Books That Heal Kids: mindfulness

Showing posts with label mindfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mindfulness. Show all posts

Book Review: I Am Love - A Book of Compassion

Author: Susan Verde
Illustrator: Peter H Reynolds

From the Book Jacket: I put my hands on my heart and listen. And that is where I find the answer: I have compassion. I act with tenderness. I am love. Love means showing kindness, living with gratitude, and taking care of our minds and bodies. Letting our hearts lead the way can help move us closer to a better world. 

Grounded in mindfulness and wellness, I Am Love asks readers to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. When a storm is brewing inside us and the skies grow dark, the transformative power of love lets the light back in. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I love this book! We talk a lot about kindness so it was nice to have a dialogue about compassion. I think if we want to have a culture of people really caring about each other in schools we need deeper conversations. This is a really comforting book on how to be there for someone and really feel their feelings. Seems like an awesome community builder. 

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Book Review: Breathing Makes it Better


Author: Christopher Willard
Illustrator: Wendy O'Leary

From the Book Jacket: We all have hard days sometimes - filled with icky feelings like anger, fear, loneliness, or a bad case of the blues. Breathe along with this interactive story to discover the one easy thing you're already doing that has the power to turn those days around. Peace is closer than you think!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: If you are trying to teach your kids when to "stop and take a breath" this is a great resource. It is a line that is repeated over and over in the book. It also teaches kids WHEN they should take a breath. I've been using this in a small group setting and it has been so helpful to help kids to take pause and breathe when emotions feel like they are too much to handle. Highly recommend!

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Book Review: Deep Breaths

Author/Illustrator: Carol Thompson

From the Book Jacket: Dolly the Pig and Jack the Rabbit are best friends, but even best friends don't always get along. When Dolly and Jack have a big disagreement, they learn to count from ten to one, hum like a bee, and take long, deep breaths to calm down...and be zen friends again!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Originally I thought this was going to be a book about mindfulness but it actually is a story about two friends who get mad at each other. They say some very hurtful things to each other but really don't mean it and really don't want to be upset with each other. They declare they are no longer friends. From there they use calming techniques to get rid of their anger. Eventually they find each other and the friends are reunited by telling each other how much they missed one another. It's a sweet story and I'm always looking for stories showing friends making up. 

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Book Review: What Does It Mean to be Be Present?

Author: Rana DiOrio
Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler

From the Book Jacket: Being present means...Noticing when someone needs help.
Waiting patiently for your turn. Focusing on what's happening now. Follow a group of friends at school, at home, and at the beach as they experience just what it means to be present.
Why It's On My Bookshelf: This has been a great book to teach attention, focus, and mindfulness. I've been using it in the younger grades to help kids learn how to calm their minds and practice stillness. I was also surprised how it great it worked on helping kids have better listening skills. Often we don't even listen when someone is speaking and are just ready to jump in with our own thoughts. This can cause a lot of problems when kids be communicate. Glad I finally purchased this book!

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Book Review: Meditate With Me - A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Journey

Author: Mariam Gates
Illustrator: Margarita Surnaite

From the Book Jacket: The regular practice of mindfulness improves health and happiness, and can even help very young children - to settle their busy minds and understand their emotions. In this gentle and endearing step-by-step introduction, kids learn how to focus on their breath, on the sensations in their body, and on the sounds around them. It's an ideal first experience of mindfulness that can be shared at home or in the classroom. Calm is always just one breath away. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This year I am really focused on helping the younger grades (K-2) learn more self regulation techniques. One of those ways is to help students learn more about mindfulness and how it can be an effective tool to calm the body and mind. I really loved this book for a specific reason - they use glitter jars as a calming tool. Such a great idea to put this in a calming story! I like to make these for students and classrooms. I also have them in my counseling office. 

