I Am a Peaceful Goldfish

February 15, 2021
What can you do when things go wrong? Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children's faces expressing different emotions. A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)

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April 15, 2021
Preschool-Grade 1 Two small children--a curly-haired Black boy and a bespectacled white girl--are surrounded by debris: a wingless toy plane, broken crayons, a headless doll, and two dropped ice-cream cones. Their frustration and sadness are clearly visible, and they aren't alone: their cat is clearly angry about not being able to reach the two goldfish that peacefully observe the scene. When the boy notices how calm the fish are, he and the girl attempt to imitate them by inhaling slow, deep breaths and then letting them out. The children pretend to breathe like other animals and inanimate objects--elephants, dandelions, wind chimes, dragons--and eventually, along with the cat, end up with their hands clasped in front of their hearts, marveling at how serene they feel. Engaging, brightly colored illustrations show the two children "becoming" the different objects. This mindfulness book for youngsters displays two charts of children's faces depicting different emotions; the first chart shows angry, sad, or frustrated kids, while the second reveals the same faces looking happy and peaceful.

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