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Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha
A perennial favorite for children and parents, this is the story of Prince Siddhartha and how he became Buddha, the Awakened One, told in lyrical prose. 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 the children of today and tomorrow.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 20, 2018
Fantastic illustrations and well done for what it is. Not to be read to children unless with critical eye and not recommended for children under 7. Also, don't read this review if you get offended easily.
This man abandons his wife and baby out of his "love" for them. He has endless compassion for insects and homeless people, but not for his own newborn. Note that the "holy men" are beggars. They do not support themselves, rather they selfishly and compassionLESSly take from those struggling for survival because their search for "truth" is more important than growing their own rice. Buddha and his followers descend upon towns by the hundreds and go from door to door begging for food. But they are the good guys. They are enlightened. They have not descended upon your town to rob you, but to end your suffering.
Note that if the entire world became enlightened beggars, there would be no one to feed them, or rather, no one for them to feed off of.
Not saying that Buddhism doesn't have wisdom to teach, just saying it's important to read these things without the rose colored glasses on.
Thought: Buddhism + Judaism = Christianity. Was Jesus a Jew who was exposed to Buddhism and that is how he invented Christianity? In his birth myth we are told that three wise men from the East came bearing gifts... is that an acknowledgment that he was influenced by Eastern thought?
This man abandons his wife and baby out of his "love" for them. He has endless compassion for insects and homeless people, but not for his own newborn. Note that the "holy men" are beggars. They do not support themselves, rather they selfishly and compassionLESSly take from those struggling for survival because their search for "truth" is more important than growing their own rice. Buddha and his followers descend upon towns by the hundreds and go from door to door begging for food. But they are the good guys. They are enlightened. They have not descended upon your town to rob you, but to end your suffering.
Note that if the entire world became enlightened beggars, there would be no one to feed them, or rather, no one for them to feed off of.
Not saying that Buddhism doesn't have wisdom to teach, just saying it's important to read these things without the rose colored glasses on.
Thought: Buddhism + Judaism = Christianity. Was Jesus a Jew who was exposed to Buddhism and that is how he invented Christianity? In his birth myth we are told that three wise men from the East came bearing gifts... is that an acknowledgment that he was influenced by Eastern thought?
May 28, 2020
This is a simple biography of 'The Buddha'.
It is not only easy to understand for all but also fairly interesting.
I literally love reading this book and I'll also try to find and read other books dealing with 'Buddhism' and 'Buddha's Teachings'
It is not only easy to understand for all but also fairly interesting.
I literally love reading this book and I'll also try to find and read other books dealing with 'Buddhism' and 'Buddha's Teachings'
September 16, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads # Buddhism, Buddha’s Biography & Retellings
Jonathan Landaw’s Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha sits at an interesting crossroads between children’s literature and spiritual introduction. It’s designed as a retelling of the Buddha’s life for young readers, but like all good “children’s” books, it carries a clarity and simplicity that can resonate with adults as well. Where a work like Schumann’s The Historical Buddha is a scholarly excavation and Thich Nhat Hanh’s Old Path White Clouds is a meditative prose epic, Landaw’s book is a straight, luminous narrative. It strips the story down to its essential episodes without losing its emotional depth.
The book traces the classic arc: Siddhartha’s miraculous birth, his sheltered youth as a prince, the famous encounters with sickness, old age, and death, his renunciation, the long search through teachers and ascetics, his awakening under the Bodhi tree, and his teaching career until the final nirvana. Landaw writes with a storyteller’s instinct for pacing; the episodes move briskly but never feel rushed. Each chapter ends with a sense of reflection rather than a cliffhanger, which makes it perfect for reading aloud—whether in a classroom, a temple setting, or simply at bedtime.
What stands out is how respectfully Landaw treats his young audience. He doesn’t condescend or dilute the Buddha’s message into vague platitudes. Suffering, impermanence, compassion, and ethical living are presented plainly but without gloom, in a way that allows curiosity to blossom rather than shutting it down. The accompanying illustrations (by Janet Brooke in many editions) complement the text beautifully: soft, gentle, yet full of movement, helping readers visualize the settings without exoticizing them.
Stylistically, Prince Siddhartha has an almost oral quality—like a story being passed down across generations. Landaw occasionally weaves in brief explanations of Buddhist terms and concepts, but always in context. For instance, when Siddhartha discovers the Middle Way, the book doesn’t launch into a doctrinal treatise but shows how his personal experience led him to reject extremes. This makes it an excellent first step for anyone—child or adult—who wants to understand the narrative framework before diving into more complex texts.
Reading it as an adult, I found myself appreciating how much can be conveyed with so few words. Without footnotes, without scholarly debate, Landaw still manages to sketch a portrait of a human being who sought truth, discovered it, and then shared it out of compassion. It reminded me that the Buddha’s story has endured not because of its miracles but because of its archetypal human resonance: a prince who saw suffering and chose to meet it with wisdom.
For teachers, parents, or anyone introducing Buddhism to newcomers, Prince Siddhartha is more than a children’s book. It’s a doorway—simple, clear, and full of heart. In an age of over-information, this little book feels like a deep, clean breath.
Jonathan Landaw’s Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha sits at an interesting crossroads between children’s literature and spiritual introduction. It’s designed as a retelling of the Buddha’s life for young readers, but like all good “children’s” books, it carries a clarity and simplicity that can resonate with adults as well. Where a work like Schumann’s The Historical Buddha is a scholarly excavation and Thich Nhat Hanh’s Old Path White Clouds is a meditative prose epic, Landaw’s book is a straight, luminous narrative. It strips the story down to its essential episodes without losing its emotional depth.
