Laurel loves cuddling up for story time, and we were grateful to receive several wonderful birthday books to infuse new life into her library. Jon Muth’s Zen Shorts offers an elegantly illustrated introduction to Zen themes via the stories that new friend Stillwater the panda shares with three siblings. The reflective beauty of the stories will suit both kids and adults, and I love thinking of our wonderful friends (who hand delivered this book despite being on a crazed East Coast tour from the UK) every time Laurel climbs onto my lap for a read.