The Brave Little Parrot

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"Believing that 'stories must present renewed relevance for each generation,' author Rafe Martin wisely reinterprets the traditional ending and some of the messages along the way to inspire twenty-first-century children (and parents). The illustrations are created in the way of the Pahari School of miniature painting. 'Instead of drawing something once,' artist Demi explains, 'I would draw it a hundred times until it seemed to come alive and run across the page.' The cumulative effect in this children's book is a fresh, relevant, moving take on an old wisdom tale."—Bonnie Nadzam, Lion's Roar

“Children will celebrate the brave little parrot’s victory and ask for this story again and again. It’s a wonderful choice for reading aloud.”—Booklist

Rafe Martin’s lyrical retelling brings to life an inspiring tale from ancient India that will speak to today’s readers. Today, as rain forests burn, this old tale of doing the one little thing you can takes on special meaning . . . An author’s note explains that jataka tales based on the past lives of the Buddha have been told and retold for 2500 years. This is an elegant continuation of that tradition.”—Publishers Weekly

Rafe Martin Demi

Add to Cart Hardcover $22.95
Add to Cart eBook $14.99

Winner of the 2023 NYC Big Book Award for Childrens-Inspirational books!

How can you save a burning forest with just sprinkles of water? This timeless Buddhist tale may just have the answer!

In this ancient tale of one of the Buddha’s past lives, the Buddha is born as a little gray parrot who takes it upon herself to save her beloved forest home from a raging fire.

Even though she can only sprinkle drops of water onto the blaze . . .

. . . her perseverance, courage, and compassion change everything, eventually saving the forest in an unexpected way.

Zen teacher and acclaimed storyteller Rafe Martin is joined by the award-winning illustrator Demi to render this centuries-old classic into a beautiful and timeless tale that will inspire all of us to find our own bravery and to act selflessly for the benefit of all.

Discover Rafe Martin’s other books here.

Explore Demi’s other books here.

book information

Hardcover
32 pages, 11.5 x 10 inches
$22.95
ISBN 9781614298458

ebook
32 pages
$14.99
ISBN 9781614298670

about the author

Rafe Martin is the author of over twenty award-winning books for adults, children, and young adults. He is also a lay Zen teacher in the Harada-Yasutani koan line and founding teacher of Endless Path Zendo, Rochester, NY. A personal disciple of Roshi Philip Kapleau (Three Pillars of Zen) and the editor of Roshi Kapleau’s final two books, he later trained with Robert Aitken Roshi, completing the Diamond Sangha koan curriculum and receiving inka (authorization to teach) from Danan Henry Roshi, a Kapleau lineage teacher and a Diamond Sangha (Aitken line) Dharma Master. Rafe’s books have been cited in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, and USA Today. He is the recipient of the Empire State Award for his body of work, as well as multiple ALA Notable Book Awards and Storytelling World Awards. He has spoken at such events and places as the Joseph Campbell Foundation Festival of Myth and Story, The American Museum of Natural History, The Freer Gallery/Smithsonian, the National Storytelling Festival and International Storytelling Institute, the American Library Association Annual Conference, The American Booksellers Annual Conference, many Zen and Dharma Centers around the country, and numerous literary and storytelling festivals. His writings have appeared in Buddhadharma, Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, The Sun, Zen Bow, Inquiring Mind, Parabola, and other journals of note.

www.endlesspathzendo.org and www.rafemartin.com

Other books by Rafe Martin:
The Banyan Deer
Before Buddha Was Buddha

Demi is the award-winning author and illustrator of over 130 bestselling children’s books, including The Empty Pot, Jesus, Buddha, The Dalai Lama, One Grain of Rice, The Boy Who Painted Dragons, and The Legend of Saint Nicholas. For Wisdom Tales Press, she has written and illustrated Saint Francis of Assisi and The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna and illustrated The Conference of the Birds (retold by Alexis York Lumbard), The Pandas and Their Chopsticks: and Other Animal Stories, Mahavira: The Hero of Nonviolence by Dr. Manoj Jain, and a children’s biography of Abraham Lincoln titled President Lincoln: From Log Cabin to White House. Demi’s most recent books for Wisdom Tales are Gifts of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Patroness of Latin America, and Talking to God: Prayers for Children from the World’s Religions. Her latest, Hildegard of Bingen: Scientist, Composer, Healer & Saint, is another glowing picture-book for children, this time about a multitalented woman who was a mystic, abbess, scientist, doctor, composer, author, linguist, and artist, whose influence has extended throughout the centuries since her death.

Demi’s books have sold over half a million copies and her work has been appreciated by many diverse people across the globe, such as the Dalai Lama and the Pope. The Empty Pot, her best-selling title, was selected by former First Lady Barbara Bush as one of the books to be read on the ABC Radio Network Program Mrs. Bush’s Story Time, sponsored by the Children’s Literacy Initiative. Demi’s book Gandhi was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and received an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award.

