The Martial Arts Book Book

If martial arts make you think of black-belted Olympic athletes, high-kicking video-game warriors or Jackie Chan movies, think again. As Laura Scandiffio explains in this well-designed and lushly illustrated guide, the roots of these centuries-old arts have often been obscured in the West. "Kung fu, karate, tae kwon do--there are many styles and different names, but they all have one thing in common", Scandiffio observes. "The first goal of training is to become the best person you can be. And that means not just getting stronger and faster, but making the most of your mind and character, too." Starting with China's Shaolin temple arts (the basis for kung fu), Scandiffio traces the spread of martial arts from China to the island of Okinawa (where fishermen used karate to defend themselves from pirates). From there they migrated to Japan (home of kendo, judo and aikido) and Korea (where tae kwon do was developed in the 1950s). Young readers will be intrigued to discover that the first system of martial arts was conceived in order to help monks sit still and that girl ninjas were called "deadly flowers" for their ability to infiltrate enemy households as servants or dancers. Scandiffio, a former children's book editor, also explores the spiritual side of martial arts, touching upon Zen Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism as well as describing the strict feudal code of Japan's samurai. With its absorbing sidebars, thought-provoking quotes from famous teachers and helpful glossary, index and map, The Martial Arts Book is a stimulating introduction to an ancient path to self-knowledge that is rapidly becoming one of the most popular extracurricular activities for kids today. The book is designed for ages eight and above. --Lisa Alward, Amazon.caRead More