Best Children's Hinduism Books
"Amme Tell Me" is a charming and informative series of children's books that introduces the major Hindu festivals and figures to young readers, and are perfect for families wanting to share stories of Hinduism with their children or for educators looking for resource on the Hindu culture for their students. The Series has ten books on the festivals of Holi, Diwali, and on the Hindu gods Krishna, Hanuman and Ganesha. She currently works for a major Swiss Bank and lives in Hong Kong with her husband, their two sons and their two dogs.Bhakti is a committed writer ambassador for Room to Read, a global non-profit which offers holistic literacy and girls’ education programs.An avid reader, a long-distance runner and a yoga enthusiast, when not working or running after her boys, she is happiest curled up with a book in her hand and a hot cup of chai.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While we gently tried introducing him to Amar Chitra Katha (which was one of my own childhood favorites) we knew that stories and illustrations were geared toward an older child."
"Both my 7 and 5 year old girls love this book."
"There is such a dearth of of good Indian authors writing books for young children that I can't wait for the author to publish a whole series about the various Indian festivals."
"As a booklover with limited experience with kids, I'm always on thin ice when it comes to selecting books as gifts for kids."
"Nice concept and illustrations."
"great read with kids and kept it interesting for both my 4yo and 6 1/2 yo."
"My son loved this."
"The title is evocative and the book itself, a fascinating journey into a sublime world- one of colour and imagination; of myth and inspiration. What a delightful book."
Belgin K. Wedman's jewel-toned illustrations, reminiscent of classical Indian miniatures, complement this poetic story of one of the most beloved gods of all. Kindergarten-Grade 4 - Novesky retells the less-popular but authentic version of how the Hindu god Ganesh came to have the head of an elephant.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bought this as part of the Build Your Library kindergarten curriculum."
"To the rescue Lord Vishnu who brings the head of an elephant that sacrificed himself so that the child might live."
"Beautiful pictures, but the story varies from the traditional story that most of us know."
"Immediately rocketed to the top of my 5-year old's favorite book list."
"Almost a mixture of European and Indian art that is breathtaking."
"Fantastic Book - my 5,5 year old daughter loves it - the illustrations are amazing and very authentic."
"One thing is this is the watered down version of the story and not exactly the version I grew up with but a valid version."
"It it like picking up a bible story told in an "Apocrypha" version - not familiar but non-Christians would not know the difference. The author tries to make it more gentle by suggesting that Ganesha lost his original head in a tragic accident rather than his father cutting it off. There is no need to soften ancient stories to something else and to reduce it to a strange retelling, to fit modern sensibilities."
The adventures of young Lord Krishna, enjoyed for centuries by Indian children, now available for Western children. 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. His brother Suresh Johari (1942-2000) created the sketches and concept for Little Krishna and Pieter Weltevrede, who began his artistic studies with Harish in 1977, created the finished color illustrations.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I would highly recommend the book for all parents who want to explore and teach young kids about Little Krishna."
"Excellent for introduction or first exposure of this topic to your child and but do not expect in depth descriptions."
"What an enchanting book."
"Maybe I'm overreacting but there is blood in some of the illustrations and even though it's a beautiful book I may wait until he is a bit older and has been more exposed to the idea of violence."
"A wonderful book for children and adults interested in Hinduism."
"This is a great book for children of all ages."
"I am in love with Krishna and found this little story book a good little journey into my love."
"I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because I wish it had been longer."
Best Children's Hindu Fiction
"Amme Tell Me" is a charming and informative series of children's books that introduces the major Hindu festivals and figures to young readers, and are perfect for families wanting to share stories of Hinduism with their children or for educators looking for resource on the Hindu culture for their students. The idea for the 'Amma, Tell Me' series of books came as a way to introduce her sons to Indian mythology and festivals.When not writing, working or running after her boys, she is happiest curled up with a book and a hot cup of chai.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Had purchased a few other Diwali books and was unhappy with how straightforward the pictures and story was - they would not hold my 3 year-old's attention."
