A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles by Thich Nhat Hanh (2008, Plum Blossom; 64 pages) Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the best known Zen Buddhist teachers in the world. He has developed a fun, unique, and innovative method of introducing children to the practice of meditation called "pebble meditation." A Handful of Quiet brings readers that method; The book contains easy-to-understand instructions to experience our interconnection with nature and calm busy bodies and minds. This is a great tool for young adults or parents wanting to learn and practice meditation to pass it along to their children. Pebble meditation can be practiced alone or with the whole family, and, according to the author, the benefits are many. It can help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude, and help children and young adults deal with difficult emotions. The book is short, easy to read, and filled with wonderful and helpful illustrations. The reader will be able to take advantage or the method right away. It also includes resources for family practice, a pebble meditation practice sheet, pebble meditation cards, and more. Strongly recommended to those searching for a method to learn meditation. Recommended to all ages. Find this title in our catalog: A Handful of Quiet Recommended by: Maite
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Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science by Jeannine Atkins (2017, Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 208 pages) This is a delightful book about Maria Merian, Mary Anning, and Maria Mitchell: three girls who changed science. The book is written in poetry form and it is divided into three chapters, each of them honoring one of the three scientists and narrating an episode on their lives. Maria Merian wondered how caterpillars turned into beautiful creatures with wings, and through careful observation she discovered the truth about metamorphosis. She learned to look into details from her father, a painter, and using artistic skills she documented her findings in gorgeous paintings of the life cycles of insects. More than one century later, Mary Anning helped her father collect stone sea creatures from the cliffs in southwest England. Fascinated by those creatures, the intrepid and patient girl discovered a passion that eventually led to her discovery of fossils that would change people's vision of the past. In the third chapter we learn about another girl who changed science. This time the author takes us across the Atlantic to meet Maria Mitchell, who helped her mapmaker father in the whaling village of Nantucket. At night they explored the starry sky through a telescope. Maria longed to discover a new comet, and her desire came true after years of studying the night sky. The book is weaved along the idea of how those who observe can find wonder in the world around them, and the evocative poems honor these three remarkable girls. A beautiful, gorgeous book to be enjoyed by all ages. A gem. Find this title in our catalog: Finding Wonders Recommended by: Maite |