of all kinds, each story demonstrating the power of compassion and wisdom to ease the suffering of living beings and to transform any situation.

The twenty stories in the Jataka Tales Series are based on traditional accounts but have been adapted for today's children. The following three books celebrate the power of action motivated by compassion and wisdom, and they exemplify the trademarks of this series through their beautiful illustrations and large print pages for four- to nine-year-old children.

A Precious Life, illustrated by Rosalyn White, tells of a hunter who falls from his horse into a deep ravine while pursuing a deer. The deer sees the hunter's plight and risks his own life to carry him to safety. Amazed at the deer's action, the hunter resolves to protect all forest creatures. This story is an excellent example of our Seventh Principle. The Rabbit Who Overcame Fear, illustrated by Eric Meller tells of a young rabbit, startled from sleep by a loud noise, who breaks into flight in fear of an earthquake. His panic spreads to other forest animals, who then follow the rabbit blindly toward the edge of a cliff. A wise lion saves them from disaster and teaches them how to cope more wisely with fear. This is one of the oldest stories in the world and has instructed children for thousands of years.

Heart of Gold, illustrated by Rosalyn White tells of a rich man's love of giving that is tested when his possessions mysteriously disappear. But even in poverty his generosity grows and he works hard to help those in need. When his wealth is restored, the benefits of his giving extend even more widely. This universal story reinforces the message that a generous heart brings true joy.

A companion Teacher Resource Guide is available for the twelve most popular Jataka Tales which include the three stories reviewed above. The Guide helps parents and teachers introduce children to the ancient and contemporary multicultures of Asia and India and nurture the values of kindness and caring.

These resources can be ordered from Dharma Publishing, Berkeley, CA (800) 873-4276, or online at www.dharmapublishing.com.