I also love this video:



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Book Review: Yoga Friends and Yoga Cards for Children

Authors: Mariam Gates & Rolf Gates
Illustrator: Sarah Jane Hinder

From the Book Jacket: From the creators of Good Night Yoga and Good Morning Yoga comes a beautifully illustrated adventure that introduces children to the delights and benefits of partner yoga. Perfect for teaming up with a friend, sibling, parent, or caregiver, each easy practice shows how cooperation helps us to imagine, move, and have fun in a whole new way. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I have been trying to explore more ways to do Yoga Groups in my school counseling program and teaching kids to do partner yoga seems like a fun way to boost lessons and engagement from kids. It would be a great way to teach cooperation, empathy, and perseverance. The authors always put a visualization activity in the end of their books and this time they included an activity called Mirror Me for yoga partners. Absolutely love this book and it will be a great introductory read for my groups. 


Yoga for Children Yoga Cards
by Lisa Flynn Founder of ChildLight Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms

About This Resource: This interactive deck includes more than 50 cards featuring Mindful Me mindfulness activities, Time to Breathe breathing exercises, Strike a Pose yoga poses, and Rest & Relax relaxation exercises. Together, you'll learn the many benefits of the various activities while strengthening your connection with your child. Complete with full-color, easy-to-follow photographs, Yoga for Children - Yoga Cards will help you teach your child to be more resilient, confident, and calm - on  yoga session at a time. Help your kids de-stress, get healthy, and have fun!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: So excited to add these cards to my Yoga Groups, Classroom Lessons, and my Calming Corner. I have been in major need of better visuals when I am teaching Mindfulness and Yoga with students. It's also given me some better ideas on poses and activities to use.  These will be easy to incorporate into my program and I'd like to even frame a few to use in my calming corner. 

One of the cards I am really excited about is the Rest with Breathing Buddies. This is an activity I have taught before using a stuffed beanie/animal. Watch the video below to see the exercise in practice:



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Book Review: I Am Peace - A Book of Mindfulness

Author: Susan Verde
Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

From the Book Jacket: I give myself a moment. I take a breath. And then I tell myself: It's alright. I am Peace. Mindfulness means being fully in the present moment. Children can learn how to manage their emotions, make good choices, and balance their busy lives by learning to be mindful. Express emotions through speech. Find empathy through imagination. Wonder at the beauty of the natural world. I Am Peace encourages children to breathe, taste, smell, and be present in the here and now. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This year I used this book in a small group setting to teach students how to regulate using positive self talk when they are feeling anger or anxiety. We also created affirmations that help students reframe and transform the negativity they are feeling. I had a couple of teachers in my school who created corners in their room students could use for relaxation and calming. So this book came in handy to help encourage kids to use those spaces to practice techniques and skills to help them be happier in the classroom and not feel like they need to avoid or escape. 

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Book Review: When the Anger Ogre Visits

Author: Andree Salom
Illustrator: Ivette Salom

From the Book Jacket: Use this playful, read-along story to teach that anger as a natural and manageable part of life.

"The Anger Ogre visits everybody's lives, just remember to be patient whenever it arrives."

When the Anger Ogre Visits gives children symbolic and concrete guidance about how to deal with anger as a natural part of their inner lives. Rather than squelching anger or pushing it away, the book invites children to sit with and observe anger, removing its overwhelming aspects. This playfully illustrated story, written in memorable rhyme, centers on discovering and using internal resources and portrays anger as manageable.


Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a nice one to help kids work on some concrete skills around calming their bodies down when they are angry. I really struggle with helping kids learn to breathe when the Anger Ogre shows up. I like the language used in the book: breathe slow and very deeply; relax your tongue; relax your toes; relax your belly; relax your nose; relax your ears so you can hear the sound of your breath.....Lots of great directions like this. The book shows the Ogre changing form as different techniques are used to tame it. This is another great one to add to my shelf to help children. 

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Book Review: Take the Time - Mindfulness for Kids

Author/Illustrator: Take the Time - Mindfulness for Kids
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

From the Book Jacket: With gentle rhythms and soothing imagery, Take the Time, guides kids toward self-awareness and mindfulness. The book encourages children to slow down and become deliberate with their day-to-day actions and thoughts. And when any old day feels topsy-turvy, mindfulness tools may help your child calm down and feel better. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I discovered this book from a really neat school counseling blog called The School Counselor Kind. Check it out here. I have been looking for a book to use with my third though fifth graders and this seems to be a perfect fit. At first I was worried it might be too young of a book for my upper grades but after seeing the activity posted on Kayla's blog, I knew it was a perfect fit. I liked the message of teaching kids to take the time to get yourself back together when things fall apart and to also think before you "blurt out" or "tell a secret." Two thumbs up!

