Title: Zen Shorts

Author: Jon J. Muth

Illustrator: Jon J. Muth

Copyright date: 2005

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Summary: Zen Shorts is the story of three young children who befreidn a very wise panda when he moves into the neighborhood. The panda tells each of the children stories that help the children reflect on their lives and their actions toward one another and other people. In the end, all four of them are great friends and get along very well.

Media for illustration: Watercolor and ink

Perfect student: This book is great for students who like animals and those who are studing or interested in lengends and myths. It features stories from Zen Buddhist literature and Taoism.

Common Core State Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas. This standard is for first grade, but I believe there are similar standards in other elementary grades as well and probably even higher grades. This standard works well with this book because the illustrations are award-winning.