Breaking the Chains of the Ancient Warrior

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8A collection of inspirational stories for martial-arts studentscomplete with follow-up questions and a ``message to adult readers'' at the backthat teaches values rather than stances and blows. Like Facing the Double-Edged Sword (Atrium, 1988), Webster-Doyle uses karate parables and tests to promote ethical behavior. A typical chapter is ``Fighting the Paper Tiger: The Test of Focus.'' Students try, to no avail, to imitate their master, who's able to rip a piece of paperthe paper tigerhung in mid-air. It's only when they learn to relax that they're able to master the technique. The book mixes doses of Zen philosophy and Bruce Lee to help students recognize and respect the Ancient Warrioror savage selfthat resides within them. While young people might not have the attention span to read the book cover to cover, teachers may find this an extremely helpful volume to use in dealing with ever-present violence and behavior problems. The values here are ageless, but the karate framing may make them more palatable than the traditional servings.Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library