Meditation Station

by Susan B. Katz, Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrator)

Overview

Winner of the 2020 International Children's Mind/Body/Spirit Book Award!

Your racing train of thoughts may try to take you down the railroad tracks, but you can stay in the Meditation Station, where children ages 4-8 learn how to calm their bodies and minds.

All aboard for Meditation Station! It's time to learn how to manage our busy minds, difficult feelings, and frustrations by staying with our breath and in our body. Your train of thoughts might be racing, but you can manage it with some simple steps. Take a deep breath in, and then let the breath out slowly. That is how you will learn what meditation is all about. The next train is coming. Can you hear it chugging along? Stay in the meditation station—don't hop on the train! Just wave goodbye to your racing mind and find inner calm.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611807912
Publisher:	Shambhala
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	410,454
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 7.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

SUSAN B. KATZ is an award-winning bilingual author, National Board Certified Teacher, educational consultant, and long-time meditation practitioner. Ms. Katz's second book, My Mama Earth, won the Moonbeam Gold Award for Best Picture Book. Her first book, ABC, Baby Me! debuted to rave reviews. ABC School's for Me! was her third book and was illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. All Year Round was named "Best New Book of 2016" by The Children's Book Review. She went on to translate it into Spanish as Un Año Redondo. Susan is also the founder and executive director of Connecting Authors, a national nonprofit bringing children's book authors and illustrators into schools and libraries as role models of literacy and the arts. Ms. Katz served as the Strategic Partner Manager for Authors at Facebook and delivers keynotes at conferences nationally and internationally. You can read more about her books and school visits at www.susankatzbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

Meditation Station is a must-read for children all over the world! Parents and teachers can introduce the concept of taking even just a little bit of time to focus on our breathing and being fully present, instead of getting distracted and derailed by our thoughts. Cute characters and lyrical text show kids that pausing and recharging is possible even in our fast-paced, hyperconnected world.”—Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global

“Meditation Station is an adorably brilliant book for teaching calming techniques and mindfulness to children! While reading and studying the charming illustrations, I began breathing more mindfully and felt a relaxed calmness wash over me. By the last page, I felt like I had meditated. With the clarity that comes from serene mindfulness, I predict Meditation Station will be a beloved staple in homes, libraries, children's hospitals, schools, and meditation centers for years and years to come.”—Laura Numeroff, New York Times bestselling author of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie 

"This delightful book offers children one of the most precious of gifts—an understanding that we are not our thoughts! The evocative theme and beautiful illustrations remind all of us that we can stay balanced and calm instead of being taken for a ride by reactive stories in our mind."—Tara Brach, author of Radical Compassion

“As a father and someone who has practiced meditation for the past twenty-five years, I’m so grateful for and excited about this beautiful book. Embracing mindfulness and teaching our children to meditate is so important for them and for our world.”—Mike Robbins, internationally renowned speaker and author of We’re All in This Together

"How wonderful to have such a delightful lesson for children of all ages of befriending one's own mind."—Sylvia Boorstein, PhD, co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center

“Climb aboard and regulate wiggly minds and bodies.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A good overview of meditation and mindfulness for young readers.”—School Library Journal

“Without a doubt, this book provides children with a strategy that will help them find daily focus and a sense of calmness by encouraging them to get in touch with their body through a mindful practice. Meditation Station is an outstanding choice for parents looking to introduce their children to the practice of meditation and teachers looking to incorporate mindfulness into their lesson plans. Highly Recommended.”—The Children’s Book Review

From the Publisher

11/01/2020

PreS-Gr 1—This title challenges children to observe their thoughts as they would a passing freight train. Thoughts, similar to a train, can be noisy and fast. Whether the train cars are filled with favorite things, memories, wishes, or regrets, youngsters are advised to stop and let them pass by while returning their focus to their breath. The text is written in rhyming couplets, which are at times unwieldy, but provides a good introduction to meditation and the practice of mindfulness. The illustrations feature a cuddly teddy bear wearing striped overalls and a scarf reminiscent of a train conductor. The bear guides readers through the train station, which bustles with other animal characters. The lines of the track and the steam from the train create a sense of dynamic movement. The soft colors and shapes convey feelings of peace and calmness. VERDICT A good overview of meditation and mindfulness for young readers.—Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County P.L., MD

School Library Journal

2020-09-15
A little bear compares mindfulness techniques to the sights and sounds of a train station.

Thoughts, emotions, and desires swirl into a child’s mind at a moment’s notice, just like a train rushing into the station. One car has an ice-cream window; another is full of toys! A flatbed carries wishes—like “birthday cake for breakfast.” Spilling out of another are all the “words you wanted to say, / adventures, stories and games you could play.” The cuddly cub doesn’t board the train but instead stays at the station, noticing each car and watching them zoom by. The train whistles and screeches as it arrives but hums a meditative “clickety-clack” as it chugs away. While the rhyming verse is not as regular as that onomatopoeia suggests, the conceit is gracefully and consistently handled: “Wait! The signal lights are flashing: red, yellow, green. / Stop and slow down your breathing machine. // Feel the thumpety-thump of your little heartbeat / from the top of your head to the tips of your feet.” Calming watercolors and delicately inked illustrations match the soothing mood. Katz employs a very clever concept: a metaphor using a favorite childhood obsession—it’s hard to top that. Plus, no baggage (literal or figurative) is needed for this trip. (This book was reviewed digitally with 7-by-15-inch double-page spreads viewed at 77.4% of actual size.)

Climb aboard and regulate wiggly minds and bodies. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews