Follow Your Breath!: A First Book of Mindfulness

PreS-Gr 2–Ritchie introduces children to the importance of mindfulness, with highly detailed pictures and a warm palette. The book follows Pedro and his friends at a sleepover. He is anxious because his family is moving. Mrs. Rivera, his mom, offers ideas for practicing mindfulness, including books, apps, and websites. As the story progresses, Mrs. Rivera points out different opportunities to practice mindfulness. The children demonstrate some of the challenges of learning how to notice “what is happening right now, in the moment.” The illustrations of Pedro and his friends depict a variety of skin tones. Pedro and his mom have brown skin and textured hair. Each page reminds readers that mindfulness is something that gets easier with practice and that even adults struggle with mindfulness. This is a very pertinent topic at the moment, with a growing emphasis on social emotional learning in schools. Activities to improve mindfulness are shared throughout the text; back matter includes “Mindful Games” and a glossary. The text and pictures will appeal to very young readers, but the book is appropriate for older kids or adults.