Today is my last day of summer and I always find myself reflecting. There are waves, hills, valleys, bumps, and seasons in life and education isn't exempted. The beginning of the school year means new friends, faces, bodies, and minds coming together to form a community to make learning possible. During the past year I've found myself reading more personally and professionally about mindset, play, goals, emotions, emotion dysregulation, and mental health. Maybe I was young and naive, 1993 was my first year teaching and things in general seemed easier for everyone. As I keep reading and thinking about everything just mentioned I think worries is something we need to explore more with our students. I think they need far more guidance in experiencing and managing worries. I truly wish I could take this list of books and go into high school classrooms. They are beautifully illustrated and just tugged at my heart as an adult reader. Enjoy!
Dear Cathy,
I didn't follow our original intention of sharing my nearest and dearest picture books. I heard a calling and followed a dream...I know you'll understand.
Your friend,
Mandy
by Julie Kraals
Worries are heavy things and Whimsy shows us ignoring them doesn't help and offers guidance for breaking them in smaller pieces to make them manageable.
by Tom Percival
Ruby is very happy until one day she discovers a worry and it continues to grow. This is very uncomfortable for her and one day she discovers talking about it makes it shrink. Sweet, sweet, story.
by Deborah Sosin
Charlotte lives in a busy world of noise. Charlotte guides the reader to find a quiet place where your breathing in and out and how you can keep this feeling inside you as you live within a world of noise. I think it's important to allow for breaks and quiet.
by Lauren Rubinstein
A beautiful book guiding the reader to acknowledge and learn to identify your feelings in practical kid like ways - "Is it sharp like stepping on stones with bare feet? Or smooth like ice cream - your favorite treat?
by John Frank
It is also Poetry Friday friends. Helping others is a great thing to do and it can help with worries. This book touches on lots of things for mental health strategies; music, pets, friends, self care, exercise, nature, reading, writing, building, and creating.
by Lemniscates
A beautiful book guiding the reader to listen for things they don't often hear. My daughter shared the other day she was listening for the quiet-est thing. What would that be for you?
by Jennifer Adams
Guidance for tackling your day and affirmations for how you can help others and tackle your day.
Happiness with Four Pebbles
by Thich Nhat Hanh
This is a small picture book and shares a pebble meditation practice that is simple and can be done anywhere. The pebbles represent flower, mountain, water, and space. I think it would wonderful to go on a hike or bring pebbles in and have students select their own pebbles for the year.
by Heather Krantz
Ideas and tips for using bubbles to help regulate our thinking and breathing. Who doesn't enjoy spending time with bubbles.
By Rana DiOrio
Such beautiful example of what being present isn't and then the simple things we can do as individuals that it is. I had forgotten this wisdom - "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift - that's why we call it the present!" This book is part of Little Pickle Stories, I think other titles are worth checking out!
Great list of books! Many of these are new to me!
ReplyDeleteLove this list!!
ReplyDeleteThis list is wonderful and some titles are totally new to me. So excited to locate them! Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteKids have so many worries and they need help learning how to deal with these emotions. Thanks for putting this collection together and sharing it with all of us. These are books teachers need at the fingertips.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of A Handful of Quiet, Mandy. And the others, too. One of my granddaughters is a worrier, and I'll find some of these to share with her. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like there's so much to worry about anymore. This is a great list of books! You might also want to check out Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou. It's a beautiful poem with wonderful illustrations by Jean-Michel Basquiat! Have a great school year!
ReplyDeleteMandy-
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love this list! I need it as badly as the kids do! Thank you so much!
Carol
I love this list SO MUCH!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI started teaching around the same time and agree--there really seems to be more tension now. I teach middle school, and will be looking for the three "quiet" books to share with my students. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who worries too much, I can't wait to read these books! Great list, Mandy!
ReplyDeleteGreat theme! Great list.
ReplyDeleteThanks . This list is so thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteEach of these titles is new to me. I love that you shared them. It's such an important topic and one we need to address with our kiddos. Thank you Mandy! Hugs to you!
ReplyDelete