by Lisa Erickson
In our increasingly multicultural world, many of us are interested in introducing our children to religions other than our own. And what better way to do it than through books? The following list is of books for introducing children ages 3-9 to religions other than their own. Included are two books for each of the five major world religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. There are a few honorable mentions related to other traditions, or geared for older kids, thrown in at the end.
Buddhism
Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha, by Whitney Stewart - This is an introduction to the main themes of Buddhism through a telling of the Buddha's life story. One of the few Buddhist offerings geared for children this young, the interesting artwork and fascinating story hold young children's interest.
Peaceful Piggy Meditation, by Kerry Lee Maclean - This book introduces children to meditation by portraying it as a tool they can use to help them deal with the difficult everyday situations they most often confront - getting teased by their siblings, falling down at school, or served a dinner they can't stand.
Hinduism
Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story, by Jonny Zucker - Geared for the younger end of this age range, this book introduces the Hindu festival of Diwali by walking through one family's celebration of the day. It is part of the Festival Time series, a collection of books introducing holidays from all the major religions.
The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow, by Sanjay Patel - This is actually not a children's book, but children love it. The author is an animator with Pixar Studios, and has drawn hip, colorful drawings of all the major Hindu deities, along with brief descriptions. An entertaining way for anyone of any age to learn about the Hindu pantheon.
Islam
Ramadan, by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi - This book follows a young boy named Hakeem through the major rituals of Ramadan, including fasting, praying and visits to the mosque. The illustrations are exquisite, capturing children's eyes and minds.
Salaam: A Muslim American Boy's Story, by Tricia Brown - A profile of a real-life American Muslim boy and his family, depicted through simple text and photographs. This book introduces the five pillars of Islam, and cultural aspects of Islam such as hijab (women's headscarves) in an accessible way, as well as broaching the difficult topic of religious intolerance.
Judaism
What Makes Someone a Jew? by Lauren Seidman - With rhyming text and color photographs, this book introduces children to the diversity of Jews around the world. Focused on the basic shared tenets of loving and kindness, this book focuses more on a sense of inclusiveness than religious theology, but presents a powerful multi-cultural image of modern Judaism.
Beni's Family Treasury for the Jewish Holidays, by Jane Breskin Zalben - For a more informative yet entertaining introduction to Judaism's tenets, try this collection of five stories about bear Beni and his family's trials and tribulations while celebrating various Jewish holidays. These tales combine educational information and good storytelling in a way rare for children's religious books.
Christianity
Humphrey's First Christmas, by Carol Heyer - This adorable version of the nativity story is told from the perspective of Humphrey, a grumpy camel witnessing the event. As Humphrey begins to appreciate the value of what he is involved in, he puts his own complaints aside and learns the true meaning of Christmas - selfless giving and love.
The Easter Story, by Brian Wildsmith - The story of Easter is not an easy one to relay to children, with betrayal, suffering and death all prominently featured. This beautifully illustrated version does it justice, focusing on the deeper meaning of each event without glossing over the details too much. Like in the prior book, an animal features prominently, this time the donkey Jesus rides into Jerusalem.
Honorable Mentions
These books are geared for slightly older children, or deal with religions other than the ones covered above.
One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship, by Mary Pope Osborne - Survey of all the world's religions from children's perspectives, geared for 9-12 year olds.
Religion (DK Eyewitness Series), by Myrtle Langley - Another survey book for 9-12 year olds, from the well-known education series DK Eyewitness.
Meet Jesus: The Life and Lessons of a Beloved Teacher, by Lynn Tuttle Gurney - Accessible and universalist telling of Jesus' life story, appropriate for liberal Christians and non-Christians.
Aisha's Moonlit Walk, by Anika Stafford - Introduction to pagan holidays and celebrations throughout the year.
Zen Shorts, by Jon Muth - Introduction to Zen principles by a giant panda, targeted to children 9-12, but the pictures pulled my four-year old in as well.
The Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh, by Amy Novesky - Beautifully illustrated tale of Ganesh, Hindu deity.
