I Am Yoga

Starred review from July 15, 2015
A young girl overwhelmed by her hectic world calms herself by practicing yoga. Drawing on her experience as a children's yoga instructor, author Verde reunites with Reynolds in their third collaboration (You and Me, 2015, etc.). Verde approaches yoga as more than mere physical exercise. Written in first person, the book flows with a young girl as she shifts from turmoil to self-regulated calm through a series of poses. The girl begins with the grounding deep breaths of mountain pose and continues through a complete yoga sequence, ending it with a restful savasana (relaxation pose). Her confident declarations that accompany each pose connect her body's movements with her inner emotions. Reynolds' expressive yet soothing watercolors transform each pose beyond its physicality into a full mind-body experience. "I can touch the sky. I am so tall," reads the text, while the girl, colored all in green, adopts the tree pose, flanked by real trees. The combination of Verde's tranquil words and Reynolds' playful interpretations will encourage young readers to mirror each pose before turning the page. Children will learn how yoga can be a tool to guide their emotions even when the outside world is beyond their control. An appendix illustrates the 16 poses from the book with detailed instructions that also include visualization exercises. Empowering affirmations and playful illustrations will inspire both children and adults to slow down and strike a pose. (Picture book. 3-9)

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September 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Another pleasing picture book from the creative team behind The Museum (2013) and You and Me (2015, both Abrams). Verde's lyrical language meshes well with Reynolds's peaceful, tranquil cartoon illustrations, done in muted tones. A young girl explains why she does yoga and describes each move as she does them. "I can sail on the sea./ I go with the flow" accompanies The Boat Pose. "I can carry beauty with me./ I am full" with a Bow/Basket Pose. Fun to read, the narration encourages movement, and the author note and information on each pose at the end of the book are great teaching tools. VERDICT A delightful introduction to the subject as well as a wonderful read-aloud for movement and mindfulness.-Jane Hebert, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL

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