Zen Shorts facts for kids
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| Author | Jon J. Muth |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Published | 2005 (Scholastic Press) |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 978-0-439-33911-7 |
| OCLC | 53084041 |
| [E] 22 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.M97274 Ze 2005 |
| Followed by | Zen Ties |
Zen Shorts is a popular children's picture book written by Jon J. Muth in 2005. This book is known for its beautiful artwork and the wise stories it shares. It was later followed by another book called Zen Ties in 2008. The book also inspired an animated TV show called Stillwater, which started on Apple TV+ in 2020.
Contents
What Happens in Zen Shorts?
The story is about three children: Karl, Michael, and Addy. They meet a friendly giant panda named Stillwater. Stillwater is special because he carries a red umbrella and speaks with a gentle "panda accent."
Stillwater's Wise Stories
Over the next three days, the children visit Stillwater. He shares helpful stories, called anecdotes, with each of them. These stories teach important lessons about life.
- To Michael, Stillwater tells a story about understanding what is good and what is not.
- He tells Addy a story about how much we should value things we own.
- For Karl, Stillwater shares a story about how to handle feeling upset or frustrated.
Two of these stories come from Zen Buddhist teachings. The third story comes from Taoism. These tales show how important it is to think deeply and be open-minded. They also teach us to be kind and not to worry too much about small things.
Uncle Ry and the Moon
The first story Stillwater tells is called "Uncle Ry and the Moon." It is about a wise old man named Uncle Ry. He lives alone in a quiet place. One night, a thief breaks into his house.
Uncle Ry feels sorry for the thief because he seems very poor. So, Uncle Ry gives the thief his own robe, which is the only thing he owns. This story teaches about kindness and generosity.
The Farmer's Luck
The next story is a Taoist tale called "The Farmer's Luck." In this story, things that seem like bad luck often turn out to be good luck. And sometimes, what looks like good luck can later become bad luck. This story helps us see that life is full of surprises. It teaches us not to judge things too quickly.
A Heavy Load
The final story is a Zen tale called "A Heavy Load." It is about two monks who meet a woman who cannot cross a stream. The older monk helps her by carrying her across the water. However, the woman does not thank him.
The younger monk keeps thinking about this incident. He feels upset that the woman was not grateful. The older monk then asks him, "I set the woman down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?" This story teaches us to let go of things that bother us. It reminds us not to hold onto anger or worries.
Other Versions of Zen Shorts
Zen Shorts has been made into other forms of entertainment.
Stage Play
In 2012, Zen Shorts was turned into a stage play. It had the same name as the book. Elizabeth Wong wrote the play. It was put on by the Rogue Artists Ensemble.
Animated TV Show
In 2020, Apple Inc. announced an animated TV show based on the book. It is called Stillwater. The show is made by Gaumont and Scholastic Entertainment for Apple TV+. The first episodes came out on December 4, 2020.
Awards for Zen Shorts
Zen Shorts has won some special awards:
- 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards
- Caldecott Honor
