Buddha in the Garden - Hardcover

Bouchard, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1551924528 ISBN 13: 9781551924526

Publisher: Raincoast Books, 2002

Synopsis

After a small boy is adopted by monks at a Buddhist temple, he spends his time tending the temple gardens and discovering the nature of enlightenment.

About this title

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.

From Booklist:

Gr. 4-6, younger for reading aloud. An abandoned baby is left at a mountaintop Buddhist monastery. The monks raise the boy, and when he is old enough, he tends the plants. He shares the garden with an elderly blind monk who announces one day that "Buddha is in the garden," but the boy searches in vain for a sighting. Soon he begins having dreams about the four Buddhist signs of enlightenment--hunger, sickness, death and seeking enlightenment. Finally, a serene magic transforms him. With a heavy message, slow pace, and contrived plot elements, this parable may discourage children who are reading just for pleasure. The Buddhist concepts, however, are clearly and reverently presented, and the straightforward, lyrical prose gives the story a simple elegance that's echoed in the illustrations--ethereal, atmospheric watercolors that will transport readers to the garden among the misty hills. The most likely readership for this will be readers seeking basic Buddhist materials, but the quiet, mystical story about compassion and discovery will also find an audience among dedicated children looking for something out of the ordinary. An informative illustrator's note concludes. See the Read-alike column on the opposite page for other books about Buddhism for middle graders and the young. For older readers, see the review of Mann's Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikhs in America, on p.836. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Raincoast Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1551924528
• ISBN 13: 9781551924526
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Huang Zhong-Yang