Metal Buddha

The Banyan Deer

by Rafe Martin

Illustrated by Richard Wehrman

When I was contacted by Wisdom Publications to review The Banyan Deer by Rafe Martin, I was pretty excited because I had read in their catalog that it was a book to be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Well, since I have an 11 year old son, I thought, “hey, I can do a review and include his thoughts too!” Well, that didn’t work out quite as planned. I had him read the book, but since it didn’t have to do with skateboarding, it wasn’t “his thing” and I had to understand that, him being a pre-teen and all. So I will just share my own thoughts.

When the book arrived, my first thought was that this book was a collectible, not just because of the story, but physically. A hardback with a beautifully illustrated dustjacket, it’s the type of book that could be found near the checkout of a large bookstore, an impulse buy. Anyone who would purchase this impulsively would have a great piece to add to their library.

Martin’s story of one king teaching another king a lesson of compassion challenges the reader to examine his/her own level of compassion for others, be it humans and animals alike. Wonderfully illustrated by Richard Wehrman, The Banyan Deer indeed has the style of a children’s novel, although based on the experience with my son, is more geared to younger children. The book would be a great choice for a bedtime story and is highly recommended for the parent who wants to instill the principles of courage and compassion in the early stages of their child’s mind and heart.