Finding peace with Grandfather Gandhi

Grandfather Gandhi (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus $17.99

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Writer Bethany Hegedus teamed up with Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Arun, to create this masterful biography of his beloved grandfather in a story of memories that guide readers to find peace instead of anger. When Arun Gandhi moves to his “bapu’s” service village he embraces the great honor of being with his grandfather, but discovers that his special relationship is limited by the villagers’ demands for time and attention. After Arun has a disagreement with others during a soccer game, he seeks out his grandfather who provides advice to “live your life as light.” Twelve-year old Arun contemplates the difficulty of letting go of the heaviness of his anger.  In working toward the light of peace seeking, this grandchild of Gandhi discovers the difficult choice is the right choice.

Written in a poetically simple style, this picture book biography portrays the love and respect between generations and the honor Arun experienced through the gift of time and attention from his beloved grandfather. While preparing for this book’s release, Hegedus regonized the significance of bringing this peace-filled book to readers and created a webpage encouraging readers to take the same pledge that Arun took the day he learned about living with peace in his heart. The pledge can be found at http://grandfathergandhi.com/live-your-life-as-light/take-the-pledge/.

The Mixed media illustrations by Evan Turk, relying upon a collage technique that layers cloth on painted canvas, reflect India’s landscape in rich earth tones to create stunning scenes of Gandhi’s sacred presence in his village. This is more than a biography. It is a book that reflects the peace and light of a cherished and humble man, his personal relationships, and his relationship to the world.

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