For a book about such an essentially orderly philosophy, this book is a mess. Every page is a mix-up of small excerpts by images about the philosophy and practice of Buddhism - basically centered on a central exposition. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I tend to be a bit wary of series books, but this one is precisely the kind of thing which would have caught my eye in fifth or sixth grade. It’s full of pictures and a veritable wealth of information about various features of various sects of Buddhism, and it also spends a good amount of time on the cultural practices of monks and lay people in societies where the philosophy is more prevalent. The text never goes into too much detail, but it still manages to say a little bit about a lot of different facets. The intended audience of this work is probably somewhere between fifth and eighth grade students who show an interest in understanding world religions; and this book would be pretty good for them as an introduction to Buddhism – on a basic level. This is a decent enough book, overall, and I may consider having it, or others from the series, in my classroom. ( )

This is a story of a young prince who had everything, living in the 5th cetury BC, who walked away from his wealth and privilege to learn about the truth of human existence. Centuries later the lessons and teachings of Sidhatta, or the Buddha, have spread around the globe to form a major world religion. Who was he? What did he learn? What makes Buddhism different from other world religions? If you're looking for answers to these questions, this book is a good place to start. ( )