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Book Review: Yoga Bunny

Author/Illustrator: Brian Russo
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: It's a perfect day for yoga, and Bunny is practicing his poses and wishes his friends would do yoga with him! But Lizard is too tired, Fox is in a rush, and Bird has the hiccups. Will Bunny ever be able to get his friends to slow down and realize that yoga just might be the solution to their problems?

Book Trailer:

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I thought this was going to be another book showing kids how to do yoga poses but it was much more than that. It's about how yoga is an important tool and how helpful it can be to calm the body and mind when you are feeling angry, anxious, or down. It reminded me to not rush into yoga poses with kids but to first enlighten them on how it can help them overcome something challenging they might be feeling. Yoga Bunny will be the first book I read when teaching kids about yoga. 

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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Book Review: Charlotte and the Quiet Place


















Author: Deborah Sosin
Illustrator: Sara Woolley
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

About This Book: Charlotte likes quiet. But wherever Charlotte goes, she is surrounded by noise, noise, noise — her yipping dog, Otto; the squeaky, creaky swings; the warbling, wailing sirens. Even in the library, children yammer and yell. Where can Charlotte find a quiet place? Sara Woolley’s magnificent watercolors bring Charlotte’s city to life when Otto leads her on a wild chase through the park. There, Charlotte discovers a quiet place where she never would have imagined!

Sometimes children need a break from our noisy, overstimulating world. Charlotte and the Quiet Place shows how a child learns and practices mindful breathing on her own and experiences the beauty of silence. All children can relate to the unfolding adventure and message of self-discovery and empowerment. Parents, teachers, and caretakers of highly active or sensitive children will find this story especially useful.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is such a helpful resource for self-regulation. I am using this to teach kids to take a break and find a quiet space in the classroom to get back to a calm state. There is also an awesome discussion guide you can use. So happy to have this new tool. It also fits perfectly with my Zones of Regulation lessons. 







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Book Review: Good Morning Yoga - a pose-by-pose wake up story


Author: Mariam Gates
Illustrator: Sarah Jane Hinder
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Calm and awake, "I can do this!" is all I need to say. A deep breath in, a long breath out - I am ready for the day! This "wake up" story is so much more than a story. It's a practice for kids and parents to greet the morning with joy and embark on their daily adventures with intention and confidence. Turn the page and reach up to the sky, press your feet into the earth, and get ready for a great day!





Why It's On My Bookshelf: We already own Good Night Yoga so we were happily surprised to see a new edition. My daughter learned twelve new poses and I love the continued emphasis on taking deep breaths. Our favorite thing about the book is the visualization story called 'How I Want to Feel Today.' I can see an absolute difference in behavior when we use these books. They are empowering, interactive, and teaches yoga in a fun way. It's been a wonderful way to get ready for our day. 

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Book Review: You Are a Lion! And Other Fun Yoga Poses



Author/Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo
Interest Level: Ages 3 and Up


From the Book Jacket: Go ahead. Take a deep breath. And become... A LION. And roar in the jungle! A BUTTERFLY. And flap your wings! A FROG. And hop! With simple instructions and bright, clear illustrations of playful animal poses, celebrated New York Times Best Illustrator Taeeun Yoo introduces young children to the joy of yoga. 

Yoga is great for kids because it promotes flexibility and focus - and it's fun! It might even calm the beast in your little one. So breathe deeply and enjoy!

Book Trailer:


Why It's On My Bookshelf: One of my goals this year was to introduce more Yoga into my lessons. This book is definitely helping me reach this goal. Kids love it. The illustrations are awesome and show the kids exactly what the pose looks like along with an animal in the same position. We've read this book so many times that now I can just call out the pose and they know what to do. Fantastic resource!!

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Book Review: The Lemonade Hurricane - A Story of Mindfulness and Meditation

Author: Licia Morelli
Illustrator: Jennifer Morris
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Henry's life can get busy - sometimes too busy. When that happens, Henry gets wild, tearing around the house like a lemonade hurricane. But his big sister Emma has an idea. 

