Zen Ties (a Stillwater and Friends Book)

I learn so much about life from this fabulous author! He lovingly distills the wisdom of ancient Zen teachings into the most touching and practical stories about the things we all come up against in life and frequently do not, despite our best intentions, know how to handle. I discovered his books while visiting my brother's family. My sister-in-law bought me 'Zen Shorts', and told me that while Muth writes for children, SHE had learned more about HER life from that one book than most adult books she had read. I bought 'Zen Ties' immediately when it came out because it is one of those books that can just shift your reality enough that it allows you to see life from a completely different angle. It is a short, lovely read and re-read when you, an adult, need a shift in perspective. I recommend his books very highly! And, if you enjoy his books as much as I do, I also highly recommend a book called Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment by Ariel and Shya Kane. It is easy to read and also based on stories of things that confront all of us in our everyday lives and offers, as Muth does in 'Zen Ties', a completely different angle on how to see life.

This hardcover picture book took my breath away. Not since last summer's Walt Disney's Cinderella has a book so impressed me with its marriage of visuals and story. The story is pretty simple. Huge panda Stillwater picks up his visiting nephew Koo -- who only speaks in haiku -- at the train station. They are joined by Stillwater's friends Addy, Michael and Karl. The pandas play with the kids, and Michael tells Stillwater his concerns about an upcoming Spelling Bee. Stillwater then takes them to Miss Whitaker's house, an elderly woman who lives on the kids' street. None of the three children can believe Stillwater would be friends with such a cranky, unpleasant person. Stillwater helps the siblings get to know Miss Whitaker, and they realize she is sad and bitter because she is alone, scared and not well. In the end the kids and the old lady learn to appreciate and help each other. There is such depth here. Consider the wordplay. When Stillwater picks up his nephew, he says "Hi, Koo!" And then, of course, Koo only speaks in the 17-syllable haiku poetry form. The lovely and realistic watercolor renditions of people and pandas make the whole story seem dreamlike. Stillwater sometimes seems normal panda sized, sometimes as big as a house. The wordless -- and haunting -- image of Miss Whitaker, late at night, looking at a painting Karl and Koo made for her is worth the price of the book in itself.

We are huge fans of The Three Questions and Zen Shorts, so snapped this one up upon publication and are not disappointed. Lovely, lovely illustrations that visually celebrate the community that the story endorses. Stillwater, like some sort of modern-day Nana (the dog nanny in Peter Pan), teaches his human companions how simple acts help us overcome our fears. And Koo is a hilarious addition.

In `Zen Ties' Jon J. Muth revisits his delightful story of the friendship between siblings Addy, Michael, and Karl with Zen master panda bear Stillwater. Yet, here Muth adds a wonderful surprise - Stillwater's haiku-talking nephew Koo comes over from Japan to visit and in one week they will discover that many times what seems is not always what is. When Stillwater makes friends with an angry neighbor, the siblings are speechless. They can not understand how Stillwater could ever want to spend a day with the bitter old lady who is always screaming at them to not play on her yard. Combining his peaceful messages with Koo's simple haikus, Stillwater shows Addy, Michael, and Karl that being alone and scared often makes people angry, but with a little love, patience, and care a person's true personality will come shining through. 'Zen Ties' is a wonderful story, beautifully illustrated by Muth's watercolors. It a great read in classes and in the home if you are teaching a lesson on morality and caring for grandparents and the elderly. Muth's addition of Koo's character also adds a creative journey into different forms of poetry - you can pair this up with a lesson on Japanese culture and a `write your own haiku' exercise with the class. (Literature teachers of older students can use this too!) This book is a great addition to your Muth collection and could be read before or after reading `Zen Shorts'.

Zen Ties is soothing / like breathing in yoga class / forgetting worries Animate readers / with soft, light watercolors / and careful phrases Rewards are greatest / when we help one another / teaches Stillwater Be kind to planet / remember not to destroy / learns our young wee Koo Happier today / for reading this picture book / Many thanks to Muth