Little Monk sits down with his calligraphy brush every day, calming his anxious heart as he writes the character for "rain." Years later, a nearby city needs help. They have no water. All grown up now, Big Monk packs his things, hoping to do his part. But can a pile of old calligraphy sheets work a miracle? ---from the publisher
48 pages 978-0802856579 Ages 5-8
Keywords: finding calm, calligraphy, self expression, self calming, self esteem, being yourself, believing in yourself, compassion, humility, mindfulness and meditation, miracles, perseverance, rain, water, helping others, cities, dealing with anxiety, calligraphy, Buddhism, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old
*****
A Buddhist monk practices calligraphy every single day―calming his heart and bringing an unexpected gift to a nearby city.
As rain falls, Old Monk invites Little Monk to practice calligraphy. “Let’s write the character for rain!” he says. And with each brushstroke, Little Monk’s restless, anxious heart grows quiet.
For the next twenty years, as Little Monk becomes Big Monk, he sits down with his brush every day, meditating on and writing the character for “rain.” Until one day someone comes to the temple asking for help: the city has no water. All grown up now, Big Monk packs his things, hoping to do his part. But will a pile of calligraphy sheets make any difference?
This stunning book is horizontally bound, creating a vertical reading experience inspired by Chinese ink paintings and calligraphy hung on scrolls. With poetic text and watercolor art from Taiwanese author-illustrator Hsu-Kung Liu, Little Monk Writes Rain is an evocative tale of mindfulness, self-expression, and compassion. The simple, resonant story is sure to start conversations about how to find―and share―a sense of calm amid the storms of life. Translated from Chinese by Rachel Wang Yung-Hsin.---from the publisher
******
Other reviews:
"Spirited children meet Eastern visual traditions that have a life of their own....Hsu-Kung Liu paints with a light touch…[a] feathery fable.” ―The New York Times
"Liu's tender picture book offers a compassionate message about how one's worth extends far beyond what society measures…Viewers will be moved by Big Monk's work swirling into the sky to call upon real rain for the city and honor the quiet reassurance he feels in being true to himself." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Tender proof that humility and tenacity can inspire miracles." ―Kirkus Reviews
"Exceptionally beautiful and gently philosophical...This remarkable book is a work of art, and a bridge to understanding life itself." ―Emily Schneider, Imaginary Elevators
"The [reading] experience stayed with me long after the final page....A quiet, poetic meditation on creativity, limitation, and transformation." ―Eleanor Duggan, The Third Culture Librarian
