Milton's Secret is a picture book by Eckhart Tolle and Robert S. Friedman, with illustrations by Frank Riccio, first published in 2008.
The story follows Milton, a young elementary school boy who struggles with worries and anxiety. Through conversations with his grandfather, he is introduced to the idea of focusing on the present moment. The book conveys key concepts from Tolle's teachings on awareness and the "Now", adapted into a child-friendly narrative.
Robert S. Friedman was a co-founder of Hampton Roads Publishing and has served as editor for several well-known spiritual books.
Frank Riccio's illustrations accompany the story across 40 pages in the hardcover edition, which measures 28.3 × 20.5cm. The book is designed for children aged seven and up. [1]
The official website of Eckhart Tolle described the book as follows:
"Milton's Secret is the charming story of Milton, a bright, cheerful boy, who learns to overcome his fear of bullies and other scary things that sometimes frighten children. Children follow Milton's adventures as he learns to stop projecting his past fears into the future—and live simply and happily in the moment."
The book is said to appeal to readers of Tolle's other works, as well as to parents who want to help their children overcome “typical childhood fears.” [2]
The original edition was published in November 2008 under the title Milton's Secret by Hampton Roads Publishing (USA) and Namaste Publishing (Canada).
In 2016, the book Milton's Secret was adapted into a Canadian feature film of the same name. Directed by Barnet Bain, the film stars Donald Sutherland, Michelle Rodríguez, and Mia Kirshner in leading roles. The storyline was expanded to include themes such as family conflicts. The film premiered on September 30, 2016, at the Vancouver International Film Festival.