The Disney-princess version of a yoga picture book; undoubtedly marketable and predictably flawed.
Page by page, young readers are guided through a sun salutation, one of the most recognizable sequences in contemporary Western yoga.
Hinder’s exuberant style radiates a color palette warm as the morning sun. Subtle details seem to shimmer on the page. The text opens with wonderful simplicity, providing movement instruction and inviting readers to notice what they experience. It quickly becomes overworked, however, abandoning simplicity in favor of forced rhyme. The text alone does little to explain the movements, and the accompanying images are problematic as models. Like many yoga-themed picture books published recently, this work falls prey to the trap of presenting yoga sequences that are recognizable to adults without adapting the poses for young bodies. The plank and knee-chest-chin poses depicted, for example, require an inappropriate degree of core strength for the target audience. The single child depicted is overtly feminine in appearance. A contemplative, closed-mouth smile graces a tan-skinned face framed by flowing dark hair. While this version of feminine serenity will certainly appeal widely to yoga teachers and practitioners, it simultaneously reinforces stereotypical notions that yoga is an activity for “girls”—one limited to a certain kind of girl at that. Chipper animals flock to the child at every turn; one nearly expects the cast of characters to burst into song. Backmatter presents the flow of the salutation and discusses both the practice and meditation.
The Disney-princess version of a yoga picture book; undoubtedly marketable and predictably flawed. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68364-283-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sounds True
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
In connecting yoga with its roots, this book stands out
A straightforward introduction to yoga in a picture-book format.
In it, Spaniard Raventós tells readers that “many, many years ago in India, some men…decided that the simplest thing they could do was BREATHE” and invites readers to “sit down on the floor for a little while like they did.” Like other nonfiction picture books about yoga for children, this effort showcases child-friendly asanas (poses), such as tree, half-moon, cat, lion, and tortoise. But unlike similar titles, this book traces yoga’s beginnings to India and explains why and how asanas were developed: early practitioners needed to “train their bodies so they could stand still without complaining” and “train their thoughts” so that they could do “nothing more than breathing.” And, although the book’s protagonist is an unnamed blond, white boy, most spreads (by fellow Spaniard Girón) are of older Indian men and women—dhoti-wearing or sari-clad—performing the familiar asanas, a subtle representation of yoga’s ancient Eastern roots. Raventós’ prose is somewhat awkward and stilted, perhaps due to the (uncredited) translation, but Girón’s illustrations are calm and inviting. A reading guide provides further information about yogic breathing, and a pose glossary offers detailed instructions for the various asanas.
In connecting yoga with its roots, this book stands out . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4236-4935-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2018
Partner yoga: best done with a friend—and a skilled instructor.
Teachers and trained yogis will welcome the return of the diverse cast from Good Morning Yoga (2016) and Good Night Yoga (2015) to introduce playful partner yoga.
Twelve poses described in a rhyming stanza are demonstrated. Most children will recognize themselves in at least one of the 24 different child models that represent different ethnicities. In the first pose, a brown-skinned girl with a thick braid and a light-skinned boy sitting back-to-back model beginning cleansing breathes. The next spread shows a darker-skinned girl with tight pigtails and a different light-skinned boy sitting in a blossoming fruit tree and twisting while holding the same back-to-back position. Though city scenes are often in the background, each partner pair is shown in a different locale. As with much yoga instruction the text compares the positions to animals or natural phenomena. These whimsical choices will either confuse or delight children who may not be adept at metaphor. A final spread with brief instructions for use by parents or caregivers shows how young yogis can “flow” from one pose to the next, and a concluding “Mirror Me” activity, clearly for use by a teacher, is included.
Partner yoga: best done with a friend—and a skilled instructor. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62203-816-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sounds True
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
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