Other books by Demi:
The Secret of the Sand Castles
I See You, Mara!
I See You, Buddha
The Illustrated Lotus Sutra

Discover More

The Secret of the Sand Castles

The Secret of the Sand Castles is a timeless Buddhist tale about the things that matter most: truth, generosity, compassion, and love.

When a group of children are having a playful day at the beach, the fun of building sand castles is forgotten when they start arguing about whose castle is best. While fighting over “I,” “me,” and “mine,” they end up destroying and abandoning the castles they so carefully constructed.

The timely arrival of a magical wise man teaches the children that unlike the sand castles, it is the things we can’t see that really matter most.

Lumi

Lumi is a gorgeously illustrated adventure story and a powerful lesson in the magic of helping others.

Meet Lumi, a tiny radiant being on a mission to spread kindness in the universe. Join her on a heroic journey as she searches for ways to help other beings, and finds that sometimes, she needs help, too!

Endlessly imaginative and lushly illustrated, Lumi is a celebration of the good heart in the littlest ones among us. Come along with Lumi as she shares her light with flower fairies, frozen warriors, a star-stealing monster, and a colony of stranded sea squirts—and discovers that we’re all actually radiant, shining brightly together.

Visit Lumiverse to learn more and to hear Lumi’s very own song!

Squabbling Squashes

“A gorgeous, colorful picture book…this read is equally light and profound.”
—Bonnie Nadzam, Lion’s Roar

“It’s true that we are all different squashes . . . some are bigger and some are smaller . . . some are rounder and some are longer. But even if we are different, we are all connected. We are all growing together. We don’t have to be such squabbling squashes.”

Squabbling Squashes is a story for children of all ages about interconnection and learning to live in harmony amid differences, from a leading light of contemporary Zen—based on a parable from Kosho Uchiyama’s classic bestseller Opening the Hand of Thought.

“An essential teaching for all children, told with delightful, relatable warmth.”
—Sumi Loundon Kim, author Sitting Together: A Family-Centered Curriculum on Mindfulness, Meditation, and Buddhist Teachings

“Super enjoyable to hear, read, and savor for people of all ages, Squabbling Squashes helps our future generations to be aware of a universal mutual tie in society and nature.”
—Kazuaki Tanahashi, author of Painting Peace: Art in a Time of Global Crisis

“An ancient tale cultivating mindfulness today.”
—Lauen Alderfer, author of Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda

Listen to a few remarks from Okumura Roshi.

Thank You, Percival

What happens if you don’t take the time to train your new puppy?

Things can go very badly!

What happens if you don’t take the time to train your own mind?

Things can go even worse!

This is the story of Percival the puppy and his housetraining. Learn alongside Percival how to juggle your emotions and distractions and find inner peace.

I See You, Buddha

An instant classic, this book will help children (and their parents) learn patience and to see the good in everyone—including themselves! It will also help children meet difficult circumstances, such as being sick, doing chores, and not getting everything they want—and help them overcome low self-esteem and negative self-talk.

I See You, Buddha is based on a chapter in the Lotus Sutra, one of the most influential Buddhist texts worldwide—a classical scripture that has inspired a whole genre of works, especially in Japan, known as Lotus Literature. The Lotus Sutra teaches the way of the bodhisattva—a being engaged in compassionate, enlightened activity in the service of all—by offering examples of what this activity might look like in the world. One such model in the text is Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful (or Never Disparaging), who, despite troubling encounters with and even harsh treatment from others, bows down respectfully to everyone, recognizing their Buddha nature and honoring their own journeys along the bodhisattva path to enlightenment—whether they know they’re future buddhas or not!

Listen to author Josh Bartok as he reads I See You, Buddha in this video reading.

Peaceful Piggy Bedtime

“It’s time to go to sleep, but some friends are sleepy, and some are not. Some are already nodding off, and some want to bounce around. Now it’s time to go from busy to peaceful. These mindful bedtime exercises will help us have a good night’s sleep.”

Bedtime can be a joy; a quiet time, a nice cuddle—a sleepy angel. Bedtime can also be a challenge; riled energy, hidden anxieties—a restless little monster! This book draws on modern science and time-tested wisdom to provide children with an effective bedtime ritual to relax the body, settle the mind, and drift into a peaceful sleep. Parents may find they sleep better, too!

The Banyan Deer

An Elephant Journal “Best Reads of 2010” selection.

This inspiring tale reminds us that no one can be truly at peace unless all beings have a chance for peace, freedom, and happiness. The Banyan Deer is a wonderful, heart-warming gift for anyone who loves a great story. This beautiful hardcover edition will delight both adults and children alike.

Tara’s Coloring Book

Whether you color for relaxation, stress relief, or part of your devotional practice, enjoy exquisite line drawings of the most important figures in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon—Shakyamuni Buddha, Chenrezig, Tara, Manjushri, and more—by contemporary masters of the ancient art of Tibetan Buddhist religious painting.

