A Few of our Favorite Books
Books are a great way to calm the mind! Here are the staff picks for favorite books. Check out Schlow Library, Centre County Library, or your local library to see if you can check out a copy or listen to the audio version!
Children's Books
and for those young at heart…
Listen like an Elephant
by Kira Willey
This mindful exercise featuring a colorful elephant helps kids feel focused, wherever they are. With Listen Like an Elephant, kids learn to slow down, listen to the world around them, and focus their attention—no matter how messy life becomes.
Breathe like a Bear
by Kira Willey
Breathe Like a Bear is a beautifully illustrated collection of movements and breathing exercises designed to teach kids techniques for managing their bodies, breath, and emotions.
I Am Peace
by Susan Verde
I Am Peace by Susan Verde teaches children how to practice mindfulness. Children will learn how to stay in the present moment by finding their peace.
Listen with my Heart
by Gabi Garcia
Kindness matters – especially to ourselves. This book takes a deeper look into how children can become friends with themselves helping to grow self-acceptance and positive self-talk.
I Am Yoga
by Susan Verde
I Am Yoga encourages children to explore the world of yoga and make room in their hearts for the world beyond it. A kid-friendly guide to yoga poses is included.
The Color Monster
by Anna Llenas
Unpack feelings with color in this international bestseller that helps young readers identify emotions and feel more in control. Everyone will enjoy sharing this concept book that taps into both socio-emotional growth and color concepts in a simple, friendly way.
The Breathing Book
by Christopher Willard and Olivia Weisser
With The Breathing Book, young readers discover the power of mindful awareness through a series of breathing practices and engaging activities designed to calm the mind and body, set positive intentions, and spark creativity and imagination.
The Little Calm Spot
by Diane Alber
Sometimes when your emotions get TOO Big it’s hard to stay CALM and FOCUSED. A little Calm SPOT is a story about how using breathing, movement and mindset can help overcome some the biggest emotions. This book is full of fun illustrations that will inspire children to try belly breathing and yoga!
Hooray, I can do it!
by Aleks Harrison
This children’s book about swimming will help you find the right words (and pictures) to underline the importance of never giving up on your dreams! This book is geared toward the toddler ages.
Young Adult Books
The Mindful Teen
by Dzung X. Vo FAAP
In this powerful book, a pediatrician specializing in teen and adolescent medicine offers a breakthrough mindfulness program to help you deal with stress in healthy ways, improve communication, and reduce conflicts with family and friends.
Mindfulness for Teens in 10 Minutes a Day
by Jennie Marie Battistin MA LMFT
Learn how to use mindfulness, or the ability to be fully aware in the present moment, to reduce everyday stress. Mindfulness for Teens in 10 Minutes a Day shows you how to take control of your feelings and focus your attention with short, simple mindfulness activities.
Be Mindful & Stress Less
by Gina Biegel
The demands and pressures of everyday life can really stress you out! School, work, relationships, social media, and the like can leave you pulled in so many directions it can make your head spin. When you need help fast, these simple accessible mindfulness-based practices will help bring you relief and ease right away.
Get out of your mind & into your life for teens
by Joseph V. Ciarrochi, PhD.; Louise Hayes, PhD.; Ann Bailey, MA
Kindness matters – especially to ourselves. This book takes a deeper look into how children can become friends with themselves helping to grow self-acceptance and positive self-talk.
Just as you Are
by Michelle Skeen, PsyD.; Kelly Skeen
Stop comparing yourself to others—you’re special just as you are! In this fun, practical guide, you’ll learn how to silence your nit-picky inner critic, cultivate self-compassion, and discover what really matters to you.
You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way
by Laya Saul
You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way covers a lot of topics that teens need and want to read about: from sensitive areas like sexual abuse, pain, and hard times, to issues like understanding how to deal with peer pressure and making the right choice about drugs.
Adult Books
The Art of Not Falling Apart
by Christina Patterson
The Art of Not Falling Apart is a shockingly honest celebration of life as an adventure.
Radical Acceptance
by Tara Brach, PhD.
A psychotherapist and Buddhist meditation teacher in the tradition of Jack Kornfield (who contributes a foreword), first-time author Brach offers readers a rich compendium of stories and techniques designed to help people awaken from what she calls “the trance of unworthiness,” says Publisher Weekly
Be Mindful & Stress Less
by Gina Biegel
The demands and pressures of everyday life can really stress you out! School, work, relationships, social media, and the like can leave you pulled in so many directions it can make your head spin. When you need help fast, these simple accessible mindfulness-based practices will help bring you relief and ease right away.
The Miracle of Mindfulness
by Tinch Nhat Hanh
In this beautiful guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercise as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness–being awake and fully aware.
Practicing Mindfulness
by Matthew Sockolov
Mindfulness meditations are a great way to cultivate awareness and acceptance of the here and now―Practicing Mindfulness makes it easy and accessible with 75 evidence-based exercises designed to bring calmness and compassion into your day-to-day.
Mindful Games
by Susan Kaiser Greenland
Playing games is a great way for kids to improve their focus and become more mindful. This book shares how parents, caregivers, and teachers can bring mindfulness into the classroom or home.