Peculiar Stories

Though there are scores of religious books for children, in my opinion, there aren't enough for Buddhists kids. Peculiar Stories, by Mora Fields, while not exclusively written for a Buddhist audience, is a great book to share with Buddhist kids under the age of ten. It explores many Buddhist themes, such as the illusory role of the ego, mindfulness, how the mind influences experience, and the non-dual nature of the universe. Talk about a book chock-filled with religious wisdom!

Peculiar Stories is a collection of tales about a nine year old girl's relationship with her zany Uncle E. Each chapter offers readers an opportunity to see the world in a fresh light, through quirky Uncle E's eyes. My favorite story is"Intergalactic Beans," in which Uncle E explains people's true nature. He says,

"I am really not who I pretend I am...I am only wearing a costume. You know, an Uncle E costume. So here we are, thinking we're grownups, kids, surfers, rock stars, Chinese, Swedish, smart, dumb, whatever--when those things aren't who we are at all. We just wear those ideas about who we are, like costumes. Underneath, we're really all the same."

What a beautiful way to explain non-duality--the ego as a costume that we confuse with our true nature. Uncle E sounds like a Zen master!

Peculiar Stories is a fun and humorous book, perfect for parents raising their children Buddhist or any other non-dual religion. I enjoyed reading it, and can't wait to share it with my kids once they're old enough to understand Buddha nature.

Now if I can only find my own Uncle E, I'll be set.


I would like to thank Mora Fields for offering me the opportunity to read this wonderful book. When is the sequel coming out?