The book traces the classic arc: Siddhartha’s miraculous birth, his sheltered youth as a prince, the famous encounters with sickness, old age, and death, his renunciation, the long search through teachers and ascetics, his awakening under the Bodhi tree, and his teaching career until the final nirvana. Landaw writes with a storyteller’s instinct for pacing; the episodes move briskly but never feel rushed. Each chapter ends with a sense of reflection rather than a cliffhanger, which makes it perfect for reading aloud—whether in a classroom, a temple setting, or simply at bedtime.
What stands out is how respectfully Landaw treats his young audience. He doesn’t condescend or dilute the Buddha’s message into vague platitudes. Suffering, impermanence, compassion, and ethical living are presented plainly but without gloom, in a way that allows curiosity to blossom rather than shutting it down. The accompanying illustrations (by Janet Brooke in many editions) complement the text beautifully: soft, gentle, yet full of movement, helping readers visualize the settings without exoticizing them.
Stylistically, Prince Siddhartha has an almost oral quality—like a story being passed down across generations. Landaw occasionally weaves in brief explanations of Buddhist terms and concepts, but always in context. For instance, when Siddhartha discovers the Middle Way, the book doesn’t launch into a doctrinal treatise but shows how his personal experience led him to reject extremes. This makes it an excellent first step for anyone—child or adult—who wants to understand the narrative framework before diving into more complex texts.
Reading it as an adult, I found myself appreciating how much can be conveyed with so few words. Without footnotes, without scholarly debate, Landaw still manages to sketch a portrait of a human being who sought truth, discovered it, and then shared it out of compassion. It reminded me that the Buddha’s story has endured not because of its miracles but because of its archetypal human resonance: a prince who saw suffering and chose to meet it with wisdom.
For teachers, parents, or anyone introducing Buddhism to newcomers, Prince Siddhartha is more than a children’s book. It’s a doorway—simple, clear, and full of heart. In an age of over-information, this little book feels like a deep, clean breath.
February 10, 2021
Our homeschooling curriculum on ancient history took us through the founding of Buddhism in India and this was one of the books recommended to read. It is a story/myth of how Prince Siddhartha came to be known as Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It covers his whole life from when he was born until his death.
The story itself is interesting and beautifully illustrated. I'd say that I learned quite a bit about Buddha from the book, even if it is geared toward children. I never realized that he was a prince, I didn't realize he was married and had a son, and I also didn't realize he left said wife and son to go off to seek wisdom and a way to end suffering.
If I were to give an issue with this book it is that well I wouldn't necessarily call it completely history. It is a bit of mythological history or legend and history. Siddhartha is presented as this amazing person. When he was born sunshine and rainbows littered the skies, he was stronger than anyone else, able to do pretty much anything, but also kind and gentle and so smart he didn't need his teachers after a very short amount of time. It gets a little crazy like that, but it was still enjoyable and I still felt that it gave me more understanding of Buddha and Buddhism than I had before I read it.
Overall, Prince Siddhartha was an interesting book that felt like a mix of myth and history. As the founder of one of the major religions practiced today I have no doubt he was a great man and teacher, but some of the stuff seems superfluous. Not that these additions weren't entertaining, it just felt like it wasn't necessarily a completely historical account.
The story itself is interesting and beautifully illustrated. I'd say that I learned quite a bit about Buddha from the book, even if it is geared toward children. I never realized that he was a prince, I didn't realize he was married and had a son, and I also didn't realize he left said wife and son to go off to seek wisdom and a way to end suffering.
If I were to give an issue with this book it is that well I wouldn't necessarily call it completely history. It is a bit of mythological history or legend and history. Siddhartha is presented as this amazing person. When he was born sunshine and rainbows littered the skies, he was stronger than anyone else, able to do pretty much anything, but also kind and gentle and so smart he didn't need his teachers after a very short amount of time. It gets a little crazy like that, but it was still enjoyable and I still felt that it gave me more understanding of Buddha and Buddhism than I had before I read it.
Overall, Prince Siddhartha was an interesting book that felt like a mix of myth and history. As the founder of one of the major religions practiced today I have no doubt he was a great man and teacher, but some of the stuff seems superfluous. Not that these additions weren't entertaining, it just felt like it wasn't necessarily a completely historical account.
August 30, 2024
A perennial favorite for children and parents, this is the story of Prince Siddhartha and how he became Buddha, the Awakened One, told in lyrical prose. 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 the children of today and tomorrow.
December 22, 2017
This is a lovely introduction to the life of the Buddha for children. Beautiful illustrations.
January 12, 2024
Ik heb dit boekje met zoonlief in het nederlands gelezen! Een aanrader voor wie meer van het boeddhisme en Siddharta wens te kennen.
May 23, 2024
Glad to have read it today- on the day of Buddha Purnima. A short read with many colorful illustrations. Could be a great introduction book about Buddha especially for children.
November 29, 2025
My mother bought this for me when I was a kid. I understood that Buddha is kind. A wonderful children's book and beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended.
October 10, 2009
This is a great story about a young prince and his journey to self-awareness, thus his instant peace and happiness. It's inspiring, and very encouraging for those who already, have nothing to loose.
January 29, 2010
Full of information except in an interesting story. I've read this book 3 times.
July 5, 2012
Children's book about the origin of Buddha. I read it out of curiosity.
December 20, 2012
This is the most beautifully illustrated book for children that tells the story of buddha. My son loved me to read this book over and over again!
Very well done.
Very well done.
February 16, 2013
Addl. reading from Story of the World on Buddha. B. really enjoyed this - right on target for her age and interest.
May 3, 2015
Great read with my 10 year old son
I liked how it taught us step by step the four noble truths. I also liked learning about the story of the Buddha!
I liked how it taught us step by step the four noble truths. I also liked learning about the story of the Buddha!
October 20, 2014
LOVED the illustrations. A childhood favourite.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews