Children’s Book Review: Yoga Frog By Nora Carpenter

YOGA FROG

By: Nora Carpenter

Illustrated by: Mark Chambers

Published: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Running Press Kids

Non-Fiction

Yoga is an activity that can be done by anyone of any age and in any kind of athletic shape. It has been proven to help with balance, muscle strength, flexibility, headaches, and stress.  I have incorporated yoga moves when I am subbing either in PE class as a warm-up activity or in the regular classroom as a brain break activity. I always feel better after doing yoga and reading this book has reminded me again, that I need to fit yoga moves into my regular daily routine.

This book is a perfect introduction to yoga for young children. Each page shows the frog doing one move, with the next page explaining the name of the move in a simple format.

The explanations are easy for children to understand….as long as they know their body parts. Will a three-year-old know what their chin or spine is? Maybe. If not, this is an excellent opportunity to teach the body parts to your child. The pictures help show what words like “arch” or “squat” mean. But, kids will have to know where some of the critical body parts used for yoga are located on their body like palms, spine, and chin. If a parent does the poses along with the child it gives the child another opportunity to learn the poses.

The book explains that doing a bit of yoga can help a person feel happier, stronger, and it’s a great way to start your day. The book includes eighteen different poses that flow well from one page to the next. The beginning pages warm the body up and the final pages relax the body. It also emphasizes breathing which many forget to do while holding their poses. It seems natural to hold your breath, but breathing through the poses is extremely important. The end of the book also includes a poster that could be torn out and hung up or taken out that shows a photo of a frog doing all eighteen poses.

You can also purchase the Yoga Frog in addition to the book. This Yoga Frog is bendable and can help kids understand by forming the frog into the pose that is needed. An additional mini version of the book is also included that is perfect for travel.

I will be using this book as well as the frog in the classroom. It will make explaining the poses so much easier to the younger kids and they will enjoy taking turns molding the frog in the specific yoga position. I truly believe yoga is beneficial for children who need a way to calm themselves or a way to start their morning or end their day. It could even be a family activity. Each of the pose names is an animal so it makes it easier for kids to grasp the position and remember it as well. I have found the book helpful and learned a few new yoga positions to add to my routine as well.

Nora Carpenter – source

Nora Carpenter is a certified Yoga Teacher and has taught numerous kids’ and adult’ yoga classes since 2007. She also holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she rotates as Head Grad Assistant for the program’s summer residencies. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina.  For more information, check out her website, HERE.

Mark Chambers is an author and illustrator of children’s picture books and young fiction. He studied Illustration and the University of London. In 2017, he was shortlisted for the AOI World Illustration Awards, and in 2013 for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Since then Mark has illustrated a wealth of picture books and young fiction. He currently lives and works in Lincoln, United Kingdom. For more information, check out his website, HERE.

To purchase a copy of Yoga Frog, click the photo below:

All summer I’ll be sharing books for children and youths that are great choices to keep your children interested in reading and learning. These may be books that encourage reading, play, and kindness as well as keeping kids interested in science and history all while continuing to read. The summer slide is real and teachers will appreciate kids that continue to keep their minds active along with their bodies. See all the Summer Read-to-Learn books, HERE.

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama’s regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children’s and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.

Other posts you may be interested in:

I Want To Do Yoga Too

303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.