When Anh’s friends leave and he feels left out at school, his anger shows up to keep him company. Anh the protagonist of Gail Silver’s previous book Anh’s Anger, is a typical and easy-to-relate-to elementary school-age boy. His anger, personified as a red hairy impulsive creature, teaches him some valuable lessons about not getting carried away by his strong emotions. By counting his steps and coordinating them with his breathing Anh is able to slow down and take his anger for a peaceful and magically transformative walk.
Steps and Stones the second of the Anh’s Anger Story trilogy will help children learn to understand the causes of their own strong emotions, and teaches them peaceful ways to resolve difficulties through mindfulness and meditation. An invaluable tool for parents and teachers alike.
Steps and Stones is beautifully illustrated by New York artist and children’s book illustrator Christiane Krömer. Using a mix of paper, acrylic, cardboard, and found materials, her vibrant multi-textured collages reflect the connection between the characters and their environment and echo the wide range of emotions that come together in the story.
Author Bio:
Gail Silver, JD, E-RYT is the founder of Yoga Child, a Philadelphia-based program that develops curriculum for school-based yoga and mindfulness programs. She is the author of Anh’s Anger, Steps and Stones, and Peace Bugs & Understanding, and Co-writer of the film Planting Seeds, The Power of Mindfulness. Her work has appeared in Lions Roar (formerly Shambhala Sun) and Bust Magazine. Prior to becoming a yoga and mindfulness educator, Gail was a child advocate attorney holding true to a vision of providing at-risk youth with the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. When she’s not in Philadelphia with her husband and five children (two of whom are pets), Gail enjoys speaking at conferences and providing professional development to educators.
Review:
“One of the best books we’ve ever seen on the issue of dealing with anger.” – Reach and Teach.com
“A wonderful gift for both children and adults who want to learn how to turn unhappy situations into joyful ones.” – Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
” A gentle and wise teaching-story, charmingly told and with wonderful pictures, of a boy working with his anger. ” – Sharon Salzberg, New York Times best-selling author of Lovingkindess
Note from the Author
“If, at an early age, children become comfortable with identifying and articulating their anger, then they can feel confident working through anger in healthy ways during their adolescent years. There is a lot of adolescent violence in the news today. I am overwhelmed with pain and sadness every time I hear of an adolescent using a gun. While these teens are deeply troubled and have many problems, unresolved anger plays a part in their difficulty. I hope these books can be used as a preventative resource. We can only practice what we know or what we are willing to learn. My hope is that the Anh’s Anger stories can contribute to a decrease in adolescent aggression and violence by teaching children at an early age how to safely understand and express their anger.”
Hard cover (Picture book)
Age range 7+
Full Colour
40 Page
