By Hillary Harper and Illustrated by Felipe Calv
In a word: Adorable! Mack is the most loveable dog, and the perfect character to share this story!
Mack is a nervous dog, who finds many things scary! Along comes a new dog in his family, Gertie, who helps him find ways to calm himself down when he is scared. She teaches him a short & simple counting rhyme to chant, and to take deep breaths. Along with his own calming techniques (a quiet small space, a special stuffed fox), he finds that the breathing really, really helps!
I love that this book shows & tells what it feels like to be anxious and scared. I appreciated that it gave a very practical, real-life tool for calming down (deep breaths, with a rhyme). And I liked how they included Mack's calming strategies too, to show that everyone has different ways that they feel calm- and sometimes they work, sometimes its a combination of many, or sometimes you need to try something new.
I definitely recommend this book to families or teachers who have a child struggling with anxiety or overcoming a fear- it's also just a lovely book in general, and all children will enjoy this colourfully illustrated story.
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a copy of 1-2-3, A Deep Breath for Me, signed by Hillary Harper as well as a children’s journal companion to the book.
Thank you to author Hillary Harper for gifting this book to our school library!
Synopsis: "Meet Mack, the pup with emotions as big as his paws! At times, Mack finds himself overwhelmed by his feelings. His stomach is filled with butterflies, his legs grow wobbly, and he feels short of breath. Thankfully, Mack has his trusty sidekick, Gertie, to guide him through the tough times. Together, they explore ways to manage and overcome these powerful emotions.
Through Mack’s journey, children can learn breathing exercises, visualization techniques, and other self-regulation activities that can be practiced in their daily lives."