Maybe, just maybe, she can help her brother learn to be still. This charming story tells how mindfulness and meditation can help calm even a hurricane like Henry, and simple instructions in the back of the book show how you can do it, too!

The Book Trailer: 


Why It's On My Bookshelf: I have been teaching The Zones of Regulation and have been trying to find picture books to model the RED zone (when the body is out of control) and how kids can get back to the GREEN zone (when the body is in control). This is such a great story to help kids be aware of their physical energy and how to regulate it. What kids take away from the story is they can calm themselves by using the tool of deep breathing. In the book they show Henry and Emma meditating. We talked about how we can apply breathing to everyday situations in the classroom, cafeteria, playground etc. Kids might not exactly be able to sit down and meditate in the moment but then can still use the strategy of taking deep breaths. I also showed the video "Just Breathe". Such a successful lesson!

A Link to This Book and Others That Might Be Helpful:


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Book Review: Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda


Author: Lauren Alderfer
Illustrator: Kerry Lee MacLean
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

About This Book: This wonderful picture book for children and adults alike introduces the powerful practice of mindfulness in a fun and exciting way. With the delightful Monkey and his serene friend Happy Panda guiding readers to a calmer and more attentive mind, this whimsical yet warm presentation will delight all readers. 

Monkey is not so mindful - his Monkey Mind constantly jumping from one thing to another
- but he encounters a mysterious and playful friend in Happy Panda. Panda helps Monkey recognize the simple joy of doing what you're doing while you're doing it. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Anxiety. I have been encountering more and more students who are struggling with anxiety. Most of these kids do not know how to manage it and the coping skills they have usually revolve around fight, flight or freeze. Putting together a curriculum around mindfulness to help students with these challenges has been a mission of mine. This book is an EXCELLENT resource. Monkey mind is a Buddhist expression which refers to the incessant chatter that goes on in our heads. I think we all struggle with this! I will definitely be using this as a read aloud in ALL classrooms. It's a message all kids will relate to because we all have some level of stress in our lives. Makes sense to learn how to manage it early in life- not later. 



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Book Review: Good Night Yoga: A Pose-By-Pose Bedtime Story

About This Book: Kids love yoga—and it’s great for them, so much so that the President’s Council has added the practice to the fitness activities in the annual President’s Challenge. For parents and caregivers looking for a fun and effective new routine for bedtime, innovative educator Mariam Gates presents Good Night Yoga, a playful yet wholly practical book for preparing for sleep.


This beautifully illustrated, full-color book tells the story of the natural world as it closes down for the night, while teaching children a simple flow of yoga postures inspired by their favorite characters from nature. Moving from “Sun Breath” to “Cloud Gathering” to “Ladybug & Butterfly” and more, readers learn techniques for self-soothing, relaxing the body and mind, focusing attention, and other skills that will support restful sleep and improve overall confidence and well-being.
Preview: 
Why It's On My Bookshelf: We've been reading and doing these poses at home as we wind down for bed - absolutely love it! Illustrations are spot on and the different yoga postures are easy to do. I'd love to try and figure out how to incorporate this into the school setting. Maybe even just showing the kids in different positions would be a great way to introduce movement and breathing into the classroom. I'd love to see another book like this called 'Good Morning Yoga'! I highly recommend this one for your bookshelf at home and school. 





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Book Review: What Does It Mean To Be Present?

Author: Rana DiOrio
Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

About This Book: This refreshing, vibrant picture book engages all of the senses to demonstrate the myriad of ways a child can seize the moment. The story sparks meaningful discussions about the important gift of appreciation, giving children and adults alike the opportunity to live more fully and richly.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is the perfect book to start the New Year. It's the absolute cure for all of us (children and adults) who are overwhelmed with anxiety. The message of living in the moment gets lost with everything that is thrown at kids in school etc. Often times we ask kids to set goals when we come back from winter break as part of a New Year's activity. How about a simple goal like - Being Present. I'd love to explore this more with students. It's up to us to model this way of being. Lets get started!

Take a peek at the awesomeness below from What Does It Mean To Be Present. Wish I would have bought this sooner. Thanks to a colleague/wonderful friend, she reminded me of this book She has been reading it with her 5th grade class - with positive results in her classroom community and in the hearts and minds of her dear students. 








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