Second Grade Block-Buddhist Tales

LOVE this book!

Parks is in the second grade and is third child.  He is a listener.  He loves to listen to stories whether the story is being read to him or not.  Thus, he has heard most of the folk tales and fairy tales time and time again.  Originally, I planned on doing another block on folk tales until I an across the book “The Buddha’s Apprentice at Bedtime: Tales of Compassion and Kindness for You to Read with Your Child-to Delight and Inspire.”   I enjoy reading folk tales due to the wonderful life lessons that they teach.  Well, “The Buddha’s Apprentice” did not let me down!

The stories contain action and adventure in addition to amazing lessons.  The book consists of 18 short stories, each focusing on one portion of the Noble Eightfold Path.  Thus, the stories focus on right concentration, right intention, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right view, right speech and right mindfulness.  In addition to the amazing stories, the book also introduces the art of meditation.  If you are not comfortable teaching your child meditation, do not worry.  The book provides a section on how to introduce meditation to your children.

Together in this block, Parks and I read through “Bella and the Magic Soup” focusing on right concentration, “The Magic Moonlight Tree” focusing on right intention, “Ester and Lucky” focusing on right livelihood, and “Egbert and the Fisherman” focusing on right speech.   We also did the meditations that went along with the stories.

Parks truly enjoyed each story and the illustrations that accompanied each story.  I enjoyed the lessons.  Parks easily  figured out what each story was teaching and loved discussing each one. If you are in search of stories with a lesson but need a break from traditional folk tales, I highly recommend “The Buddha’s Apprentice at Bedtime.”

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