Peaceful Me

Peaceful Me focuses on the many ways achieving peace can be found in the simplest of activities and gestures. There are countless examples throughout the book: children on a swing, playing outdoors, holding hands, alone time that promotes serenity, a job well done, scoring a goal, doing something nice for someone else. All are means of contentment and a sense of peace.

There are times that aren’t peaceful, and Feder explains that breathing in and out, imagining nice things, and finding a quiet place help to facilitate calm. In this respect, the author acknowledges children’s range of emotions and the benefits of learning coping strategies that can be aided by one’s physical environment.

The illustrations are beautiful, like a painting, and one can almost feel nature coming through the pages. Scenes of leaves falling, clouds in the sky, a beach, flowers and trees are everywhere throughout the book. Surroundings are used as an important part of the emotional journey. The colours throughout are soft and soothing, with Bell’s using quiet earth tones rooted in nature with a touch of contrast here and there. Feder’s words are minimal with a reliance on the illustrations to tell the story.

Peaceful Me is a perfect read to encourage calmness and relaxation.