Wide-Eyed Editions ISBN 9780711255562 £12.99
Life today is demanding for both children and adults alike and it is sometimes hard to slow down. Imagine if we were able to give children the tools to enable them to steady their breathing, relax their muscles and minds, sleep well and so cope with life’s daily demands. Well this book, written in part by a clinical psychologist with expertise in sleep, offers an answer. It is a non-fiction book which reads like a narrative, preparing its reader for sleep by exploring the constellations in the night sky and their fascinating associated myths and legends. On each double page spread there are illustrated named constellations, the stories associated with them and then a cleverly linked simple yoga pose, mindfulness exercise or breathing technique which the reader can try out. The book can be read in its entirety, or just dipped into. The text is accessible with names capitalised and the reader addressed directly to invite both personal engagement and opinion. Exercises are indicated by a small crescent moon sign and instructions are straightforward. The illustrations are somewhat stylised but are clear and in a suitable calming palette. This would be a delightful pre-bedtime book for parent and child to engage in together, but in school, I can see it as an interesting addition to a unit of work on Greek myths and legends in KS2, while the exercises could easily be incorporated into the end of a PE lesson or after a wet indoor playtime. Unusual and fascinating.
Sue Barrett