"The illustrations are stunning!"
"It's really hard to find books and other materials that are appropriate for bicultural kids."
"I was concerned that the book itself was paperback and not a hardcover book - though the pages are very thick and sturdy."
"Got for my child."
"I bought it to teach my kids the story of Diwali and it truly did not dissapoint!"
"I just got this to read to my 4 year old."
"Beautifully illustrated book --- colorful backgrounds and characters!"
Best Children's Judaism Books
“Much like The Boy In the Striped Pajamas or The Book Thief ,” this remarkable memoir from Leon Leyson, one of the youngest children to survive the Holocaust on Oskar Schindler’s list, “brings to readers a story of bravery and the fight for a chance to live” ( VOYA ). The storytelling can at times meander, and the various reflections of his life in Poland during the war can result in a certain patchiness, but Leyson’s experiences and memories still make for compelling reading about what it was like to suffer through the Holocaust.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is so well written, with rare insight from a child going through the ordeal."
"Amazing story that should never be forgotten."
"The writer was the youngest of the Jews Schindler helped escape."
"A great book, everyone should read."
"This is a sad story of how so many people have no value of a life."
"Great read."
"So sad what happened and although we have read about it before, from so many stories and movies, this book had a different view."
"The Boy in The Wooden Box was a great book, it was hard to put down."
Best Children's Buddhism Books
Featuring engaging characters, enthralling adventures, and modern language that speaks to today’s kids, these beautifully illustrated stories can help children relieve stress, attain greater academic and social achievement, and enjoy a more positive outlook on life. Dharmachari Nagaraja regularly presents BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought with Terry Wogan, and has appeared on BBC 1's Heaven and Earth programme.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Our child really like these stories at night before bed and asks a lot of cute questions."
"I can not express how much I love this book."
"Seriously, you don't have to be Buddhist to love this book."
"We LOVE this book!"
"I cannot get enough of the Buddha at Bedtime stories!"
"Perfect length."
"My 3 year old son absolutely loves these stories. They are pure gold and I reference many of these stories throughout the course of the day as teaching points and to help my son understand why we are doing things."
"These are great stories that can be easily digested by children between the ages of 5 - 10."
Best Children's Islam Books
With breathtaking illustrations and informative text, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns magnificently captures the world of Islam, celebrating its beauty and traditions for even the youngest readers. Hena Khan has written children's books on a wide variety of topics, and she takes particular interest in writing about her Muslim culture.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My kids love the fact that they are so many Islamic kids books out there "for them" I bought this several times for my kids' friends also."
"The illustrations are beautiful and it's a great easy read to keep children interested."
"My two year old son enjoys looking at all the pictures and images even though he may not fully understand it right now."
"With perfect rhyme and gorgeous illustrations, this book provides a simple introduction to the world of Islam as seen through the eyes of a young narrator."
"I want to raise an open minded child capable of choosing her own beliefs (or lack thereof). To be able to do so I'd have to introduce her to all religions since they've began introducing her without my consent (and against my wishes). This book is a great introduction to Islam for a 5 year old ."
"Fantastic book, my 2 year old loves it."
"This book was purchased to add cultural awareness to my classroom."
"My 2 year old loves this book."
