I Am a Peaceful Goldfish

February 15, 2021
What can you do when things go wrong? Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children's faces expressing different emotions. A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)

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April 15, 2021
Preschool-Grade 1 Two small children--a curly-haired Black boy and a bespectacled white girl--are surrounded by debris: a wingless toy plane, broken crayons, a headless doll, and two dropped ice-cream cones. Their frustration and sadness are clearly visible, and they aren't alone: their cat is clearly angry about not being able to reach the two goldfish that peacefully observe the scene. When the boy notices how calm the fish are, he and the girl attempt to imitate them by inhaling slow, deep breaths and then letting them out. The children pretend to breathe like other animals and inanimate objects--elephants, dandelions, wind chimes, dragons--and eventually, along with the cat, end up with their hands clasped in front of their hearts, marveling at how serene they feel. Engaging, brightly colored illustrations show the two children "becoming" the different objects. This mindfulness book for youngsters displays two charts of children's faces depicting different emotions; the first chart shows angry, sad, or frustrated kids, while the second reveals the same faces looking happy and peaceful.

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Starred review from June 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 2-Toddlers, children, even adults can take a cue from the relaxed cat and other critters and objects that appear in this sweet book when strong emotions overwhelm us-just b-r-e-a-t-h-e. A young white girl with large, round black glasses and an older Black boy whose eyes appear to be closed in thought most of the time consider all the ways they can imitate other objects, like a goldfish in a glass bowl or a dandelion gone to seed, to calm themselves. As a wind chime, they can imagine themselves swinging from a tree, letting out all their air and making beautiful music. As a dandelion, they can disperse all their seeds with one big blow to send their wishes up high. As they talk about the different ways they can act and breathe, each of the objects or creatures represented take on an amusing likeness to the two children: one wears glasses like the girl's while the other has its eyes closed. By taking on characteristics of each entity they name, the two children engage in calming practices. The illustrations are brightly colored and the layout is uncluttered, which draws the eye to the few things depicted on each page. The author's note acknowledges that it's OK to have big feelings like anger, frustration, and sadness, but that it's also important to be able to calm oneself. Very young children might enjoy imitating the boy and girl's actions as they listen to the story. VERDICT A great resource for parents and educators for teaching calming practices.-Maggie Chase, Boise State Univ., ID

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