Visualizing buddhas and teachers in specific detail is a traditional part of meditation. Therefore, the monks who created the beautiful, rich images that meditators would use in their practice would have to study for years to learn the precise techniques, geometry, and coloration required, handed down to them by old masters. Now, these images are available for you to color—whether for formal meditation or stress relief or just to appreciate their beauty.

Ziji and the Very Scary Man

Ziji is a bouncy puppy who lives with the Anderson family: Mom, Dad, Jenny, and Baby Jack. He loves to play and chase balls in the park with Jenny and their friend Nico. Then one day, an angry man shouts at Ziji and scares him so much he never wants to go back to the park again. Can Nico show him how to calm his mind and face his fears?

Renowned meditation master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shows young children how following our breath can calm us down—and how practicing compassion shows us that even Very Scary Men can be frightened sometimes too.

A detailed appendix gives further guidance for parents.

See, Hear, Feel

So many books aim to present mindfulness in a way suitable for little kids; this one actually does it. There’s no jargon or tough concepts—just natural-language exploration of the senses and surroundings and breath, just simple, heartfelt wishes for the wellbeing of others. Creative and thoughtful mindfulness exercises will help teachers and parents gently and naturally guide children and will invite families to connect and be fully present with each other.

The Day the Buddha Woke Up

The Day the Buddha Woke Up is a board book that will captivate children of all ages. It’s the perfect way to introduce young children to the story of the Buddha—the clear, gracefully written story puts the Buddha’s awakening into language children can understand.

The simple arc of the Buddha’s questions, his quest, and his ultimate understanding will provide a meaningful and peaceful story that children—and their parents!—will love returning to again and again.

Flow, Flow, Flow

Enjoy things with pleasure and do let them go,
And grow into life—let it flow, flow, flow, flow.

Four children set off on a magical voyage of imagination. Along the way, to no destination in particular, they meet walrus ice cream vendors, lemurs and tigers living in harmony, helpful octopi and more. As the scenery changes, our travelers learn to go with the flow, welcoming each new experience for what it is in the moment, and accepting when those experiences drift away, to be replaced with a whole new adventure.

Children (and adults) will get lost in the detailed and whimsical illustrations, discovering something new each time they read this book. As the characters experience constantly changing settings, readers will begin to better understand the impermanence of life, and how wondrous it can be.

Ziji

Ziji is a noisy, bouncy puppy who lives with the Anderson family: Mom, Dad, Jenny, and Baby Jack. He loves to bark and play and—most of all—chase pigeons in the park. Then one day, Ziji sees a new boy from Jenny’s school, Nico, sitting in the park. What is Nico doing? Why does he look so calm and happy? Ziji can’t wait to find out.

This book, written by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, one of the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters, will teach your child the basics of meditation in a fun and engaging way. Included after the story is a guide for parents and teachers with more information on what meditation is and how it can be helpful as well as suggestions on how children can continue to practice meditation on their own.

No Ordinary Apple

On an otherwise ordinary day, Elliot discovers something extraordinary: the power of mindfulness. When he asks his neighbor Carmen for a snack, he’s at first disappointed when she hands him an apple—he wanted candy! But when encouraged to carefully and attentively look, feel, smell, taste, and even listen to the apple, Elliot discovers that this apple is not ordinary at all.

Lushly and humorously illustrated, No Ordinary Apple makes a traditional technique for training mindfulness a fun and enjoyable way for children to learn to slow down and appreciate even the simplest things.

Prince Siddhartha Coloring Book

A wonderful companion to our Prince Siddhartha story book, this children’s coloring book Includes 31 full-size and 31 miniature line drawings with narrative descriptions.

Mishan’s Garden

In a village high above the clouds, where nobody’s happy and nothing grows, a little girl dreams of a garden flourishing behind her father’s house. Every day the cynical villagers watch and mock the little girl. But, watered with her kindness and patience, the garden eventually yields the most important fruit: the restored hope and happiness of the entire village. Perhaps the greatest gift you can ever give another is to hold them in the highest regard and to see what is best and unique about them. In Mishan’s Garden, a little girl sees all that is good and beautiful in the hearts of everyone around her and thereby transforms the lives of her entire village.

Prince Siddhartha

This is the story of Prince Siddhartha and how he became Buddha, the Awakened One. Lyrical verse and beautiful full-color illustrations depict each major life event in Siddhartha’s development. His message of nonviolence, loving-kindness, and unselfishness is vitally necessary for today’s—and tomorrow’s—children. A story made for the telling—open this tale to a child and shore up the possibility of a bright and loving future!

Tara’s Colouring Book

Exquisite line drawings of the most important figures in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon: Shakyamuni Buddha, Chenrezig, Tara, Manjushri, and more. The artists provide detailed explanations of the figures as well as traditional coloring instructions. A great gift for meditators, fans of Himalayan art, or anyone who appreciates beauty. For all ages.