Breathe: a Mindfulness Story and How-To Guide for Kids

BREATHE is a clever board book that teaches young readers about mindfulness through the story of Dillon. Dillon the Dog gets overwhelmed by noise, and he needs to center himself to get through his stress of the day. Through the story, children are taught about how to cope when they feel overwhelmed and the things they can do to center themselves and regain their calm. Children can practice these techniques as they read the story.

What I loved: This is a simple but clever concept that helps to teach children about mindfulness in a really approachable and constructive way. The book invites readers to interact and explore along with Dillon, such as by taking deep breaths, focusing on comforting thoughts, and turning their mind's eye inward. The book contains the instructions they need to do these things in language that children can easily understand. Due to the length of text and concepts, this would work best for older toddlers and preschoolers, as well as young elementary school aged readers.

The illustrations are colorful and creative, really bringing the story to life. Word art is also used throughout to emphasize different words and add to the images. Font is clear and easy to read, mostly written as black on white pages.

Final verdict: Overall, BREATHE is a helpful board book to give young readers the tools they need to practice a bit of mindfulness and bring some calm into overwhelming situations alongside the relatable Dillon.