Title: Big Breath, A Guided Meditation for Kids
Author: William Meyer
Illustrator: Brittany R. Jacobs
Publisher: New World Library, Aug. 2019
Ages: 4-7
Genre: Nonfiction
Themes: meditation, relaxation, breathing
Opening:
Find a comfy spot,
Maybe on a squishy cushion, or a comfy blanket.
Synopsis:
Each page invites readers to notice the present moment without judging what is or changing it to something else.
Why I like this book:
I returned to meditating a couple of years back when I was going through a very stressful time in my life, and honestly, even as an adult, I could have used this gentle message to get me going again. I love the calming tone of the words. It feels natural, easy to follow, and inviting.
Does your breath sound like ocean waves? Like the wind before a storm or a breeze at the start of spring? Can you feel it all the way down to the tips of your toes?
By the time you open your eyes, you might just feel a little lighter, calmer, more relaxed.
This is a great book for teachers and caregivers for their children as we look for ways to bring calm and focus into a speedy world! This focus on mindfulness and meditation is really for all ages, for antsy as well as quiet kids. Brittany does an amazing job of enticing and soothing illustrations supporting a text that is obviously less active than many picture books. A winner.
Activities/resources:
Put this into praise with one child or a group. Join in yourself.
Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
My favorite books for children. Mindfulness, Breathing, and Yoga are becoming an important part of the curriculum for pre-schoolers and elementary students. To teach children calming tools at a young age, helps them learn how to deal with stress, anger and other feelings as they grow. I am delighted publishers are releasing so many different books on the subject. This is a book the parents and children can do together.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Pat. I especially like Susan Verde and Peter Reynold’s books.
What a great book. Thanks Joanna, it’s on hold at my library. I am looking forward to reading it.