In a village high above the clouds, where nobody's happy and nothing grows, a little girl dreams of a garden flourishing behind her father's house. Every day the cynical villagers watch and mock the little girl. But, watered with her kindness and patience, the garden eventually yields the most important fruit: the restored hope and happiness of the entire village. Perhaps the greatest gift you can ever give another is to hold them in the highest regard and to see what is best and unique about them. In Mishan's Garden, a little girl sees all that is good and beautiful in the hearts of everyone around her and thereby transforms the lives of her entire village.

Previously published as "Her Father's Garden" (1996).

Mishan's Garden, James Vollbracht, Illustrated by Janet Brooke, Wisdom Publications, Hardcover, 32 pages, $16.95

James Vollbracht is the author of several children�s books, as well as Stopping at Every Lemonade Stand: How to Create a Culture that Cares for Kids. With a BA and MA in education, he has been the director of several training initiatives to improve the lives of youth. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.

A long-time student of Tibetan Buddhism, Janet Brooke lives in Los Gatos, California.