Lavishly illustrated guide to Chinese Astrology for children ages 8-12. • Illustrations and text describe the characteristics of each of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and of those born under each sign. • Each animal is accompanied by a traditional Chinese folktale. • Offers a brief overview of Chinese astrology and the history of the Chinese zodiac. Anyone who has ever taken children to a Chinese restaurant and watched them read the paper placemat with fascination knows that children (and adults) love the playfulness and self-reflection of Chinese astrology. Now children can learn about the unique character traits and legends that make up the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, as well as experience a deeper appreciation for the cultural traditions behind Chinese astrology. Beautifully illustrated with lifelike animals that jump off the page, Animals in the Stars provides an informative and playful tool for self-exploration using this ancient tradition. The human personality traits of the 12 animals--both good and bad--are described in detail along with explanations of the significance of being born in the "year of" that particular animal. Each animal description is also accompanied by a traditional Chinese folktale further personifying the unique qualities and characteristics of that animal. Youngsters can enjoy these magical teaching tales while learning their "sign" as well as those of family members and friends. This wonderful introduction to the foundations of Chinese astrology is a perfect resource for the child seeking to know more about Chinese culture, zodiac animal characteristics, relationship dynamics, or esoteric traditions, as well as those seeking the simple fun inherent in the combination of astrology and animals.

Animals in the Stars: Chinese Astrology for Children

Children's Books

Crawford, Gregory

Education & Reference

Bear Cub Books

The adventures of young Lord Krishna, enjoyed for centuries by Indian children, now available for Western children. 
 • Includes 40 detailed illustrations painted in authentic and classic Indian style. 
 • Stories are entertaining as well as instructive. 
 • A rich slice of popular Indian lore made accessible for Western children. 
 For centuries the children of India have grown up hearing the tales of Lord Krishna's adventures as a boy. Krishna has been the favorite of young and old alike because of his delightfully mischievous nature yet genuine and soulful heart. Now the entertaining and instructive tales of Krishna's youth are available for Western children, who will likewise be enamored of the magical journeys taken by young Krishna in a land full of mysterious gods and unusual animals. 
With a host of characters drawn from the rich breadth of Indian lore, Little Krishna will show children the value of kindness, the importance of preserving what you create, and the boundless nature of wisdom. Accompanied by the richly intricate color illustrations prepared following the traditional canon, each with prescribed geometric and artistic proportions, these stories will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom. In India children are taught that the stories of Krishna will help awaken and develop their own spiritual nature and that they should take to heart the lessons little Krishna learned from his adventures. But they also know this ancient lore provides some great storytelling.

Little Krishna

JOHARI, HARISH

Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

A contemporary adaptation of an indigenous Huichol teaching tale, illustrated with traditional yarn drawings by Huichol artisans • Shares the hidden treasures of a nature-based indigenous culture • A teaching tool for multicultural studies for children ages 6 to 9 • Explains who the Huichol people are and the symbolism of the images used by the artists The Huichol Indians live in the remote regions of the Sierra Madre Mountains of western Mexico, where geographic isolation has allowed them to retain their culture and spiritual traditions in the face of colonization. Their nature-based way of life makes no distinction between the sacred and the secular, and they express their reverence for the powers of the earth by regarding all elements in nature as family. The Journey of Tunuri and the Blue Deer is a modern adaptation of a traditional Huichol story depicting a young child finding his (or her) personal task in life by connecting with the powers of nature. The story is told through the experiences of young Tunuri, who becomes lost in the woods. He meets the magical Blue Deer--a messenger between the worlds of mortals and deities--who introduces Tunuri to Father Sun, Mother Earth, and others in the natural world, while leading him back to his human family. Through this lovely tale and the vivid illustrations done in the medium of traditional Huichol yarn drawings, children can learn about their place in the sacred web of life.

