Zen Shorts

Jon J. Muth (2005), 36 pages

Audience: pre-K

Format: picture book

This 2006 Caldecott Honoree introduces three siblings, Michael, Karl, and Addy to Stillwater a gentle giant panda who arrives unexpectedly in their backyard after being carried away by his umbrella; Stillwater’s Mary Poppins-esc arrival only adds to the character’s mysticism. With a friendly demeanor Stillwater addresses each child in a congenial way and builds special friendships by imparting knowledge and guidance through a series of Zen inspired tales. According to Muth “Zen shorts are short meditations … they have no goal, but they often challenge us to reexamine our habits, desires, concepts, and fears.” Using Stillwater’s character of tranquility and serenity Muth effectively translates traditional Zen Buddhist literature in a thought-provoking and accessible ways. Muth’s text and watercolor-ink illustrations are endearing and capture Stillwater’s message of patience, contemplation, and humility perfectly. Zen Shorts is an excellent read; it functions both as a storybook of friendship and meditation. The lovable and enchanting character Stillwater reappears in the author’s similarly inspired books, Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts … where once again, Muth approaches challenging and provocative subject matter with ease and benevolence.

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Zen Tales: Up and Down by Peter Whitfield, Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee Maclean, or The Value of Honesty: The Story of Confucius by Spencer Johnson

Other books by this author: The Three Questions (Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy), Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, Stone Soup, Zen Ghosts, and Zen Ties