There have been scores of recent publications introducing mindfulness to kids. now by author and illustrator Antoinette Portis is not branded with the M word, and arrives with no marketing claims about supporting children with their emotional health. But it might just be the best of all.
We grabbed this in City of Perth Library, and am so glad we did. The text is simple, powerful and repetitive. It begins: “This is my favorite breeze” and the girl goes on to say how each thing she is experiencing is her favourite.
In this way, Portis and her girl show us everything we need to know about marking each moment, enjoying our senses, appreciating the wonders of everyday experience.
Everything the girl does is relatable and achievable, from watching a cloud, biting an apple, reading a book, finding a leaf. Her face beautifully communicates her state in each moment: concentrating, relaxing, feeling proud, being playful, savouring, dreaming…
Nevermind the children, I could benefit from a daily reading.
now by Antoinette Portis (Roaring Brook Press)
Stories with everything 
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