Breathe by Scott Magoon is a lovely story about a baby whale exploring his habitat on his own. Baby whale's day is full of activity and adventures. His day is filled with play, swimming, diving, exploring, friends, listening, singing, a fearful situation and creative thinking, love, dreams, and sleep. That's a jam packed day! The simple text phrases and the carefully chosen color hues of blues and greens don't make the reader feel anxious at all about such a busy day. Another carefully chosen task in baby whale's day is breathing. Three times baby whale takes a breath and I find those pages a bit more peaceful.
Breathing is a distress tolerance skill which can promote relaxation. Baby whale models going through our days and finding a moment to take a deep breath. That deep breath provides relaxation and an opportunity to gain momentum for more activities.
"Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act." (mental health.gov) I hope you find this post helpful in supporting mental wellness. "Wellness is an approach to preventing illness and prolonging life as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases." (dictionary.com) Let's be proactive in and out of our classrooms.
Looks like a sweet, calming, and helpful book for youngsters (and adults!). Thanks for your review.
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