"When I feel small in a world so big . . . I tell my wiggling body: be still. I tell my thinking mind: be quiet. I tell my racing breath: be slow. . . . I am yoga. I can be anything." This is the first in a series of five books with encouraging words for children.
I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness ~ by Susan Verde, art by Peter H. Reynolds, 2017, children's, 10/10
Mindfulness means being fully engaged in the present moment. This book encourages children (of all ages) to breathe, to taste and smell and touch and hear and see, and to be present in the here and now. It includes a guided meditation. "You are wonderful. You are special. You are peace."
I Am Human: A Book of Empathy ~ by Susan Verde, art by Peter H. Reynolds, 2018, children's, 10/10
Being human means we are full of possibility. We learn, we dream, we wonder at the world around us. But we also make mistakes and can feel fearful or sad. This book affirms that we can make good choices by acting with compassion and having empathy for others and ourselves. It includes a loving-kindness meditation: "May you be healthy. May you be happy. May you be free from suffering. May you be filled with peace."
I Am Love: A Book of Compassion ~ by Susan Verde, art by Peter H. Reynolds, 2019, children's, 10/10
Grounded in mindfulness and wellness, this book asks children to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. When a storm is brewing inside us and the skies grow dark, the transforming power of love lets the light back in. It includes heart-opening yoga poses and a heart meditation. "Imagine the warmth and light in your heart connecting you to others in the world."
I Am One: A Book of Action ~ by Susan Verde, art by Peter H. Reynolds, 2020, children's, 10/10
Beautiful things start with just ONE. One seed to start a garden, one note to start a melody, one brick to start breaking down walls. Each change starts with purpose, with intention, with one, with me, with you. This is a powerful call to action, encouraging children to raise their voices, extend a hand, and take that one first step to start some-thing beautiful and move toward a better world. The book includes a mindfulness mediation and a self-reflection activity.
In an Oklahoma middle school, Khosrou (whom everyone calls Daniel) stands in front of a skeptical audience of classmates, telling the tales of his family's history that stretches back years, decades, and centuries. At the core is Daniel's story of how they became refugees — starting with his mother's vocal embrace of Christianity in a country that made such a thing a capital offense, and continuing through their midnight flight from the secret police, bribing their way onto a plane-to-anywhere. Anywhere becomes the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy, and then finally asylum in the U.S. This tale of heartbreak and resilience encourages readers to speak their truth and be heard.
My hometown is Chattanooga, Tennessee. Sam Hall has been working on the history of Chattanooga for years. Yesterday, I discovered this photo gallery he put online and spent an hour or two looking at old pictures. William H. Stokes took this photo of the town and the Tennessee River from Point Park on Lookout Mountain in the early 1900s, about a century ago.
a place for us to link up and share what
we have been doing during the week.