ZEN BOOKS FOR COOL KIDS

I first saw one of Jon Muth's extraordinary picture books at a book fair this spring. Just the title and cover art were enough to make me make a note of it and put a hold on all of his books I could get a hold of at my local library. After reading Zen Shorts and Zen Ties, I'd love to actually add them to my bookshelf.

You might too, at least if you're a picture book junkie like me, as these are contemplative and lovely for adults just as much as kids.

Almost too hard to describe, Zen Shorts is set of three ancient Japanese stories told to three different siblings by a giant, magical panda named Stillwater. Each one is deeply allegorical and speaks obliquely but powerfully to what that child needs to hear. At the end, three kids who are first isolated in their family end up forming a little bonded gang.

Zen Ties, the followup, has the same characters, along with Stillwater's nephew, "Hi Koo" (yes, that's haiku, and he speaks using only those exquisite, simple poems). This time, they have an encounter with an old woman in their neighborhood and everybody ends up transformed by it.