6/24/2023 0 Comments Zen Ties by Jon J. MuthIt makes you smile, but in a contemplative sort of way. As in the first book, the illustrations are completely compelling, and inspire lingering. This is a quiet story. Part of what pleased me so much in Zen Shorts was the way that the text and illustration played off each other to create many humorous moments. This book is more subdued. Stillwater encourages Koo and the children to join him in regular visits to a grumpy and needy elderly neighbour, and after some initial resistance, the children learn a bit about how people are interconnected in unexpected ways. A mini-panda haiku poet… can you say, enchanting? Stillwater and Koo spend most of the time hanging out with Stillwater’s kid-friends, Addy, Michael and Karl. The coolest thing about Koo (and the cutest too, I suppose), is that he speaks only in Haiku. In this follow up story, Stillwater’s panda nephew, Koo, comes to visit his uncle for the summer. I didn’t even open the book at the store. Muth, complete with the giant panda Zen Master, Stillwater. Of course I could not resist the newest offering from Jon J. I think it is completely genius – the illustrations, the cleverness of the text, the 3 Zen tales nestled in the middle of the story. Muth is one of my favourite picture books ever.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |