Play School: Breathe in and out by Jan Stradling and Jedda Robaard

One in the very useful Mindfully Me series of books which touch upon subjects that are pertinent to some students at any one time, and to many over the space of their school lives will be read by students and teachers alike as they tackle a common problem, despair. This story talks about Big Ted and his bout of not feeling himself. When his four friends come to visit Big Ted at his house, he does not feel like playing, he is uncharacteristically quiet and reserved. When asked, he says that he feels stormy: he feels like the dark clouds which come before the rain.

All of his friends understand, and suggest they build a mindfulness cubby, a place to feel safe and calm. Big Ted is not so sure, but sits in it for them. Little Ted returns with a gift of lavender, saying that when things get a little tight with him, he smells the lavender and then he passes over some basil and cinnamon sticks. Big Ted smells the offerings, saying they remind him of his mother’s kitchen. Kiya brings in a picture of the sea and together they think of how calm and peaceful it looks and how sparkling the sea is. Jemima has picked up her guitar and is playing a tune, telling him that when she is wound up she plays her instrument and feels calmer. Humpty brings in a slow down jar, one that when it is shaken the glitter inside flows slowly to the base of the jar reminding people to breathe in and out. Each of his four friends has offered something that helps them become calm after feeling at a loss or worrying over something. Each of the offerings use one or other of the senses to rally the person feeling low. The smell of the lavender, basil and cinnamon remind Big Ted of the warmth of his mother’s kitchen, pictures of the sea remind him of calm sights, Jemima’s playing works on his hearing while the slow down jar uses his own experience of breathing in and out. Each friend uses a sense: smelling, looking, hearing and feeling to evoke a pleasant response, to make him feel happy once again.

This most successfully outlined story about mindfulness will encourage younger readers to watch out for each other, to be aware that the simplest of things will help their friends and themselves out of the blue times in their days, and building a mindfulness cubby may be the first step.

The Play School Mindfully Me series helps children and their carers tackle life's challenges together - big or small. (HarperCollins)

Themes: Depression, Mindfulness, Friendship, Five senses.

Fran Knight