Mama Lion Wins the Race

A series of 26 poems, all haiku, mark each of the four seasons starting with autumn while highlighting the letters of the alphabet. Each short poem is accompanied by Koo, the young panda, who is joined by two children and illustrated in handsome, spare watercolors.

A traditional tale has set in China as three Zen monks come to a remote village where residents are wary of strangers. The villagers gradually add ingredients to the initial soup the monks begin from a stone, building a community feast. Radiant illustrations successfully recast the tale.

Stillwater, a large panda, tells each child a story that illustrates a principle of Zen. Although the tales will captivate children, adults may recognize the philosophy imbedded in them. Delicate, handsome illustrations capture the mood and flow of the stories.