“In the full bloom of spring, in a beautiful garden, in a place called Lumbini, a prince was born.”
So begins the extraordinary story of the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the prince who would become the enlightened Buddha, the Awakened One. This classic tale follows Prince Siddhartha’s journey of truth-seeking and discovery, including his life-altering encounters with human suffering and his realization of the Four Noble Truths. Today, millions of people all over the world follow the Buddha’s teachings on meditation, selflessness, and compassion. Rendered here in exquisite original watercolor illustrations, this inspiring story is brought to life for young readers curious about one of history’s most monumental and influential figures.
Hardcover, 44 pages
Heather Sanche has been an early childhood educator, teacher trainer, and author for twenty-five years. Her work experience is in mainstream, Waldorf, and Montessori pedagogical approaches, including ten years teaching and living in Asia.
Heather has been a practicing Buddhist since 1994. In 2007 she took temporary ordination within the Pau Auk tradition and lived in a forest monastery near Mawlamyine, Myanmar. From 2008 to 2012 she completed a traditional three-year meditation retreat.
Heather began her education career at the University of Colorado. where she received an athletic scholarship in track and field and cross country. She earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Naropa University and a post-graduate diploma in Intercultural Education and Training from the University of Victoria.
Illustrator Tara di Gesu began painting at a young age. While living in Nepal, she studied classical thangkha painting. Her paintings remain essentially faithful to this Tibetan tradition, but Tara has gently shifted the stylistic emphasis and brings a fresh, ethereal quality to her work that makes her paintings unique.