Mae's First Day of School

Author/Illustrator: Kate Berube

From the Book Jacket: As Mae's first day of school approaches she decides she IS. NOT. GOING. School is scary! What if the other kids don't like her? Or what if she's the only one who doesn't know how to write? Or what if she misses her mom? Mae's anxiety only builds as she walks to school. But then she meets Rosie and Ms. Pearl. Will making new friends show her that they can conquer their fears together?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Anxiety about starting school is not just common but normal. Sometimes school refusal can accompany that feeling and make things very difficult for everyone. The book starts out with Mae exclaiming "I'm not going!" Eventually she does go and makes it into school. What I like about this book is she overcomes not just her anxiety but the refusal behavior she is feeling and expressing. We can do hard things. That's a favorite motto of mine as a school counselor. This is an awesome find and read. Loved it!

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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: Mixed - A Colorful Story

Author/Illustrator: Arree Chung

From the Book Jacket: In the beginning, there were three colors...Reds, Yellows, and Blues. All special in their own ways, all living in harmony - until one day, a Red says, "Reds are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to separate, is there anything that can change their minds? A Yellow, a Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: My daughter has read this book about ten times since we got it. I cannot wait to share it with students. The message of kindness, getting along, and respecting one another is exactly how I would like kids to start their school year. Too many times our differences keep us apart and can sadly create an environment that does not feel inclusive or accepting. Building a positive school community is what matters most to me. Mixed - A Colorful Story supports that mission and will help children to be kind and caring towards one another. This one is a must for your home, classroom, and counseling curriculum!

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