FernFolio

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is the message written on a billboard.  When a small boy asks his grandfather about the message, the old man explains that this is the Golden Rule, a rule for living your life that is so simple and important that it shines.  He tells his grandson that religions all over the world honour the Golden Rule, though the words in which they express it differ, from Christianity, Judaism and Islam, to Hinduism, Buddhism and Native American faith traditions.
Intrigued, the boy asks how he can start to practice the Golden Rule, and his grandfather replies that one begins by using one’s imagination to think about how the other feels, whether that other is a new student in the class, or a group of people or nation on the far side of the world.  Living by the Golden Rule, the boy realizes, means telling the truth, listening and helping those in need, and recognizes that, sometimes, this will be hard.  His wise grandfather responds that, while practising the Golden Rule might be simple, it isn’t always easy, though the benefits for individuals and groups, countries and even the world as a whole are immeasurable, and tells the child, “You.  It begins with you.”
Ilene Cooper’s text is stirringly simple and to the point, and make a wonderful counterpoint to Gabi Swiatkowska’s shining fresco-like illustrations that reflect the diverse faith traditions celebrated in this story.  A splendid and moving book.
FernFolio Editor