Zen Shorts is a story of many layers, so children of all ages can gain something from it and continue enjoying it year after year. The ink and watercolor drawings are appealing in their simplicity with clever color contrasts to hold a young viewer's attention. Younger children will find it easy to focus on listening to you read the story while they marvel at the elegant pictures of the giant panda named Stillwater and his new friends. The large pages contain only a few lines of text each, and are often separated by a picture, so children beginning to learn to read will not be overwhelmed and can practice following along while still enjoying the picture breaks.
Children will enjoy how relatable the story is; Stillwater and his friends participate in normal childhood activities, such as telling stories, climbing trees, swimming, asking questions, and even deal with an argument. Stillwater offers wise advice to his friends throughout it all, presenting many lessons to be learned. Younger children will enjoy seeing the giant fuzzy panda playing on each page, while the older kids will begin to catch on to the lessons being taught.
When my niece Emily and I read this together, she loves it when I use a different voice for Stillwater when he is telling his new friends his own stories. The story-within-a-story element is fun and keeps my Emily’s attention throughout the book. This is a book even adults will find intriguing and thought provoking.
--Audra