Good Morning Yoga: A Pose By Pose Wake Up Story
by Mariam Gates; Illustrated by Sarah Jane Hinder
Sounds True (March 1, 2016)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8 years old
Fiction * Health * Daily Living
IndieBound | WorldCat
Description from GoodReads:
Yoga helps children learn how to focus, relax, and both self-monitor and self-soothe Good Morning Yoga instills these four skills and more, enabling children to jumpstart the day with energy and excitement and meet the adventures that come with mindfulness and perspective.
Good Night Yoga tells the story of the world retiring for the evening and a new generation of readers has fallen in love with the relaxing sequences and beautiful pictures that lead them to dreamland. Good Morning Yoga weaves gentle exercises with a heartwarming narrative and wonderful illustrations to empower children to manage the energies that visit throughout the day from the fiery volcano to the mountain quiet and still. Good Morning Yoga concludes with a visualization for kids to set intentions for the day. "
Check out the official Book Trailer:
My thoughts about this book:
It has been years since I have taken yoga classes but when I did take them I really enjoyed how I felt afterwards. There was an incredible feeling of being both stronger and calmer. When I received my copy of GOOD MORNING YOGA, I was immediately reminded of all of the yoga poses and was transported back to the room where classes were held. I was also reminded of Carrie Gelson and her students. I knew this was a book that she would love and that she could share with her students.
Gates uses two forms of text to share her story. One line tells about the pose shown on the page. The other is a lyrical verse that guides the reader through the breathing exercises and mindfulness of the pose.
Recently, I was chatting with a good friend about her experience with yoga breathing exercises. She discovered that she was able to really relax and calm when doing them. As a psychiatric social worker working with jail inmates , she has also been impressed by how yoga and yoga breathing has helped some of the inmates at the jail.
Though I don't face the challenges that she faces at work, I think about classrooms that have students with different kinds of challenges and special needs. Or classrooms where children struggle to focus and settle down. I wonder how many children could be transformed with a little yoga incorporated into their daily school schedule?!
Look for a copy of Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates at your local indie bookstore. My copy will be making it's way to a teacher and her classroom so that some first graders can try out a little yoga.
Listen to Mariam Gates read Good Morning Yoga:
Encourage yoga time in your home, bookstore, or library with this downloadable kit!
Note: Text copyright © by 2016 Mariam Gates; illustration copyright © 2016 by Sarah Jane Hinder
Published by Sounds True, Inc.
About the author:
Mariam Gates holds a master’s in education from Harvard University and has more than twenty years’ experience working with children. Her renowned Kid Power Yoga program combines her love of yoga with teaching to help children access their inner gifts. She is the author of Good Night Yoga (Sounds True, April 2015), and lives in Santa Cruz, CA, with her husband, yoga teacher Rolf Gates, and their two children. For more information, visit mariamgates.com.
Twitter: @gatesmariam Instagram: mariam.gates
Follow the tour:
Wed, Feb 24 Teach Mentor Texts
Fri, Feb 26 Where Imagination Grows
Mon, Feb 29 A Rup Life
Tues, Mar 1 Proseandkahn
Wed, Mar 2 Kid Lit Frenzy
Thurs, Mar 3 5 Minutes for Books
Fri, Mar 4 Once Upon a Story
Mon, Mar 7 Wrapped in Foil
Tues, Mar 8 Sharpread
Wed, Mar 9 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust
Thurs, Mar 10 Unleashing Readers
Fri, Mar 11 Children's Book Review
Tues, Mar 15 The Library Fanatic
Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive both books by Mariam Gates--GOOD MORNING YOGA and GOOD NIGHT YOGA, along with a full-color poster!