A Pebble for Your Pocket

I have admittedly been resistant to reading books by TNH in the past, I thought "that is not really my style of zen" But then I saw a pebble in your pocket in the books recommended for children section. I picked this one out and I am quite impressed. This book makes for great bed time reading to my six year old girl and it hasn't got a whole lot of jargon or difficult vocabulary requiring breaks for explanation. Thanks TNH for creating the opportunity for me to change my mind.

This little book is written in a conversational style, and is comprised of Buddhist parables, and stories from the author's own childhood experiences, all of which elucidate principles of Buddhism and mindfulness practice. Several concrete mindfulness practices are described, including one for handling difficult emotions such as anger, from which the title - a pebble for your pocket - is taken. This is not a picture book, so is probably best for 8-12 year olds and/or independent readers, although I did read some of the shorter stories to my almost five-year old, and she liked them.

This is a fun book that my daughter and I are reading together. She is 8 and I wanted to teach her some of the Buddhist precepts I find character building. She loves the stories.

My daughter (2) is a little young for this book yet, but I read it and think it is wonderful for children. If you have children about 6 or older who are having a difficult time or are angry about something, this book would be great. Even if your children are happy though, there are wonderful lessons here for everyone and that can help the world to become a more peaceful place.

While many children's books deal with fiction this book speaks of the reality of here and now. It is thought provoking on a child's level teaching spirituality and awareness. My six year old seems to enjoy listening to the stories.