Zen Shorts (a Stillwater and Friends Book)

Book arrived bent and pages are wavy

If at first you don't create the world's most philosophically sound picture book, try try again. When illustrator and sometime graphic novelist (though you wouldn't know it from his bookflaps) Jon J. Muth turned a Tolstoy short story into the picture book, "The Three Questions", response from professional journals was mixed. People liked the IDEA of making Tolstoy accessible to children but "The Three Questions" just didn't seem to cut it. When the book didn't get much in the way of attention, Muth could've abandoned the whole idea of bringing larger ideas to very young people. Instead, he came right back with a heaping plateful of Zen with panda. "Zen Shorts" is the result and remains perhaps the most beautiful picture to be published in the year of 2005. To call it classy doesn't even begin to cover it. A panda appears in the backyard of three children. He is holding a large red umbrella (one that he holds over the three children as they talk) and is extraordinarily polite. The book notes that he, "spoke with a slight panda accent". With this initial meeting, the children slowly befriend their new neighbor, Stillwater. When Addy comes to his home with a housewarming gift, Stillwater returns the favor with the gift of a small story about his Uncle Ry. Michael visits the panda at the top of a tall tree. There they discuss, with the help of another story, what luck is and how a person can never really know what is going to happen to them next. Karl, the youngest of the three, brings too many toys to swim with in Stillwater's wading pool. At the end of the day, the two have had a good time, but Karl has wasted much of it by being mad at his older brother. On the way home, Stillwater tells a tale of letting go of what you cannot change. The final image is of Karl perched triumphantly on Stillwater's paw as Addy and Michael look on bemusedly. An Author's Note follows, wherein Mr. Muth defines "Zen" and explains that this book is a grouping of "Zen shorts". These stories are intended to, "hone our ability to act with intuition". Darn tooting. I'm a praise lavisher by nature. I'm all too eager to say that this or that book is the best in its category. Last year I decided that Jeannie Baker's, "Home" was the most beautiful picture book of 2004. "Zen Shorts", by extension, is the most beautiful picture book of 2005. When I say this, though, I don't want my statement taken lightly. Jon J. Muth has balanced jaw-droppingly beautiful watercolors with a story that speaks with both humor and serenity. Had Mr. Muth preferred to create a book that talked about Zen principles for the preschool-set, he could have done so quite easily without bothering with visual or verbal humor. "Zen" in general is a pretty heady subject, eh? The kind of concept that many an American adult still scratches their head in wonder at. How much more impressive then that Stillwater becomes such an adorable and amusing friend. After telling Addy the story

There is something about the quiet way in which this book unfolds that is appealing to adults and, apparently, to young children as well -- my four-year-old leafs through the pages on his own every day since the day I bought it, and sleeps with it, too. There is gentle wisdom here that is sure to foster thoughtful discussion about how we should treat ourselves and others.

This is a singularly wonderful book for children and adults. The illustrations are beautifully rendered - I particularly love the contrast between the "real time" pictures of Stillwater and his new friends and the more traditionally "Japanese" style pen and ink drawings of the Zen tales themselves. Stillwater himself is cute and appealing for young children, but the stories themselves are just as appropriate for adults and older children. While these are unquestionably tales that teach children valuable life lessons such as sharing and the dangers of anger, etc., they are just as thought provoking for adults and older kids. What I love most is that the stories in this book are not the bland, didactic morality tales that we hear endlessly as children but begin to question as we grow older. There are no obvious, simplistic answers to trite moral situations. Instead we are asked to think. In true Zen form, Stillwater (and, therefore, Muth) is neither preachy nor direct; instead, he allows the children (and the readers) to quietly consider the story and its implications. I am sure that we can all benefit from not hanging on to anger and from adopting a broader view of what we consider to be good or bad luck. Muth as given his readers accessible retelling of famous Zen parables packages in a beautifully appealing format.

I read this to my children last evening. It resulted in a lengthy discussion about anger, giving, forgiving, wealth, and life. A wonderful book with a structure that is conducive to discussion. Divided into three parts with stories that Stillwater tells to visiting siblings, each story is an opportunity to stop and discuss.

I picked this up on a whim because of the title and the gorgeous illustrations. I got a real treasure! My five year old son loves to have it read to him, and I love reading it.