A CHILDREN’S BOOK OF MINDFULNESS ‘happy’ is a beautifully illustrated introduction to mindfulness which shows children how they can connect to the world around them. In a society full of stress and pressure it’s often difficult to find time to stop and appreciate our surroundings and the people in our lives. Screen time is increasing, outside play is decreasing and many children now have anxiety and mental health problems. Teaching them mindfulness can help them to slow down, relax and find ways to cope with stress.
Although A CHILDREN’S BOOK OF MINDFULNESS is a picture book its simple rhyming text and beautiful illustrations have a calming effect on readers of all ages. The book starts with a definition of Mindfulness and an invitation to ‘discover some simple steps’ on the path to happiness.
We are then encouraged to focus on each of our senses as well as discovering new things, relaxing, breathing and loving one another. Five children take us through the book and show us how we can experience each moment. The book ends with a reminder that ‘Real life is right under our noses.’
Each double spread ends with a question or a suggestion as to how children can better connect to their surroundings.
Katie Hickey’s illustrations are absolutely beautiful. The children come from different cultural backgrounds and we particularly like the inclusion of a child with glasses. We love the earthy colours of the illustrations, many of which show the children outside. Our favourite illustration is an indoor illustration and shows the different ways we can be loving – hugging, helping a friend and curling up with a favourite pet. We also love the ‘feeling’ illustration which helps children to understand that the sun won’t shine every day and encourages them to think about what makes them happy.
The book’s message is that by stopping and appreciating our surroundings and senses, we can much better connect to the world around us. It’s a great message for readers of all ages.
Age Range: 3 +
Author: Nicola Edwards / Illustrator: Katie Hickey
Happy: A Children's Book of Mindfulness
by - [Caterpillar Books Ltd]
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Thank you to Little Tiger Press for sending this gorgeous book.
This looks like a really lovely and meaningful book indeed! #MMBC
It is gorgeous and also very calming to read aloud 🙂
What a lovely concept for a book, definitely going to get this for my daughter. The illustrations are beautiful x #mmbc
The illustrations are gorgeous and so calming. Katie Hickey is really talented.
I love the look of this. It looks like a great way to introduce the concept of mindfulness to children. I wonder if it might be a useful addition to our little library of books to help Sophie as a bereaved sibling? #TriedTested
It can definitely help you to stimulate conversations with Sophie and help her to realise that it’s ok to feel sad. I think that it’s also good in the way that it encourages children to use all of their senses to make sense of their experiences. The questions are helpful and I guess that if you read the book regularly, a child will realise that their feelings, emotions and perspectives will differ on different days. Sending a hug to Sophie, it must be so hard for her to make sense of her life without Jessica. x
This sounds like a really lovely book. I think it’s really important to teach mindfullness skills to our children and young people.
We rush around so much in our daily lives that I think it’s good to be reminded that it’s important to be still and to connect with our surroundings and our senses.
This sounds like a really lovely book.
The illustrations are beautiful x
The illustrations are gorgeous. It was really hard to choose a favourite 🙂
The illustrations look beautiful. I think this would really help my 5 year old, he really struggles with his emotions and worries a lot. I’ll have to get hold of a copy. #TriedTested
I hope that you enjoy it and that it will help your son.
This book looks beautiful and I would like to do some more mindfulness with the kids #triedtested
It is a beautiful book and a great introduction to mindfulness.
What a lovely read and such a fab way to introduce mindfulness to children. It’s good to focus on the little things rather than get caught up in the bigger picture.
Thanks ever so much for sharing with #MMBC. x
I love the colors in the illustrations – it looks like a beautiful book. #MMBC
The illustrations are beautiful – they’re calming and relaxing too 🙂
I have lots of young nieces and nephews who would enjoy this book. I love the important message it contains.
It’s a great message for all of us – adults as well as children 🙂
I think more books like this are needed in this day and age. Thanks for sharing with #readwithme
Definitely! Books that encourage children to stop and enjoy their surroundings are so important in a busy world.
Oh wow, this book looks beautiful and so needed too. I love how many books there are now to support children’s mental health and this looks like another great one. #ReadWithMe
It’s a great book to encourage children to really look at their surroundings and help them to understand their emotions, as an adult it had a calming effect on me too. I just wanted to lie back and look at the clouds after reading it :o)
This looks lovely. And what a good topic to cover in a children’s book #readwithme
It is lovely and hopefully a book like this will help children to slow down and appreciate their surroundings.
This looks lovely, I’m on the look out for more mindfulness books for children so I’ll keep this one in mind. #readwithme
It is a really lovely book and I think it’s appropriate for a really wide age range too 🙂