Buddha Boy

I pulled a book off my shelf I've had for a while, but I've never read. I was drawn by the title, Buddha Boy when I picked it up and I admit, today, it delivered exactly what I wanted and needed.

The story is short, a novella of sorts. It is about a boy who befriends another boy who is harassed by the popular kids in school. Jinsen, named after the water fountain of God, is a transfer with a past. In his new school, he lives serene and with integrity. His odd ways causes others to ridicule him. This intrigues the narrator and, hence, a friendship is formed.

This little tale is one of the better books I've read in some time. If I was teaching, I would order a class set and make it a mandatory part of my curriculum Although it seems like a young adolescent read, there are parts of it that go well with Siddhartha and the eight-fold path of Eastern philosophy and relision..

I'm a sucker for underdog stories, and what I liked more about this tale is that Jinsen was once an over-dog, but now reformed. Quirky as it is, I am sure I'll reflect on this short novel for some time. Kathe Koja caught my attention and I'm curious of her other scripted texts, which I'm sure to seek in future library trips.