Meditate with Me

June 15, 2017
A cast of young, cartoon animals in children's clothes follow the narrator's directions about how to "relax, breathe, and listen." The title page shows a pig, an elephant, a rabbit, a bear, and a cat--all in school attire, including brightly colored backpacks--heading toward a large set of stairs. Behind them is an urban skyline, and around them are the flora and fauna of a park. The entire text is composed of simple instructions for relaxation, beginning with the suggestion that readers sit down and clench, then relax, "every part of your body." After the cat follows these commands, the perfect, humorous choice to illustrate noticing the breath is the elephant. The bunny, piglet, and bear show proper placement of paws for feeling breaths. Throughout, the text is straightforward, with a few gentle rhymes. As the animals use visualization, background scenes move from the classroom to an idyllic beach. A jar of glitter is used to help the animals imagine their thoughts settling down. The text moves on to helping children express different emotions with their bodies, always affirming the importance of breathing and, later, listening. A jewel-toned palette, sweet animal faces, and soothing landscapes--combined with a text infused with care--ensure that a child or adult can pick up any part of this book to take a needed break from stress. An impressive, thoughtful collaboration. (Picture book. 3-6)

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August 1, 2017

Gr 1-3-In this introduction to meditation, children learn some basic techniques to calm their minds and recognize their emotions. The author, who has also written Good Night Yoga and Good Morning Yoga, includes four steps to meditate, starting with exercises to sit and relax. Others include breathing, listening, and keeping calm. Each practice is demonstrated by a group of cute, friendly anthropomorphized animals, depicted in soft pastel colors. The content is very accessible; for example, in teaching children to settle down, the text uses the analogy that a mind is similar to a snow globe-type object, with glitter representing thoughts. ("You can use your breath and body to set that busy mind down flat. Gently just like that. Swish! You can feel what it's like to be just here, just now.") Each page has about one to five sentences of text, making for a clean, approachable layout. VERDICT A calming introduction to meditation suitable for one-on-one or group use, at home or in the library.-Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Gates leads readers through very simple steps for mindfulness meditations, with emphasis on breathing and listening. A clear text with occasional rhymes effectively distills the practice into kid-friendly terms ("Flex your arms, and squeeze tight. Now let it all go, and be loose like spaghetti"). Surnaite's digital illustrations in a soothing, cool palette show anthropomorphized animal-children acting out each step.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)