This accessible and fun guide to meditation and mindfulness is the perfect introduction for young children

Meditation does a body good, and can even help kids as young as four or five. This practical guide is gentle, clear, and a pleasure to use. Kids will learn how to focus on their breath, on the sensations in their body, and on the sounds around them to help them relax, settle their busy minds, and understand their emotions. Illustrated with cheerful drawings of five animal friends, the book offers step-by-step directions and a repeating refrain:

"Breathe in, and fill your whole body. Breathe out, and relax your whole body."

It's an invigorating first experience of mindfulness that can be shared by parents and children at home, or by teachers and students in the classroom.

Meditate with Me: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Journey, Mariam Gates, Dial Books, Hardcover (11" x 9.25"), 40 pages, $18.99

Mariam Gates is a passionate and inspiring teacher with more than 20 years of experience nurturing young people. Through Kid Power Yoga, she has combined her dedication to teaching yoga with her skills as an educator to guide children in accessing their own inner source of strength, confidence, problem solving, and creativity. She has a master's degree in education from Harvard University and years of experience in the classroom. Mariam has been profiled in Boston magazine, the Boston Herald, Alternative Health magazine, and on television and presented at Esalen Institute, Big Sur CA and Wanderlust Festivals in the US. Child magazine described Mariam as a "central figure" in the children's yoga movement. Kid Power Yoga Teacher Training programs can be found nationwide--and also online. Mariam also teaches weekly at public schools in northern California. See mariamgates.com