(3) K-3 Exploring Our Community series. Five friends learn about mindfulness to help them cope with strong feelings--especially Pedro, who's anxious about moving. Over the course of a day together and a sleepover that night, the kids focus on nature in the park, use their sense of smell at a community garden, contend with negative thoughts during a rainstorm, mindfully eat dinner, perform a "body scan," and visualize positive outcomes. The text's light tone is carried over in Bob Graham-esque illustrations. The book concludes with a few "Mindful Games" and a brief glossary.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Snap: Real-Life Ghost Stories series. In four engaging chapters (and after an eerie, atmospheric introduction) Peterson presents the story of the legendary La Llorona. The text touches on background, reported encounters, speculation about the weeping woman's existence, and "Ladies in White Around the World." "Fact" and "Skeptic's Note" sidebars along with haunting illustrations enhance the atmosphere. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marta Kissi. In this autobiographical account, sixth grader Tapper struggled with feelings of nervousness about speaking up in class and noticed many female classmates felt the same way. So she proposed a Girl Scout patch and pledge called "Raise Your Hand" to encourage girls everywhere to speak up. Kissi's bright, expressive illustrations bring additional warmth to this motivational tale of female empowerment.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Illustrated by Libby VanderPloeg. "Your life is only ever happening right here, right now." Gates makes the case to tweens and teens that mindfulness is a way of life and the simplest path to health and happiness. Her chatty guide includes chapters on the practices of mindful breathing, yoga, and meditation, all with easy "try it" activities; "five-day mindfulness challenges" at the end should help readers translate these new skills into a lifestyle. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michelle Polizzi. This book describes a simple deep-breathing technique to help young readers "push out" sad, mad, or worried thoughts and "feel calm." The watercolor illustrations effectively visualize the "magic breath" by using light-colored swirls to show the happy thoughts and breath, and darker, blue-toned swirls for the sad thoughts and breath ("Remember that happy thought? Use it to push out your sad thought"). Useful for sharing in mindfulness-practicing families or classrooms.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 World Around Us series. Illustrated by Jane Heinrichs. Meant to foster discussion about upsetting news events, this book poses questions--such as "What causes a tragedy or disaster?"--and answers them in a child-appropriate manner. Purposeful but effective, the text defines tragedy and disaster and discusses those of natural, human, and technological causes; near book's end, Roberts briefly pontificates about finding meaning in tragedies. Serviceable illustrations and stock photographs appear throughout. Reading list.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Stacy Peterson. This self-help book offers a "toolbox of mindfulness practices" with directions for meditation exercises, visualization techniques, and other strategies for handling emotions, stress, and negative thinking. Stewart's persistent "MINDFUL ME" branding is distracting, and her tone can be preachy. That said, her descriptions ("Meditation is like a personal pause button") and the black-and-white illustrations are both kid-friendly, and the topics (technology, social media) are timely.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides series. Illustrated by Veronica Collignon. With Karen Bluth. Emphasizing mindfulness and directed at tweens and adolescents, these upbeat self-help books include meditations, physical exercises, crafts (e.g., an anti-stress ball), recipes (a single-serve "Treat Yourself" cupcake), suggested music, organizational tips, and more, all illustrated with photos and pastel-colored art. Appropriately, each volume ends with lists of symptoms requiring professional help, referral organizations, and suggestions for supportive adults. Reading list. Review covers these Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides titles: Happiness Hacks, Me Time, and Stress Less.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides series. Illustrated by Veronica Collignon. With Karen Bluth. Emphasizing mindfulness and directed at tweens and adolescents, these upbeat self-help books include meditations, physical exercises, crafts (e.g., an anti-stress ball), recipes (a single-serve "Treat Yourself" cupcake), suggested music, organizational tips, and more, all illustrated with photos and pastel-colored art. Appropriately, each volume ends with lists of symptoms requiring professional help, referral organizations, and suggestions for supportive adults. Reading list. Review covers these Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides titles: Happiness Hacks, Me Time, and Stress Less.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides series. Illustrated by Veronica Collignon. With Karen Bluth. Emphasizing mindfulness and directed at tweens and adolescents, these upbeat self-help books include meditations, physical exercises, crafts (e.g., an anti-stress ball), recipes (a single-serve "Treat Yourself" cupcake), suggested music, organizational tips, and more, all illustrated with photos and pastel-colored art. Appropriately, each volume ends with lists of symptoms requiring professional help, referral organizations, and suggestions for supportive adults. Reading list. Review covers these Savvy: Stress-Busting Survival Guides titles: Happiness Hacks, Me Time, and Stress Less.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Snap Books: It's Haunted! series. These attractively designed stories of hauntings, communiques from the dead, and cursed objects will appeal to horror fans and may scare more gullible readers. Although "skeptics" are briefly mentioned, the creepy stories are slanted toward believers, without much proof to bolster the claims. Each entry is accompanied by a crisp color photo. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Snap Books: It's Haunted! titles: Haunted Houses Around the World and Haunted Objects Around the World.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Creep Out series. This parapsychology series superficially explores fear and types of creepy locations. Each slim book highlights what makes the place so scary through matter-of-fact yet evocative writing: "Tombstones stand around you... You shiver. You are in a cemetery." Colorful photographs appear manipulated to enhance the creep factor. Short, simple sentences make for an easy read, though one pretty scary for the intended first-grade-and-up audience. Review covers these Creep Out titles: Caves, Cemeteries, Ghost Towns, Haunted Houses, Old Jails, and Tombs.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo