John Jay Muth's soft watercolors and gentle text welcome children to teachings of the Buddha. Zen Shorts bookends 3 short Zen stories with Muth's own characters. Karl, Michael, and Addie are siblings who meet a giant panda named Stillwater. They visit with him, one at a time, and listen to a story. Addy hears "Uncle Rye and the Moon", Michael hears "The Farmers Luck", and little Karl hears "A Heavy Load". The Zen stories appear in black and white, distinguishing them from the colorful illustrations of the children's present day. An author's note saya "'Zen Shorts' are short meditations– ideas to puzzle over– tools which hone our ability to act with intuition." Ancient Buddhist teachings feel relevant to contemporary life because Stillwater chooses stories that have contextual relevance. The old is new again. I love how Muth skillfully avoids a preachy tone. This book is fun to read.
Stanton's ELA has Zen Shorts by John J. Muth - Teaching Literary Skills with Picture Books. Rebecca Heikkila has Zen Shorts by John J. Muth Inference and Comprehension Pamphlet. VideoNotes and More has TED ED - The Philosophy of the Buddha - Free Video Quiz.
