I Am Peace: Book Review

Inside: I Am Peace book review with related activities.

I am Peace book review with links to related resources. By Grade ONEderful

When we learn to be in the here and now, we understand ourselves better, we see beauty, and we act with kindness, compassion and empathy. When we learn to pause and be present, we find our calm, our center, and our peace. When we feel our own sense of peace, we can share it with others.
— Author’s Note

Title: I am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness
Author: Susan Verde
Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
Publishing: 2017, Abrams Books for Young Readers
Suitable for Ages: 4 to 9
Theme: Fiction, Mindfulness, Peace, Kindness
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am Peace book review with links to related resources. By Grade ONEderful

Opening Lines:

“There are times when I worry about what might happen next and what happened before. The thoughts in my head are like rushing water and I feel like a boat with no anchor …”

I am Peace book review with links to related resources. By Grade ONEderful

Brief Synopsis (from the book flap):

This book is “a gentle expression of the tenets of mindfulness, encouraging children to breathe, taste, smell, and be present in the here and now.

 

Why I LOVE and Recommend This Book:

The simple,  sweet illustrations, and the lovely poetic text not only help children to think and talk about their emotions, but they demonstrate a calm and peaceful way of being in the world.

Mindfulness is one way for children to learn to focus and self-regulate. Learning to manage emotions can be challenging for some people, and this book helps put things in perspective and shows that we can choose our responses to situations, rather than just react.

During my last couple of years of teaching my students and I practiced being mindful and present. In addition to focused breathing exercises, we also read books about kindness and compassion. The children really enjoyed these moments and it always brought a peaceful vibe to the classroom.

BONUS: The book includes a guided meditation!

 

Links to Resources:

1.This book pairs well with Peaceful Piggy Meditation. I reviewed it last year and included some activities.

2. Peter Reynolds has some banners if you’d like to create “I am Peace” selfies or group shots.

3. This Huffington Post article has 8 great ideas for teaching mindfulness.

4. Parents also has an excellent article.

I am Peace book review with links to related resources. By Grade ONEderful

I’m linking up with Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books. Be sure to pop over and find some other great titles!

 

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14 thoughts on “I Am Peace: Book Review”

  1. Our school has been participating in mindful activities at various grade levels. It does seem to help kids find a certain kind of quiet in lives that are filled with rapid-fire images from the media and all things electronic. I love the lyrical quality and the lovely illustrations.

    Reply
  2. Thanks for sharing this title. I like how you teach your students about being mindful and compassionate. Too many people are anxious and sad. We need to guide children into learning how to recognizing and managing their emotions instead of being control by their emotions. I am going to check this one out—and share with some adults too 🙂

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  3. I'm remembering when my daughter was in second grade–the parents were invited to join the class one afternoon as the students shared their poems and thoughts on mindfulness. This would be a wonderful book for all teachers to share at the start of the year and maybe read again later as a gentle reminder.

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  4. I think it's becoming more common in schools … but it would be lovely, also, to see more parents focus on mindfulness with their children :)Thank you for commenting!

    Reply
  5. We enjoy this book too. And I think we should get it out again – a good reminder that we can be peace. Thanks for the info about Peter Reynold's selfie props.

    Reply

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