Understanding Hinduism

November 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-A well-written and thought-provoking series. Each volume opens with graphs displaying percentages of populations practicing various religions-and the religions' projected growth. Following an introduction, each title includes chapters covering origins, what the faithful believe, how adherents practice the faith, rules followed, and challenges the religion faces. (Hinduism lacks "Rules to Live By"; Buddhism adds a chapter on fine arts.) The series reflects on the religions' similarities and notes that each faith will survive and grow. Controversies are handled honestly, but positives are stressed. Each title cites a few recent world events; for instance, in Judaism, the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA, and, in Islam, the women's rights reforms adopted in Saudi Arabia in 2018. The writing is dense, though images and sidebars help to break up the text. However, Judaism is less detailed than the other volumes. VERDICT Aimed at mature students, adherents, and report writers.

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2018
Grades 7-11 Hinduism, the world's third-largest religion, with about 1.2 billion followers, originated in India during the classical period (500 BCE-500 CE). Although Hindus are located around the world, 90 percent still live in India. This entry in the Understanding World Religions series reveals Hinduism's origins, beliefs, common practices, and the challenges its adherents face. Hindus worship many deities, including the sacred trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), but all are considered different sides of Brahman, the one god. Described also are the Four Aims of Hindu life, and beliefs in reincarnation and karma. Readers are told that Hinduism is more commonly practiced in people's homes than public places of worship. The book covers important religious festivals like Diwali as well as significant childhood rituals. The reasons Hindus experience discrimination and persecution, particularly in Bangladesh and Pakistan, is addressed and possible solutions to help prevent discrimination are suggested. While not a comprehensive examination of Hinduism, appended notes help make this additionally useful as a supplement for student reports.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)