The Journey of Tunuri and the Blue Deer: A Huichol Indian Story

Endredy, James

Literature & Fiction

The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant • The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction. Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head

Sperling, Vatsala

The magical story of how the princess Parvati opens the heart of her eternal husband Shiva • The courtship story of one of the central couples in Indian lore, Parvati and Shiva, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition In the Hindu pantheon the great mother goddess Adishakti is the heavenly wife of Shiva, Lord of All Gods. Whenever Shiva or Adishakti come to Earth in human form, they are fated to marry each other again--but that’s no guarantee that all will go smoothly with their courtship. In this story Adishakti comes to Earth as the mountain princess Parvati, who has her work cut out for her when she tries to win the affections of Shiva. Shiva spends all his time meditating on a remote mountainside in the Himalayas and has no interest in marriage. Parvati washes his feet, wipes his brow, and lays sixteen offerings before him, but he won’t even look at her. Sage Narada advises her to invoke Shiva’s name--Om Namah Shivaya--over and over again as a mantra. So in the heat of the sun, in the driving rain, in snow up to her neck Parvati sits and repeats her beloved’s name until the focused power of her intent opens his heart and persuades him to ask for her hand in marriage. Parvati’s timeless story teaches children that with enough love and perseverance even the seemingly impossible can be achieved. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva

Takes children on an imaginative journey, inviting their personal exploration of all aspects of nature • Presents a series of fantastic hypothetical questions that encourages children to imagine an intimate and playful relationship with the natural world • Contains vivid and intricate full-color illustrations to spark the imagination • For children ages 4 to 6 In How Would It Feel? Mary Beth Goddard takes children on a journey of fantastic proportions, inviting them to imagine a playful interaction with the natural world. How would it feel to ride on a breeze . . . splash down with the rain . . . play tag with the sun . . . or wake up in a flower? Children and parents alike will have an opportunity to view the world from widely varying perspectives, such as high in the sky or deep under the sea. But the final stanza provides reassuring closure, returning children to the safety of home: "It’s time to go back / to your own bed and rest, / back to the family / who loves you the best." The repeated poetic phrasing beginning each passage provides early reading skill development, and the vivid and intricate details in the watercolor artwork successfully extend and amplify the text, inviting many hours of exploration.

How Would It Feel?

Goddard, Mary Beth

Science Fiction & Fantasy

An illustrated version of the classic Hindu epic the Ramayana • Presents the famous Hindu epic retold for Western children ages 6 to 9 • Fully illustrated with full-color paintings in traditional Indian style Long ago, the story goes, the entire earth was overrun with demons. The ten-headed demon king Ravana had prayed to his grandfather, Lord Brahma, asking that he be granted immortality. And Brahma had granted his wish . . . almost. No god, demon, plant, or animal could harm Ravana, which allowed him to cause considerable damage as he and his demon army ransacked the earth. But Ravana was so scornful of humans he hadn’t bothered to ask for protection from them. This omission would prove to be his downfall. With cries for help rising from every corner of the earth, the heavenly gods, Lords Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu, decided that something had to be done to rid the world of the rampaging demons and restore peace and order. They decided that Vishnu should be incarnated upon the earth in the form of the virtuous prince Ram. As a human prince, albeit one who had help from the gods, he would be able to defeat the demon king. In Ram the Demon Slayer, readers follow Ram from his conception and birth through his training with sages and first successful demon battles to his marriage to the beautiful princess Sita and his final triumphant victory over the demon king. This beautifully illustrated retelling of the Ramayana makes accessible to Western children and their parents one of the favorite heroes of the Hindu tradition.

