New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS): A new series of informative books on Lord Mahavira, Guru Nanak and Gautam Buddha seeks to introduce young children to the values and perspectives derived from their lives and philosophies and how these can be implemented for the greater good.
Written in simple text and magical verse, each book, launched by Adidev Press as part of its Learning To Be series, showcases one value that can be highlighted in the life of the personality being written about. Laced with heuristic (self-learning) examples and suggestions, it encourages readers to recognise how they can implement this value through actions in their own lives.
'Kindness with Mahavira' explains his belief that all living beings have a soul - and that each soul is of equal value, be it an elephant, an ant or a person. The book aims to encourage the younger readers to imbibe Mahavira's message on kindness and compassion.
'Service with Guru Nanak' is about his belief that God lives in each and everything. He reminds us to remember that each time we serve, we are serving God. Inspired by him, this book encourages children to make service a part of their daily lives
'Peace with Buddha' is about doing away with suffering. The Buddha reminds us that desire leads to suffering. He encourages us to think of the path to peace as lying within ourselves. This book will help children recognise the value of wanting less, finding peace and connecting with their inner selves.
Conceived by Chitwan Mittal (Founder and Editorial Director of AdiDev Press), the books have been written in collaboration with Sarita Saraf and illustrated by award-winning illustrator Debasmita Dasgupta.
"We believe that biographies can be powerful tools to inspire and uplift. We do not want our books to be preachy. We are committed to developing this series by writing books on inspiring South Asian personalities including scientists, sportspersons, performing artists, change makers and many more. These board books are aimed at toddlers and early readers (ages 4-8)," says Mittal.
"Not often do you come across children's books that are simple yet profound. The Learning To Be series on Indian saints is one of a kind and I am delighted to have illustrated these books. Visually, I have tried to integrate these ideas of simplicity in the ocean of deepness through the use of simplistic lines and character sketches complemented with hand painted abstract textures," says Dasgupta.