{My thoughts} – This is the first book like this that I am have had the pleasure to review. Each of the affirmational sayings within the pages of the book, have a deeper meaning that children may not understand at first. However, the more you read the book with your child and the more your child asks questions, sooner rather then later they will grasp each and every meaning. The illustrations are a wonderful addition to this book. I also like how simple the sentences are, how they are placed on a solid background. This book has the potential to be used as an early reader book for young children that have already learned the basics of reading.

My favorite saying in this book is “With our thoughts, we create the world.” The reasons I like it so much is because I am a book reviewer and I love to read. Authors write down their thoughts when they are creating books and those thoughts help to build the world in which the book takes place. A saying that is so small and simple has the potential to be so much more if you just take the time to think about it and what it means to you as a person.

Once you have an idea of what they mean to you you can simplify it. You can teach your child what they mean to you. You can ask your child what they think they mean to them. Your child may not view things in the same ways that you do and that’s alright, everyone has a different idea as to what the true meaning of affirmational sayings mean to them.

This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. I think it would make a great first reader book, a great gift for a baby shower, it has so much potential. In the end I hope it becomes a loved book on your shelf, because to me it’s one of the books that has the ability to speak to adults and children alike. Words are powerful and this book proves that over and over again. ( )

Lovely illustrations paired with inspirational words. ( )

Author/illustrator Jon J. Muth presents twelve common Zen Buddhist sayings in this lovely little gift book, pairing each one with an illustration from his series of picture-books about Stillwater, the Zen panda bear. Each two-page spread features a different saying, as well as a beautiful watercolor painting. There isn't really much here - or is there? - but fans of Stillwater and his Zen teachings will undoubtedly enjoy Zen Happiness. For my part, my favorite spread was the one which paired the saying, "Three tings cannot remain hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth," with the illustrations of Stillwater and his companions gazing out on a moonlit night. ( )