Ram the Demon Slayer

Tells the adventures of the magical monkey Hanuman, beloved in India as the devoted helper of Ram, hero of the Hindu epic tale the Ramayana • Introduces Western children to one of the most playful and beloved characters of Hindu mythology • Illustrated throughout with full-color paintings in the traditional Indian style Son of the monkey princess Anjana and the wind god Pavan, Hanuman is born on Earth to be a helper for Ram, the hero of the Hindu epic the Ramayana. Hanuman is no ordinary monkey. He has the ability to leap higher than the sun and move faster than the wind. When the demon king Ravana kidnaps Ram’s wife, Sita, and carries her off to his island home, the army that goes to rescue her is left discouraged on the beach--stopped by the wide expanse of water between them and the island of Lanka. But magical Hanuman is able to jump over the ocean in one amazing bound. He finds the captive Sita and helps her to take heart and remain strong and confident that Ram will find a way to save her. And indeed Ram does, but only with the devoted assistance of his mercurial monkey helper. Hanuman shrinks to the size of a fly; grows large enough to uproot a huge tree as though it were a turnip; soars through the sky, setting the city of Lanka on fire with the tip of his tail; and digs up an entire mountain in order to deliver its healing herbs to Ram’s stricken army. This beautifully illustrated retelling of Hanuman’s story makes accessible to Western children and their parents one of the most playful and beloved characters of the Hindu tradition.

Hanuman's Journey to the Medicine Mountain

Features Karna, a brave and ambitious character from the epic Mahabharata, as famous for his generosity as for his skills with bow and arrow • Introduces children to one of the most colorful characters of Hindu mythology • Illustrated throughout with glowing full-color paintings in traditional Indian style • Speaks to the questions that arise for adoptive children and their parents When Princess Kunti is twelve years old she tries reciting a secret mantra for inviting the gods into her life. She gets more than she bargained for when the Sun, himself, swoops down out of the sky in a golden chariot and presents her with a baby. “Take him back,” she cries. “I’m not ready to be a mother!” But it’s too late; the Sun says the baby is her responsibility now. However, he points out the child’s golden earrings and the golden shield upon his chest and tells Kunti that as long he wears them, the child will be protected. Kunti tearfully puts the baby in a basket and sets him afloat on the river, where Adhiratha and Radha, a poor and childless couple, find him and take him in. Karna: The Greatest Archer in the World introduces the reader to the heroic but humanly flawed character of Karna, who grapples with issues of right and wrong, truth and lies, loyalty and abandonment. It tells how Radha helps her adoptive son, Karna, solve the mystery of his birth; how she and her husband give Karna the courage to follow his heart in the study of archery; how Karna faces his birth mother in the final days of his brief but brilliant life; and how his loyalty to a friend and his unparalleled generosity and sense of honor ultimately cause him to give his own life so that good may triumph over evil.

Karna: The Greatest Archer in the World

Tells how the Hindu goddess Ganga came to Earth as the Ganges River • Introduces children to one of the most beloved characters of Hindu mythology • Illustrated throughout with full-color paintings in traditional Indian style The Ganges River, which flows from the high reaches of the Himalayas all the way down to the Bay of Bengal, is sacred to the Hindu people, who consider it to be the earthly form of the goddess Ganga. The story of how Ganga was born, and how she became a river, tells of a journey from a place even higher than the Himalayan mountaintops--a journey from Heaven itself. Born in a pot of sacred water, the baby Ganga grows into a beautiful and lighthearted girl, the darling of Heaven. But one day her sense of humor gets her in trouble. When grumpy Sage Durvasa is caught in a whirlwind that blows his clothes right off him, Ganga makes the mistake of laughing at him. In a rage, the sage puts a curse on her: “You must go to Earth as a river!” Ganga is heartbroken and begs the sage to forgive her. He can’t take back the curse, but seeing that she is truly sorry, he gives her a blessing as well: her water will purify the souls of men, releasing them from sin. When Sage Baghirath prays to the gods to help him release the souls of his ancestors, Ganga comes tumbling from the sky and follows the sage across India, the river unfurling behind her. To this day millions of people take comfort in her healing waters, and Ganga, too, takes comfort in relieving their suffering.

Ganga: The River that Flows from Heaven to Earth

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