I was at Chapters last year perusing the children's book section (scoping out the competition) and I came across *the* best kid lit I've read in a very long time.
The book is called "Zen Shorts" and it's by Jon J. Muth. Evidently he's done a lot of comics, because my nerdly (and by 'nerdly', I mean 'awesome') husband nearly plotzed when he saw his name on the cover.
The art is, in a word, gorgeous. I just LOVE poring over this book. You can really take your time and enjoy the beautiful watercolors. It won a (well-deserved) Caldecott. This is the type of book you wouldn't mind reading five hundred times to your four-year-old before bed.
The story is very simple: a panda named Stillwater arrives on Abby, Michael and Karl's doorstep. They each have a little visit with him and hear a short zen story. I LOVE the little tales. One is about turning the other cheek and seeing someone for what they really are (and what they really need). In another tale, we learn about how bad luck is sometimes actually good luck, and vice versa. And finally, the last short piece is about letting go.
The reason I adore this story is many fold. Here's why:
1. It's written elegantly. There's no sparseness of words, but there is economy. It's almost like reading a poem in places.
2. It's written to a child's level. Even though meditating on stories is a bit above the skill level of most four and five year olds, the shorts are...short. And they get the ideas across simply and effectively.
3. It's a great starting point for a conversation. There are SO many good things to discuss. And bring up in real life, too. I can't wait until I have a munchkin of my own to talk with.
If you don't have this one in your collection, go pick it up. It's beautiful, it's wonderful; it's what kid lit SHOULD be.
Ten bookmarks out of ten!
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