Best Children's Christian Books
A Bible like no other, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation---and at the center of their Story too. “I would urge not just families with young children to get this book, but every Christian–from pew warmers, to ministry leaders, seminarians and even theologians! Sally Lloyd-Jones has captured the heart of what it means to find Christ in all the scriptures, and has made clear even to little children that all God’s revelation has been about Jesus from the beginning–a truth not all that commonly recognized even among the very learned.” – Dr. Timothy Keller, NYC ( Dr. Timothy Keller ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've tried three or four toddler Bibles, but they ranged from the meaningless and banal (Read With Me Bible For Toddlers) to the downright horrifying in their interpretation (The Story For Little Ones). The Jesus Storybook Bible, on the other hand, seeks to show how God's plan of salvation is unfolding through each story, and largely succeeds in doing so. First of all, there are children's Bibles like the Read With Me Bible that are simply bland. Granted, toddlers are not going to pick up on every nuance of a story from the Bible, but the Read With Me Bible often chooses the wrong points to emphasize, entirely leaving out important points of narrative along the way. One story simply lists miracles Jesus did with no context, failing to communicate that Jesus' miracles actually anticipate and begin to realize a new world, a world where God's Kingdom and rule are breaking into the world in a new and exciting way. This simply displays a level of ignorance about the story of Samson that is beyond belief for someone writing (interpreting) a Bible for children! So, for example, the story of the Exodus is told not as the story of God's great magic show, but instead on the great, mighty, and terrifying rescue of God's people from their slavery, pointing forward also to humanity's slavery to sin and coming rescue in Jesus. But again, the strength of this Bible is that it gets the story right, interpreting the main idea correctly and always pointing toward Jesus."
"Along with "God's Love" by ChampThornton, "The Bible's Big Story" by James Hamilton, "The Biggest Story" by Kevin DeYoung and "What's in the Bible With Buck Denver?""
"I love this, I have toddlers and want them to know about the happiest, greatest story in all the world<3 Its simple and sweet and I love how each biblical story ends with how that story paves the way for Jesus. Mostly the main message, the good news; God loves the world, loves YOU, no matter what!"
"It’s great to read alternate translations (even kids versions) while retaining biblical accuracy."
"I was delighted to find out that not only did we finish it but she also brought it back to me after a few weeks and wanted to read it through a second time!"
"So many of the versions out there are just the regular bible verses with colorful kids pictures incorporated."
"Every single Bible story is tied to Christ and points children to the understanding of God's overall plan of redemption and salvation through Christ."
"They were 3 months when I. started reading to the twins."
Best Children's Inspirational Books
In this heartwarming children's tale from the best-selling pen of author Max Lucado, Eli the woodcarver helps Punchinello understand how special he is--no matter what other Wemmicks may think. Max Lucado (MA, Abilene Christian University) serves as the minister of preaching at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and is a best-selling author and speaker.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We've gotten some other books that have a somewhat similar message - "I made you and I love you... what others think doesn't matter" - but their novelty (and her requesting to hear them) wore off as soon as they weren't new anymore. I might've teared up reading the book the first time."
"these books are gentle they allow one to read to a child and then talk about values accepting others as well as ourselves a model for living with kindness in prek the children listened and understood an older child will understand it more deeply an adult will start a great conversation with a child and lenrich the adult child bond by talking about "important things"."
"AMAZING book."
"Just discovered The Wemmicks and then got a baby shower invitation that said "bring a book" so I decided to get this one for my new greatniece!"
"Fantastic book with positive message."
"This is a fantastic story."
"The review is not for the content."
"The kindle version doesn't have pictures and the writing is tiny!"
Best Children's Eastern Religions Books
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh answers heartfelt, difficult, and funny questions from children of all ages. ", each page presents a question with a short answer from Thich Nhat Hanh, appropriate for beginning readers to work with on their own. There are both spiritual questions and really nitty gritty daily life questions, from Why does the world exist?’ and Why is my brother always so nasty to me?’ to What is meditation and why do people do it?’ and Why do I feel sometimes that everyone is against me’ What a gift Thay’s answers are! is a delightful book filled with answers to questions, some more philosophical than others, that every child wonders.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good bedtime book for kids."
"A beautiful book and a such a joy to share with my children."
"Its a bit shorter than I expected - my daughter finished it in about 10 minutes, but I keep it in the magazine rack in the guest bathroom and have nothing bad to say about it!"
"I have been looking for a book like this to address the big questions that children ask."
"This is another fantastic Thich Nhat Hanh book, but not only for children."
"I love the conversations that come up with my child after reading the questions and answers."
"Beautiful and wise."