---
product_id: 8616885
title: "Zen Ties (A Stillwater and Friends Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2008"
brand: "jon j muth"
price: "$43"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/8616885-zen-ties-a-stillwater-and-friends-book-hardcover-picture-book
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# Zen Ties (A Stillwater and Friends Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2008

**Brand:** jon j muth
**Price:** $43
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Zen Ties (A Stillwater and Friends Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2008 by jon j muth
- **How much does it cost?** $43 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/8616885-zen-ties-a-stillwater-and-friends-book-hardcover-picture-book)

## Best For

- jon j muth enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted jon j muth brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![Zen Ties (A Stillwater and Friends Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2008 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1C4bBI7y2L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Breathtaking
  

*by J***L on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 8, 2008*

This hardcover picture book took my breath away. Not since last summer's 
  
Walt Disney's Cinderella







  
  
     has a book so impressed me with its marriage of visuals and story.The story is pretty simple. Huge panda Stillwater picks up his visiting nephew Koo -- who only speaks in haiku -- at the train station. They are joined by Stillwater's friends Addy, Michael and Karl. The pandas play with the kids, and Michael tells Stillwater his concerns about an upcoming Spelling Bee. Stillwater then takes them to Miss Whitaker's house, an elderly woman who lives on the kids' street. None of the three children can believe Stillwater would be friends with such a cranky, unpleasant person. Stillwater helps the siblings get to know Miss Whitaker, and they realize she is sad and bitter because she is alone, scared and not well. In the end the kids and the old lady learn to appreciate and help each other.There is such depth here. Consider the wordplay. When Stillwater picks up his nephew, he says "Hi, Koo!" And then, of course, Koo only speaks in the 17-syllable haiku poetry form. The lovely and realistic watercolor renditions of people and pandas make the whole story seem dreamlike. Stillwater sometimes seems normal panda sized, sometimes as big as a house. The wordless -- and haunting -- image of Miss Whitaker, late at night, looking at a painting Karl and Koo made for her is worth the price of the book in itself.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Zen Ties
  

*by L***H on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 23, 2014*

I just read this to my second graders yesterday as part of our poetry unit. The children loved the story and the illustrations are beautiful. And after we learned about Haiku, we all enjoyed the play on words with Koo's name and the fact that he speaks in Haiku.I actually love the illustrations more than the story but the book was a good fit for teaching about Haiku (although to be honest, most of the poems in the book aren't strict haiku because the syllable count is close, but not exact. The author does address that on the back page, and it let us talk about artistic license, so that was fine, but if you're wanting a strict 5-7-5 syllable count, there might only be one or two that are exact.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    One of our favorite books.
  

*by A***R on Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 20, 2015*

My kids and I are big fans of Jon Muth.  We have several of his books and are very fond of his stories and the artwork found within.  You can't help but fall in love with a big panda that teaches kids about the lessons of Zen Buddhism.  Don't worry this isn't a religious book but more a book about being a good person and helping others.  You will find the story to be insightful, humorous, and full of life and joy.  I can read these books over and over again without getting bored.

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-02-20*