In this work’s poem, O’Meara describes lockdowns experienced by many across the world during the first days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hundreds of pages of unbridled uplift boiled down to 40.ĭuring a period of quarantine, people discover new ways to live-and new lessons about how to care for the planet-in this debut picture book. Though on the whole this comes off as a bit bland (the banter and hilarity that characterized the authors’ recorded interchanges are absent here) and their advice just to look away from the sad things may seem facile in view of what too many children are inescapably faced with, still, it’s hard to imagine anyone in the world more qualified to deliver such a message than these two. But if you look around, you will / see that joy is everywhere.” López expands the simply delivered proposal in fresh and lyrical ways-beginning with paired scenes of the authors as solitary children growing up in very different circumstances on (as they put it) “opposite sides of the world,” then meeting as young friends bonded by streams of rainbow bunting and going on to share their exuberantly hued joy with a group of dancers diverse in terms of age, race, culture, and locale while urging readers to do the same. This friendly book is sure to appeal to educators and caregivers looking for an accessible and kid-friendly introduction to mindfulness.įrom two Nobel Peace Prize winners, an invitation to look past sadness and loneliness to the joy that surrounds us.īobbing in the wake of 2016’s heavyweight Book of Joy (2016), this brief but buoyant address to young readers offers an earnest insight: “If you just focus on the thing that is making / you sad, then the sadness is all you see. Betts accompanies each exercise with charming illustrations featuring foxes, elephants, fanciful clouds, and, of course, bears. The instructional text is simple enough for fluent readers to use in self-guided practice, though each exercise likely works best as a read-aloud. The exercises are brief and excellent for short attention spans, though some offer opportunities for extension through pacing. They are encouraged to use their imaginations as launch pads for being present: “Imagine you’re a cloud in the sky” and “Imagine you’re a sleepy lion, just waking up in the morning” are typical. Most, but not all, include references to wild animals and nature that are sure to appeal to young children. Each spread includes one or two breath-centered exercises to encourage a habit and practice of mindfulness. The book is divided into five sections (“Be Calm,” “Focus,” “Imagine,” “Make Some Energy,” and “Relax”), which are further sectioned into double-page-spread subtopics. Author Willey brings years of experience in children’s music and movement to her debut.

Breathe like a bear kira willey