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Zen Ghosts Audiobook
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(4.02) - 465 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Just in time for Halloween, ZEN GHOSTS will be released as a Read Along audio program!
FORMAT: Paperback book with CD
It’s Halloween.
The trees are ablaze in fiery reds. Excited children don colorful costumes. And there’s mystery and fun around every corner!
When Addy, Michael, and Karl finish trick-or-treating, their bags are brimming with treats. But the fun isn’t over yet. Their good friend Stillwater the panda has one more special surprise in store for them. A mysterious visitor is about to tell them a spine-tingling story -- one that will fill each and every listener with wonder.
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"Zen Ghosts is a Halloween-night book, and as such the color palette is darker than Zen Shorts or Zen Ties, lovely deep blues and inky blacks and purple-greys, though there's also autumnal red and yellow and orange, with occasional flashes of grass-green. Stillwater the panda, already dressed as a ghost, visits his neighbors just before Halloween to tell them to meet up with him after trick-or-treating because he knows someone who will tell them a ghost story. Addy, Karl, and Michael comply, and are surprised to see that the storyteller is a panda who looks just like Stillwater. The story itself, which comes from a Buddhist koan, is about duality: if we have two selves, which is the true one? Can you even say we have more than one self, or is it just one self? If it's just one, why do we act different in different social circles/contexts? This being a koan, the story doesn't give an answer: you just have to turn it over in your mind. As in Zen Shorts, Muth uses a mix of watercolors and ink for the art in this book, and the combination works really well— I especially love the richness of the watercolors. The text of this book, since it's a ghost story, is mostly pretty solemn, but it's not without its funny/sweet moments, like Karl saving a bamboo-flavored candy bar for Stillwater. I also love that when Michael can't decide whether to be an owl or a pirate for Halloween, Stillwater suggests that could be an Owl-Pirate, which horrifies Karl, who says Michael has to choose to be one or the other. (More duality! And I love that Michael takes Stillwater's suggestion.)"
— Heather (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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A beautiful, contemplative offering.
— Booklist -
"The book functions on many levels, from seasonal Halloween story to ghost yarn to deep philosophy, and succeems spectacularly on all of them.
— School Library Journal -
“Haunting in multiple senses of the word, this tale should captivate thoughtful readers…Convey[s] a world of infinite possibility and gentle enchantment.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“David Pittu narrates gently and slowly in a style befitting the sharing of a Zen koan or puzzle story…The ethereal lightness of Pittu’s voice adds to the mystery of the full-mooned evening and the trip through the woods to the storyteller’s house. Seasonal sound effects and music complement the story.”
— AudioFile -
“Muth grounds the book’s esoteric elements with humor [and] everyday details from a child’s world…A beautiful, contemplative offering.”
— Booklist -
“A wonderfully haunting tale…The book functions on many levels, from seasonal Halloween story to ghost yarn to deep philosophy, and succeeds spectacularly on all of them.”
— School Library Journal
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Zen Ghosts Listener Reviews
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" Lovely soft illustrations of an ancient Zen koan, told as a Halloween ghost story. Very cool. "
— Wally, 2/5/2014 -
" I loved the illustration in this book. My kids loved the Halloween pictures they really enjoyed the story and then suddenly it was over! It kinda threw us all off as we are a bit used to the story spelling it all out for us. It was a nice change to have to draw our own conclusions and to be left thinking it over. My kids are 11 and 8 and they both came up with great thoughts afterward. Great to see their minds stimulated! "
— Tammy, 2/3/2014 -
" A gentle, thoughtful hybrid of a book: part ghost story, part love story. Raises questions for children to ponder about "the self" (author's note at the end explains this further). Lovely illustrations.-Karen "
— Childrens, 2/1/2014 -
" Jon Muth's Caldecott Honor book, Zen Shorts, has become a modern classic. And this haunting, atmospheric follow-up is absolutely not to be missed. "
— BookKids, 1/29/2014 -
