Tolle, author of The Power of Now
, brings the philosophy in that book to a young audience with Hampton Roads cofounder Friedman. Milton has a happy existence until an encounter with a bully. Shaken, he retreats into himself, worrying his family. During heart-to-heart conversations, Milton’s grandfather works to convince the boy not to dwell on the past (“Then”) or the future (“When”) but on the present (“Wherever you are... that’s the Now. You just have to pay attention”). Following an extended dream sequence in which the woman at Milton’s favorite ice cream parlor appears as a mystical sage in flowing robes, Milton regains his confidence. Riccio’s (The Little Soul and the Earth
) homey Everytown, USA, setting lends the book an inviting, old-fashioned feel. Children should readily grasp the message and see obvious parallels in a subplot in which Milton’s cat is attacked by a Doberman but is calm soon after. Whether those children will stay in the Now long enough to sit through the text-heavy book’s lengthy passages is less certain. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)
