PPBF: Moon

Happy PPBF; today I'm excited because you get to meet Moon.

Title: Moon

Author and Illustrator: Alison Oliver

Publisher: Clarion Books

Birthday: April 17, 2018

Suitable for ages: 4-7

Themes: imagination, mindfulness, play

Brief synopsis: Dutiful, responsible young Moon, who always does it all, yearns to know what it's like to feel wild and free. Will her imaginative encounter with some wily wolves free her up a bit?

Opening page: 

Every day, Moon walked home from school and thought about the day.

Resources:

Check out a Publishers Weekly review {here}.

Get a sneak peek from Design of The Picture Book {here}.

Purchase the book on Amazon {here}.

Visit my Mindfulness Pinterest collection {here}.

Why I like this book: 

1. The eye-catching illustrations are simply stunning.

2. The tale, although fictional, has a believable flavor.

3. The conflict resolves weaving in mindfulness.

I'm a big fan of practicing mindfulness.

Staying in the moment,

mindfully aware,

without judgment.

In other words, being where your feet are.

That's how author Julia Cook explained it in a recent interview.

And it stuck.

In Moon's dream-like outing with the wolves,

she learns how to pounce, how to play, how to howl.

In the moment. 

And then, and probably most importantly,

how to be still, how to listen and feel.

To unwrap the present.

Isn't that magical?

And that's just it.

Mindfulness can be magical.

But since it's a practice,

it takes practice.

I love that Moon comes back from her dreamy outdoor outing

ready to practice being her new-found carefree, playful self.

After a discussion about mindfulness, encourage your readers to create a bookmark explaining what mindfulness looks like to them.

Here's a design I'm working on to give to participants at

a Mindfulness Expo I'm keynoting next week.

Of course, you could always research wolves

or the moon. Or both.

Find out if wolves actually do howl at the moon.

And if so, why?

Check out this book;

it just might leave you howling for more.

Next, head over to Susanna Hill's blog to devour 

today's other KidLit authors' PPBF picks.

Enjoy the weekend.