David Fankushen 
Tales of Mostly Sweet Animals 
Modern Stories Inspired by The Jataka Tales

These stories, all involving animals, demonstrate kindness and generosity that would be exemplary for humans. Many stories cover contemporary issues such as climate change, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflicts related to different outlooks on choosing happy and authentic lives. Many include teaching moments about animals such as platypuses, pronghorns, and beavers. The collection was inspired in part by The Jataka Tales, a collection of nearly two-thousand-year-old stories about the Buddha displaying extraordinary compassion in his many prior animal incarnations.