Three monks, Hok, Lok, and Siew, journey along a mountain road trying to understand what makes one happy.



At once the monks encounter frightened villagers who lock their windows and darken their homes. The villagers have long been ravaged by harsh times, and their hearts have grown hard toward everyone they meet. But when the monks cleverly entice them to make soup from stones, the villagers discover how much they each have to give --- and how much more comes back in return.



With magnificent watercolors that invite reflection of deeper meaning, Jon J Muth combines his love of Zen Buddhism and Easter culture with a favorite old trickster tale that celebrates the power of generosity.

Jon J Muth is beloved all over the world for his seven books featuring Stillwater the Panda, whose love and balanced approach to life always serve to make the world a better place for his young friends. Muth's many enchanting picture books include his Caldecott Honor Book Zen Shorts, Addy's Cup of Sugar, Stone Soup, and The Three Questions, which the New York Times Book Review called "quietly life-changing." His books have been translated into more than 23 languages and are cherished by readers of all ages. Muth draws inspiration from his life-long interest in Asian Studies, including tai chi chuan, sumi ink drawing, and chado, "the way of tea." Muth is also renowned in the world of graphic novels. He won an Eisner Award for his paintings in the graphic novel, The Mystery Play by Grant Morrison. He's partnered with Neil Gaiman on The Sandman: The Wake, Walter and Louise Simonson, and Kent Williams on Havoc & Wolverine: Meltdown, J. M. DeMatteis on Moonshadow and Silver Surfer, and with Stanislaw Lem on The Seventh Voyage which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Adaptation in Another Medium. He lives in New York State with his wife and their four children.