BUDDHA

Buddha's early life as Prince Siddhartha—the prophecy that caused his father to protect him from the world's woes lest he become a holy man; his discovery, nonetheless, of old age, disease, and death. The book ends as he leaves his new wife and son to ``find his own inner peace'' and ``a way to end suffering.'' A note summarizes Buddha's later life and the extent of the religion he founded. Roth's narrative is graceful and respectful; her collages of brilliant colors (inspired by a Buddhist manuscript) are beautifully designed and, though her bold simplified forms and crisp facial features snipped from black paper are in a radically different style from traditional Indian art, they are akin to it in their rich expressiveness and emotional import. A handsome book, apparently the only one on Buddha at this level. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4-10)