This volume in Skylight Path's Spiritual Biographies for Young Readers series is targeted to an elementary school-age audience. Maura Shaw has made it short and easy to read with illustrations by Stephen Marchesi.
Here the focus is on Thich Nhat Hanh the Buddhist monk from Vietnam, who is featured on our website as a Living Spiritual Teacher and who now lives in France and runs Plum Village, a community that practices mindfulness. He is known for his teachings about peace, living in the present moment, letting go of anger, caring for all of life, and making the world a better place. Shaw introduces him to children this way: "When you learn about Thich Nhat Hanh's life, you will see what makes him amazing. He loves to walk and talk with children and their families." Here is one of several poems in the book by Thich Nhat Hanh:
Kiss the Earth
Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.
The book describes life at Plum Village and includes "Now It's Your Turn" sections about spiritual practices and creative projects for children. A timeline lists important events in the life of Thich Nhat Hanh and a glossary defines Buddhist terms.
