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Little Sid: The Tiny Prince Who Became Buddha
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About Little Sid: The Tiny Prince Who Became Buddha
Product Description In this charming and accessible picture book, Ian Lendler and Xanthe Bouma offer a heart-warming account of the childhood of the Buddha.A spoiled young prince, Siddhartha got everything he ever asked for, until he asked for what couldn’t be given―happiness. Join Little Sid as he sets off on a journey of discovery and encounters mysterious wise-folk, terrifying tigers, and one very annoying mouse.With Lendler’s delightful prose and Bouma’s lyrical artwork, Little Sid weaves traditional Buddhist fables into a classic new tale of mindfulness, the meaning of life, and an awakening that is as profound today as it was 2,500 years ago. From School Library Journal Gr 1–3—Like the real Gautama, "Little Sid" is royal, a detail that is almost the sole point of biographical accuracy in Lendler's text. This version of Siddhartha, saddled with too-busy, seldom-available parents, is overwhelmed with servants' attentions and material excess. Only five candles light his birthday cake, but he openly departs his palace, seeking personal happiness. He doesn't encounter the Four Sights (illness, age, death, asceticism), just a village of ordinary people dealing with ordinary life (work, crying children). He later trades them his material goodies, for a saw. A couple of Wise Ones mention ephemerality and a Zen-like paradox. While in mortal danger he eats a strawberry and "without thinking," declares it "delicious." Now apparently enlightened, he returns, saws a table in half, and egotistically demands that his parents "Be here now" for him. Bouma's dynamic pastel images flow and float across the pages and a final note summarizes the real Siddhartha's life and message. Lendler's take is a jaw-dropping departure from the actual life of the Buddha; readers should seek out Whitney Stewart's Becoming Buddha or Demi's Buddha, both of which offer lively narrative accounts. Jon J. Muth's four "Zen" books also introduce related concepts effectively. VERDICT Collections will want to look elsewhere.—Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly at St. George's School, Newport, RI Review "Ancient wisdom, beautifully retold for today's children." -Gene Luen Yang, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature "Whether used as a folktale, a conversation starter about core values, or even as an introduction to Buddhism in a unit on world religions, kids will respond to Sid's sympathetic cartoonish persona, his irreverent asides, and his quest. This is a good choice for sharing either one-on-one or during story-time." - Booklist About the Author Ian Lendler is the author of the acclaimed Stratford Zoo graphic novel series and the picture books, Undone Fairy Tale, Saturday, and One Day A Dot. He is at one with the universe, but only when eating pizza. He lives near San Francisco, CA. Xanthe Bouma is an illustrator who has enriched a variety of comics, games, and books with colorful magic - including the graphic novel 5 Worlds. Based in Southern California, Xanthe draws inspiration from cooking good food, napping with cats, and exploring the local beachside.
