With everyone sitting in front of screens for so many hours each day, I thought it would be refreshing to feature a gorgeously illustrated book that’s easy on the eyes while encouraging your inner yogi to get out of the chair and take off on a jungle adventure.
Text ©️Melissa Hurt, Illustration ©️Katy Tanis
The story opens with a classroom of kids, each being a “wild child” in some way, who are ready for some action.
Text ©️Melissa Hurt, Illustration ©️Katy Tanis
The journey begins:
I inhale as I sweep my arms out to the side and overhead.
I gently arch my back and gaze toward the sky…
Text ©️Melissa Hurt, Illustration ©️Katy Tanis
And proceeds through mountain, tree, half moon, goddess, forward fold, lion, cobra, seated forward bend, fish, and bound angle poses, finishing up in a seated, cross-legged pose, feeling like a cloud.
I, for one, feel better having gotten up out of my chair to do this sequence before writing this post. My mind is more clear, my attention more focused. And I’m ready to get back to my screen.
One of my favorite images depicts a child butterfly sitting atop a pile of books. I could see a teacher or parent reading this book as children move through the poses, like a guided meditation.
Text ©️Melissa Hurt, Illustration ©️Katy Tanis
My only issue? I didn’t want to leave the last pose, where I got to visualize myself as a cloud.
I’m sorry that my sad photos don’t convey the true vibrancy of Katy Tanis’s illustrations. But they are truly gorgeous.
Activities:
Use the book to guide kids through the yoga poses in jungle mode.
Pair this book with I AM PEACE: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde.
Use the World Wildlife Fund templates for making origami animals.
Title: I Am the Jungle: A Yoga Adventure
Author: Melissa Hurt
Illustrator: Katy Tanis
Publisher: Sounds True, 2020
Ages: Preschool-5th grade
Themes: yoga, movement, jungle animals
For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.
Jilanne Hoffmann 
Oh this one looks incredible; I am always on the HUNT for a strong YOGA/mindfulness pick! Thank you.
I’m thinking you’ll really enjoy it!
The illustrations are lovely. I enjoyed lingering on the classroom scene and agree that the child-butterfly is amazing. What a special find, Jilanne. Definitely on my TBR list. Thank you.
I’m thinking that classroom scene is what’s going on at home these days for distance learning. Parents may do well to incorporate a little “classroom” yoga to settle kids before Zooming.
Love the juxtaposition of jungle and yoga. And I adore the butterfly pose on top of the books. I need that.
Don’t we all!
everyone needs a yoga break! I hadn’t thought of “jungle poses” but yeah, I can totally see them. And laying on a cloud at the end… I would want to stay there, too!
I find myself wanting to be in cloud pose pretty much all day right now. But I suppose that would be called “escapist” pose.
I love the selsction of colours on the cover. Yoga is something that I have never tried but would probably give a go at some point. Encouraging children to it is a great idea, especailly if it helps parents bond with them away from screens too.
I’m all for time away from screens. Getting too much of that, especially right now!
I’m managing to get some reading done when Amelia sleeps, my pretext is that I have to stay and rock her so she has a decent sleep but really it’s just so I can have a sneaky bit of reading time in peace.