Heather Sanche

HEATHER SANCHE has been an early childhood educator, teacher trainer, and author for twenty-five years. Her work experience is in mainstream, Waldorf, and Montessori pedagogical approaches, including ten years teaching and living in Asia.

Heather has been a practicing Buddhist since 1994. In 2007 she took temporary ordination within the Pau Auk tradition and lived in a forest monastery near Mawlamyine, Myanmar. From 2008 to 2012 she completed a traditional three-year meditation retreat.

Heather began her education career at the University of Colorado. where she received an athletic scholarship in track and field and cross country. She earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Naropa University and a post-graduate diploma in Intercultural Education and Training from the University of Victoria.

She currently resides on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband and two young children.

Tara di Gesu

Tara di Gesu began painting at a young age. While living in Nepal, she studied classical thangkha painting. Her paintings remain essentially faithful to this Tibetan tradition, but Tara has gently shifted the stylistic emphasis and brings a fresh, ethereal quality to her work that makes her paintings unique.

"This picture book will serve families seeking to share their own Buddhist faith and practice with children as well as independent readers researching spiritual practices. A succinct, beautifully crafted documentation of the origin of Buddhism." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"In The Life of the Buddha, Tara di Gesu's enchanting illustrations make the perfect complement to Heather Sanche's illuminating words so young readers can absorb the inspiration of the Buddha's life story. I hope many children as well as big kids like me will enjoy reading it and carry the Buddha's example of love and understanding in their hearts." —Avikrita Vajra Sakya, author of Wake Up to What Matters

"We have far too few Buddhist books for children. In that regard, the negligence of Buddhist teachers like myself is utterly embarrassing. So this beautiful children’s book on the life of the Buddha by Heather Sanche and Tara Di Gesu is very welcome indeed." —Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, author of The Guru Drinks Bourbon? and Living Is Dying