Zen Ghosts
Scholastic, 2010
I believe that this is the third book by Jon Muth featuring a Zen master-panda aptly named Stillwater. Like Zen Shorts (2005), this new book wraps the everyday activities of siblings Addy, Michael, and Karl around a pre-modern, but timeless story. Michael's indecision about whether to dress as an owl or as a pirate launches the book's theme of identity and opposing impulses. Stillwater invites the children to a post-trick-or-treating ghost story. He draws and tells the tale of Senjo, whose romantic love for Ochu and filial love for her father lead literally to divided selves. Senjo's two selves achieve resolution when she and Ochu decide to take responsibility for their youthful decision to run away together. The embedded ghost story is happy, not eerie; and the lesson is about recognizing and honoring the contradictions in one's being. As always, Muth's watercolor illustrations invite contemplation and offer much satisfaction. The embedded story has, for contrast, primarily ink pictures, which generate the Oz-like effect of making Stillwater "real." Do we ever stop to wonder about the mash-up that is a Zen (read Japanese) panda (read Chinese)? Does that matter? If we follow Muth's encouragement and embrace the Buddhist ideal of non-duality (Muth explains more in the author's note), it's moot. Read, and be still.
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