Meena's Mindful Moment

My son sees his own tickly throat and jiggly toes in this book. The storyline is so endearing and catchy; he loves repeating, "hurly-burly hullabaloo." The illustrations include genius tidbits (who doesn't love to see a man losing his underwear, a bunch of chai spilling all over the sidewalk, or a crab holding an umbrella?!).As for me, I love the scale of the illustrations. The scenes have vibrantly detailed backgrounds while the landscapes and homes are illustrated with curved and wavy lines. These details make the book so fun and appealing!

Whew, I relate to this book so much as the parent of a toddler who has a LOT of hurly burly hullabaloo. There is not enough coffee in the world for me to keep up! This is a great tool to help my daughter take deep breath, be still, and make sure her energy is safe for the environment she is in (and my sanity). She did actually sit still while I read it!

What a fun story to read. I loved the introduction to mindfulness. The illustrations are so fun and child friendly. There's so much to look at while reading the fun and rolicking story.I especially like getting to say "hurly-burly hullabaloo"!

A gentle, tender study on mindfulness for kiddos who simply can't keep still! Athaide's narration and Gilland's illustration are here to take you on a journey. On the title page we see our protagonist Meena and her constant companion, the hurly-burly hullabaloo (a conceptual creature that looks just as ethereal, quirky, and cuddly as you'd hope from its name) riding a train to Dada's. Dada is never far from Meena's side throughout the story as Meena's irrepressible energy causes one ruckus after another. Always calm and patient, Dada seems to have it all under control until he reveals... he has his <i>own</i> hurly-burly hullabaloo too! He teaches little Meena the trick that prevents his hullabaloo from wreaking havoc, and together they soothe and master Meena's inner chaos. With impossibly detailed and atmospheric art a child could truly get lost in, this story brings charm and sweetness to a topic that can so often be fraught.

A fun story about learning how (and when) to be calm. Meena has a lot of energy. A lot! And it’s represented by a creature called her hurly-burly hullabaloo. When she goes to visit Dada, her chaotic energy wrecks havoc around the village. After the grumpy villagers complain about her, Meera feels bad, but that’s when her seemingly calm Dada reveals a secret - he has a hurly-burly hullabaloo, too! He shows her breathing and stretching techniques for calming her hurly-burly hullabaloo when it’s not the right time or place for its chaos. But they still let their hurly-burly hullabaloos dance free when the time is right. Tina Athaide’s lovely lyrical words whirl and swirl right along with Meena and her energy. And Åsa Gilland’s delightful illustrations are a beautiful palette that capture the chaotic energy.

As Meena journeys through the story with her "hurly-burly hullabaloo" beside her, Meena's Mindful Moment resonated with me right off the bat. As a nervous energy type of kid, my hurly burly hullabaloo came in the form of worries (and still does!). Books such as this can teach children how to manage and channel that energy in a way that is positive, calming, and healthy for their body and mind. Athaide's fun and visually descriptive text, paired with Gilland's lively illustrations perfectly fit the bustling yet balanced mood of the story. As Dada says to Meena in the story..."sit, breathe, and be still." In our busy and distracted world, I think we could all benefit from that advice! Thank you to Page Street Kids for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had the privilege of receiving an advance digital copy of this book and I couldn't take my eyes off the stunning illustrations by Asa Gilland! The vivid colors and activity depicted are sure to keep parents and children returning over and over just to see what they may have missed. Author Tina Athaide offers an important book for parents hoping to teach young active children a bit of social emotional learning. I remember when my son was small, teaching him square breathing as a way to calm himself whenever he needed it. This book offers a fun opportunity for children to follow along with Meena as she learns from her Dada, just how to calm her hurly-burly-hullabaloo. I bought a copy for a friend as soon as it became available!

I was lucky to receive an ARC of this lovely picture book about Meena, her Dada, and their hurly-burly hullabaloos. I think we all know (or are!) people whose hullabaloos could use a bit of taming. What I love about this book, beyond the adorable illustrations, is how the desire to change and grow comes from Meena herself and is gently modeled to her by her loving Dada, rather than disciplined into her. I also love that the book ends with her and Dada's jingle-jangling feet and wiggling toes, rather than with the new, quieter Meena. After all, hullabaloos don't need to be completely restrained, only taught how (and when) to go from jingle-jangle wiggling to breathing and slowing down, and back again. Very sweet!