I stumbled across a fun yet thoughtful picture book called Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth. Three siblings, Addy, Karl, and Michael discover a large panda bear holding an umbrella in their yard. As it turns out Stillwater is their neighbor. They quickly become friends as the large panda tells short, reflective Buddhist meditations. With each of Stillwater’s teachings, the illustrations change from attractive and colorful watercolor to simple, black brush/pen and ink drawings that are reminiscent of traditional Japanese art yet feature friendly animals that border on comics. At first glance, you might think the character’s depictions are pretty generic but Muth has really added subtle details that reinforce the kids’ unique personalities from Addy’s timid curiosity and sweetness to Michael’s exuberance. You might have heard the stories before, since they are adapted from Buddhist teachings, and one especially might border on pithy (or more hackneyed like something you would find in Who Moved My Cheese? 2.0) but the stories flow naturally and don’t seem the least bit forced. Great for storytelling themes for storytimes or for teaching children about looking at things from different perspectives.
Muth, Jon J. Zen Shorts. 2005. Scholastic: New York. LB $16.95. ISBN 0-439-33911-1
Plus it was just named a Caldecott Honor Book!