Follow Your Breath!: A First Book of Mindfulness by Scot Ritchie
Published by Kids Can Press on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 1525303368
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

How can we use our senses to help calm ourselves? Pedro is anxious about moving to a new house, so his mom guides him and his friends through various situations to learn about mindfulness. Told as a story, each page also has explicit instructions on how to use your senses, your breath, certain environments, even your pet, to slow yourself down and notice what’s around you.

Simple font can be easily read by middle elementary readers, but would be very useful in the hands of an adult to introduce mindfulness or extend and develop a regular habit of learning how to slow down oneself and take notice of what’s around you.  One page says, “…pay attention” in an encouraging way with specific actions to take which could be very helpful to students who hear that phrase in an not-so encouraging tone.

Readers could use the Table of Contents to select various topics, and it could be read as a story. Full color, cartoonish illustrations capture the intent of each page.

Very good purchase for children’s health collections, but adults: Beware! Adults may find some ideas YOU could use!

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town