14. Zen Ties

I read Zen Shorts to my kids this year and they loved it! This is a sequel by Jon J. Muth written and illustrated in 2008. One of the things that I love most about this book is that it has such strong messages without being too didactic. I also love that is encapsulates the idea of zen in such a way that children can relate to it.

From the very beginning, we are immersed in a world of calm and stillness. The cover shows us 2 pandas who seem to be in a state of meditation (confirmed by looking at them head-on on the back cover). Muth's watercolor evokes a sense of relaxation and connection to nature from the get go. Next, on the endpages, we see the pandas in various vignettes of tai chi movements, again invoking a feeling of calm. 


After watching a video by Muth, I learned that the title is actually a pun. In Japanese, 'zentai' means the whole or entire in all of us together. This gentle book exemplifies just that-- the characters are brought together by a sense of oneness. First we meet Stillwater the large panda who meets his nephew Koo for a visit. Then, three children join the community. Finally, the elderly neighbor Miss Whitaker is brought in as Stillwater enlists the kids' help to bring her some food. The children's judgments about her personality change as she helps the oldest boy prepare for a spelling bee. In a symbolic scene, after winning the spelling bee, all of the characters have some sort of red ribbon on...the 'zen tie' signifying their ultimate connectedness.


The only drawback to the text is that it is really best for older children. My 5th graders needed some help understanding the subtleties (about the culture and linguistic humor) found in the text. In this book, there is even a clever side story of Koo as he speaks only in haiku (get it). Thus, teachers of older children could use this book as a jumping off point to teach about Zen Buddhism, haiku poetry, Japanese culture, or even roots of words. The messages of the story are great for all children-- having compassion for others, the wisdom to not judge others, and the understanding that we are all connected. Younger children will delight in the illustrations, though.


Muth's book is gentle and full of delicate drawings that set the tone and mood of stillness in the story. The vignettes of varying activities between the characters provide a sense of movement, but it is more like the slow waves of the ocean than the speed of a jet plane. Muth's brush strokes create warm, lovable, textured characters and beautiful landscapes. His choice of a mostly cool palette (blues, greens, purples) continues with this theme. In fact, the style is almost impressionistic, with an emphasis on light, shadow, and emotion. You leave the book feeling like you just stepped out of a warm, relaxing bath and are wrapped up in a robe. On second thought, that sounds really nice right now...