Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth

Jon J. Muth’s Zen Shorts is an original story of three young children and their panda friend, Stillwater. The children, Addy, Michael, and Karl, each go to visit Stillwater on separate occasions. Stillwater tells a different Zen story to each of the children that relates specifically to how the child is feeling or dealing with a particular situation. The three separate tales, which are based on Zen Buddhist literature and Taoism, teach each of the children valuable lessons that they can directly apply to their lives.

Muth cleverly integrates the Zen lessons into the overarching story of the three children and their wise friend. I really enjoyed reading the Zen parables and saw how they could apply to my own life. I think that children would also greatly benefit from hearing these tales. The stories would be excellent ways to get children to share about their own experiences and to evaluate how the lessons directly apply to events in their lives. The children could also use these lessons when dealing with future problems or dilemmas.

The art work in this book is very engaging and charming. The main story that features the three children and Stillwater is illustrated in soft, warm colors. The colors in this portion of the book are very comforting and peaceful. The fables that are interspersed throughout the main tale are illustrated in black and white with different background colors accompanying each separate tale. The drawings are more simplistic and more focused on the main characters and objects that are prominently featured in each story. The separation of each of the tales from the main story and from one another very effectively allows the reader to successfully transition from one feature of the overall story into another.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The Zen stories are tales that are applicable to the lives of individuals, both young and old. I also found the author’s note at the end of the book to be very informative. The story would be an excellent way to introduce children to aspects of the Japanese culture and to inform them about Buddhist beliefs. The book is a great multicultural resource that is both informative and fun to read.

Muth, J.J. (2005). Zen shorts. New York: Scholastic Press.

Caldecott Honor Book