The Circle of Happiness

Ingrid Klass (Author) · Christopher Tice (Illustrator)

$17.50
Order Code: 6704
Class sets 25 or more paperback books: $15.00 each
Class set order code: 6704S

Winner of a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Honoring Excellence!

Mae is growing weary of spending the day at the park with her family. When a monkey appears and leads her through a circle in the air into another world, she begins an adventure on which she meets an array of colorful characters, all of whom teach her valuable lessons about what will truly make her happy. This book introduces preteens and teens to the fundamentals of Eastern philosophy.

Description

Winner of a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Honoring Excellence!

Mae is spending a day at the park with her family, which is fun…until it’s not. She becomes bored and irritated by her annoying little brother and the pesky mosquitoes that abound. She believes that if only she were somewhere else, she could be happy. When a monkey appears and leads her through a circle in the air into another world, Mae is excited to begin an adventure that will help her to find happiness. Almost immediately she regrets her decision—the new world is hot and sticky and has even more mosquitoes. Now she thinks she would be happier back home. Mae’s adventure takes a series of unexpected twists as she meets an array of colorful characters, all of whom teach her valuable lessons about what it is that will truly make her happy—no matter where she is.

This book introduces preteens and teens to the fundamentals of Eastern philosophy in a fun and engaging way. The storyline, centered on the problem of how to find happiness, will draw them in and help them find connection with the concepts. The lessons they learn as they follow Mae on her journey will stay with them for a lifetime.

There is an guidebook/instructor manual (called a “Travel Guide”) available for this book. (See below.)

Details

Curriculum
Eastern Philosophy Curriculum
Ages
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
Grades
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects
Eastern Philosophy, Mindfulness, Novels
Pages
127
ISBN
978-0-89824-670-4
Order Code
6704

Reviews

“With wit, wisdom, and considerable humor, The Circle of Happiness takes its readers on a long and eye-opening journey. The terrain isn’t easy, but Ingrid Klass shows herself to be a very capable guide, offering her readers at every turn a new opportunity to think not only about, but also with, the insights of various Asian philosophical traditions. By the end of their journey, Mae’s fellow travelers are likely to find themselves thinking in new and surprising ways about who they are, where they have been, and where they are headed. Wearing its considerable erudition lightly and always engaging, this is a wonderful book.” – Richard Nance, Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University