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Has reading a book ever provoked such an emotional response that you’ve actually started crying? A few of the books that have cause me to tear up include Charlotte’s Web, Bridge to Terabithia and The Velveteen Rabbit.

But none have done me in like Samsara Dog by Helen Manos (illustrated by Julie Vivas). This Kane/Miller chidren’s book leaves me weeping, choked up and completely unable to talk leaving my children to wonder, “What the heck is wrong with mommy?”

Samsara Dog is based on the Buddhist concepts of Samsara and Nirvana (basically reincarnation and reaching enlightenment). The story follows a dog from his various incarnations where he learns about love, life, death and dying.

Samsara Dog lived many lives.
Some of his lives were long.
Some lasted only a few days.
Dog never remembered them.
He lived each life as it came,
until he learned the most
important lesson of all.

I found the concept of dog reincarnation a bit hard to understand since my beliefs are more in the Western Judeo-Christian realm. Even so, I appreciated the unique way Manos told a story of a dog learning not to fight and be vicious, but to trust, take care of, and love someone. Even if you don’t share a belief in reincarnation, you should be able to appreciate these universal life lessons.

So get out the tissues and be prepared for a lovely, enlightening, and touching story to share with your children. Afterwards, you may want to cheer yourself up with a treat. How about some raspberry peach cobbler?

Every year we have a bumper crop of raspberries. Last year I made raspberry granita. But there’s something about a gooey warm cobbler with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream that is much more comforting than a frozen treat. I also love cobblers because Lucie can eat them since they’re egg-free.

If you don’t have a raspberry bush taking over your backyard, hit the farmers market for some fresh berries and peaches. Or find a local farm where you can pick your own!

Raspberry Peach Cobbler
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 cup unsalted butter
2. 3 cups sliced peaches (about 4 large)
3. 1 cup raspberries
4. 1 cup sugar
5. 1 cup flour (if you’re on a gluten free diet, substitute your favorite GF flour - I’ve used rice flour in cobblers with much success)
6. 2 teaspoons baking powder (use gluten free if you have a wheat allergy)
7. Pinch of salt
8. 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, skim - it doesn’t matter)
9. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10. 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
11. Whipped cream or ice cream, for topping

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Measure the butter into a 2 1/2 -quart casserole dish. Place the pan in the oven to melt the butter. Don’t forget about it and let the butter burn!
2. Combine the peaches and raspberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over them. Gently stir the fruit, then set it aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the remaining sugar, the milk, and the vanilla extract and stir until the mixture is evenly blended. If you like, add a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
4. When the butter has melted, pour it into the batter, stir quickly but gently to mix it in, then immediately pour the batter into the casserole or skillet. Add the fruit with its juices, distributing it evenly and lightly pressing it partway into the batter with a spatula.
5. Return the pan to the oven and bake the cobbler until the top is a rich golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve hot or warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Kid activities: have them measure ingredients, cut up fruit, stir the batter, set the timer, and help clean up!

Recipe and picture courtesy of FamilyFun.com

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