Spooky. It reminds me of an old DVD I had that contained a collection of Halloween shorts for kids. Happy Halloween 🎃 ( )

A wise panda tells stories from Chinese culture; this book is beautifully illustrated and allows the reader to think deeply all while being exposed to Chinese culture and folktales. The simple narrative would be great for grades 1-3, allowing students to make connections to their own lives but also ask questions and explore ideas of other cultures.

Beautiful imagery both in the storyline and the book itself. The question within a story within a story is something that can be found across many ideologies. The Zen Ghosts book is part of a Zen series by the same author featuring Stillwater the Panda. This is a nice way to tie in the Halloween theme, tell a fabulous ghost story, and teach a lesson. ( )

On Halloween night, a giant panda named Stillwater tells three children an unusual, eerie story. The story includes a version of a Zen koan (a paradoxical question), with evocative artwork by the author/illustrator. Author’s Note.

It's Halloween, and by the end of the evening Addy, Michael, and Karl have loads of candy treats. However, the fun's not over yet. Their panda friend, Stillwater, has one more surprise waiting for them. A mysterious panda storyteller draws them a story, and when it's finished, the kids are mystified. What happened to Stillwater, and just who was this mysterious storyteller? You'll be left wondering too when you check out this seasonal treat.

The Bottom Line: This gentle Halloween ghost story contains a story within a story that will make the reader think about who they really are. Muth's beautiful artwork in watercolor and ink tell the tale as much as the text. Highly recommended for storytimes for grades 1 - 4. Check out the Author's Note at the end for discussion ideas.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )