Something I find missing in many people today is connections. People need connections with one another as well as nature. We also need to stop and just be. Today I am sharing two picture books that emphasize these messages. The first is My First Book of Zen: Simple Wisdom for Children by Tracy Gallup. It is recommended for ages 5 to 9.
About the Book:
Follow two children on a gentle journey as they receive notes and messages from their mother, discovering the beauty and wisdom of Zen along the way.Change is in the air.
Oak leaves are gently falling like hands waving. Hello trees.
You will soon have a change of outfit, with lacy, delicate branches reaching for the sky.
My First Book of Zen is an invitation for young minds to explore the gentle teachings of Zen philosophy. Through a day in the life of two children, young readers encounter messages of presence, kindness, and connection to the world around them.
Each of the nine moments encourages curiosity and reflection, helping children develop an appreciation for nature's beauty and the peace found in still moments. Enchanting watercolor illustrations by award-winning artist Tracy Gallup paint the soft moods of Zen and capture a sense of inner calm. Each image is paired with a thoughtful message and a quote from an inspirational thinker—like the haiku master Issa, Zen philosophers D.T. Suzuki and Alan Watts, or the Dalai Lama—offering a quiet space for reflection.
A perfect book for bedtime and fostering moments of calm, My First Book of Zen sows the seeds of inner harmony, compassion, gratitude, and a lasting love for the natural world.
From Me:
This book is divided into the seasons. Each season has a couple of moments shared by a young sister and brother. They find and love reading Zen notes from their mother. The notes help them slow down and discover beauty and peace around them. It encourages enjoying nature as well as enjoying one another's company.
I love the messages in this book. The Zen notes and quotes are wonderful and encouraging. I also love how the book ends with the sister realizing the peacefulness and observations the two have had in their Zen moments. The moments include nature but also accepting change at school and so much more.
I also love how the book normalizes not being overscheduled. The kids are encouraged to go out and explore and discover the natural world. It also helps kids find the positives in disappointments. For example, it rains when they are going to have a picnic with a friend. Instead, they enjoy listening to the raindrops while picnic in the screened in porch. The Zen notes help encourage the kids to look for the positives in life and that is something we all need to do more!
This book is perfect for every family as well as reading at a story time. I can see it being perfect for bedtime as it ends with the kids getting ready for bed. It ends with a bit of reflection which is so important for everyone but especially young children as it helps develop their brains and helps them reach higher levels of thinking. The more we teach kids to reflect the easier it will be in different places and times when it will be important to their growth and learning. I know my students often struggle with reflecting on lessons and I wish they had started at a younger age. You can see our other posts about Zen here.
Our next book is about one of my favorite drinks--tea!! We have shared many books and ideas about tea and tea parties, but this one is aimed for younger kids. The book is Tea Is Love by Adib Khorram and illustrated by Hanna Cha.
About the Book:
A lyrical ode to the warmth, comfort, and traditions of tea drinking, from award-winning author Adib Khorram and Caldecott Honor and the APALA winner Hanna Cha.Tea is a plant. Tea is a ceremony. But most of all, tea is love.
Whether it’s part of an elaborate ceremony, or a quiet cup brewed for one, tea holds a special place in the hearts of millions. This poignant, lovely picture book celebrates the practice of tea-drinking across various cultures and countries, and meditates on the many meaning the ritual holds.
From Me:
Tea is so many things to so many people. It is a beverage. It has caused all sorts of scandals over the centuries. It has also evolved into a popular drink with new kinds all the time. This book however is simple. It shares the picking of tea leaves and the journey the leaves make around the world. People gather to have tea and talk or gift tea. It can be part of a ceremony and usually brings back happy memories. I know tea brings back happy memories for me as a child. From having a cup of tea after church or the really special tea parties with my mother and her special teacups. We have certainly shared many tea parties from Hazel's second birthday party theme: Tea for Two to our Tea Parties Around the World series and many more in between, tea has been a comfort and fun for our lives. It is for many and the main message of this fun book is that tea is love. It shows love and provides comfort for many people!
I love how diverse this book is. It shares that tea is drunk around the world with its illustrations. It shares tea at parties and weddings to a couple sharing some tea while a baby sleeps to having tea for one person. There are pictures of multicultural people sharing tea and it is so fun and everything I think of when I think of tea!
The book is perfect for anyone whose family drinks tea as well as for any tea lover. It is a picture book for children, but I can also see adult tea lovers enjoying this book. For a classroom it would be fun to explore the different types of tea and where tea comes from. The Author's Note in the back of the book shares how tea's history is complicated. It also shares how different cultures drink it in different ways including iced in the United States! The book captures so many of the feelings I have when I drink tea and think about tea. I hope you will check it out!
