Savvy Review – Be Where Your Feet Are!
I am always excited to add a new Julia Cook book to my school counseling inventory! My last review was about Bubble Gum Brain. Her latest book is called Be Where Your Feet Are! and I am excited to share my thoughts with you about it today.
In her newest book, Julia “reinforces the concepts of mindfulness and being present.” For anyone who hasn’t already jumped on the bandwagon, mindfulness is “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” (Merriam -Webster) It’s about the here & now and focusing on the present moment.
As with many of Julia’s books, this book offers a rhyming storybook format that will quickly capture the attention of young readers and listeners. The main character in the story goes through multiple incidents where he doesn’t demonstrate mindfulness which gives children clear examples and helps them understand the concept. When his mind isn’t where his feet are, he learns that his “focus is less, not more.” When reading this book, children will learn why it is important to be in the present and how staying mindful can help them with school, relationships, and working toward their goals. We also see how focused the main character is on his trombone solo. As a matter of fact, he was so “mindful” of his solo that it was the one thing that went “Awesomely Amazing!” that day. This was a good example of how mindfulness can bring great results.
I love how Julia uses storytelling to help children understand concepts that may otherwise be difficult for them to understand. Be Where Your Feet Are! is another excellent go-to resource for school counselors to use when introducing mindfulness to students. In addition to using the story, Julia included tips for parents and educators at the back of the book which includes things like becoming “a master at modeling, teaching, and celebrating the results of single tasking” and encouraging children to take mindfulness breaks throughout the day in order to become more focused, reflective, and effective in the moment. I encourage you to get a copy for your school counseling program!
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