I Love Yoga

December 1, 2003
Gr 5 Up-A useful introduction. As the author points out in the first chapter, yoga can help teens deal with mood swings, do better in school, enhance sports performance, and "stay calm when your parents are bugging you!" The chapters on breathing, exercises, and relaxation techniques (meditation included) are all well done, as is the main chapter on the poses/asanas. The author gives a clear explanation of the six distinct types of yoga and the different styles, the main type of yoga practiced in the West, and the one that this book focuses on. One chapter includes quotes from teens about the benefits they have experienced from yoga. Step-by-step instructions with illustrations on how to do 18 basic poses are included. The chapter "Adapting Yoga for You" gives modifications of techniques for people of different abilities, including those who are disabled. Black-and-white drawings show the poses being described. A helpful glossary with pronunciation guides is welcome as is an index to the asanas. This title is much more in-depth and informative than Stefanie Iris Weiss's Everything You Need to Know about Yoga: An Introduction for Teens (Rosen, 1999).-Diane Olivo-Posner, Long Beach Public Library, CA

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