" This one made me think....it was very Zen....beautiful watercolor illustrations...ghosts were secondary. Very odd. I know it won awards, but would kids actually like it?? Hmmm..... "
— Kate, 1/28/2014 -
" I love these books. I wish Jon Muth would do a compilation of more wise stories like in Zen Shorts, Zen Ties and Zen Ghosts. "
— Morgan, 1/18/2014 -
" SO LOVELY. The illustrations are overwhelming beautiful (something anyone who looks at Muth's work is used to), but this time they're also funnier (the running jack-o-lanterns and actual floating ghosts mixed in amongst the scene of kids trick-or-treating makes you take at least a second look at the pages to try to decide what's real and what isn't). The story feels a bit abrupt, and I don't LOVE that I get more explanation from the afterword than I do from the story itself (or from Stillwater), but I do understand why that is. Ghost stories are abrupt, and the koan here wouldn't be a true koan if you added on explanation. You're supposed to go with your gut reaction. "
— nicole, 1/15/2014 -
" Not quite as good as "The Three Questions," but easily Muth's best entry in his "Zen" series. The watercolor illustrations are achingly beautiful, and the story in this one is more interesting and fairy-tale-esque than the other "Zen" books. Definitely recommended. (Probably 4.5 stars.) "
— Joey, 1/10/2014 -
" Interesting concept. would be hard for younger students to understand. 4-5 grade. "
— Anna, 1/8/2014 -
" 4 stars for the illustrations, which were vibrant and whimsical. 3 stars for the story, which I found a bit disappointing. Doesn't match the clever simplicity of Zen Ties. "
— Heather, 1/7/2014 -
" I'd be hard pressed to say I liked this one more than Zen Shorts since Zen Shorts is one of my all-time favorites but I definitely liked this one as much . . . maybe a teeny bit more. "
— Emma, 12/31/2013 -
" I love the artwork in this Halloween book with a Buddhist twist. "
— Mary, 12/24/2013 -
" A complex parable for older picture book readers. "
— Claire, 12/17/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book, because I like the illustrations. I thought this story was a little strange. I would recommend this book to children and adults. "
— Chris, 12/8/2013 -
" Not quite up to the standard of Zen shorts, but Muth's presentation of these zen koan stories is unique in children's literature. His illustrations are both charming and beautiful. I especially love the joke in the back end papers. "
— Marie, 10/11/2013 -
" The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous and the simplicity of the lesson has a unique strength and quality. If you loved Zen Shorts this is a natural next step. "
— Stefanie, 9/14/2013 -
" Just love his stuff; want to dissamble the book for the artwork. "
— Carol, 8/31/2013 -
" I love the latest book in this series! It is an amazing story about how any person is different with their friends versus their family versus other people, and the challenge of containing these differences in one person. I wish Stillwater lived up the street from me. "
— Penelope, 6/15/2013 -
" I just love the Zen stories by Jon J. Muth, featuring Stillwater and friends. The stories are very interesting and also teach a little bit about Zen Buddhism. The illustrations are softly rendered and just beautiful! I really enjoyed this tale. "
— Dolly, 2/11/2013 -
" On Halloween night, Stillwater the panda tells Addy, Karl and Michael a spooky story based on a Zen koan. "
— Donalyn, 1/19/2013 -
" Such beautiful Halloween scenes. Stillwater tells a ghost story...though perhaps "spirit" would be a better word. It gives me shivers. "
— Emily, 12/26/2012 -
" Beautifully illustrated--but I still like the first one the best. Still this was a nice addition to my reading schedule over the last week. "
— Shanshad, 11/24/2012 -
" a 5 star for me because of the illustrations ...then again Halloween is my fave and those walking pumpkins are adorable. I like Muth's Stillwater picture books much better than his others. The story and Koans are confusing esp for young children. "
— Loren, 11/5/2012 -
" A fantastic read for an autumn day. Captivating illustrations. The two owls on the back endpages made my day ;) "
— Ally, 9/29/2012
About David Pittu
David Pittu, a two-time Tony Award nominee, has narrated dozens of audiobooks, including Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, which earned two prestigious Audie Awards for best narration. He has also won three Earphones Awards. Well-known for his work in theater, he has appeared off-Broadway in LoveMusik and Is He Dead, for which he received his Tony nominations, as well as Parade, for which he earned a National Broadway Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He is also a writer, member, and director of the Atlantic Theater company.