Zoo Zen: A Yoga Story for Kids

Counting meets yoga in this first children’s book from adult author Fischer. Lyla, a girl with a head of blueberry-colored curls, demonstrates 10 poses that correspond with zoo animals. After rolling out her mat on her bedroom floor, Lyla poses like “one balancing bear,” two cobras, three eagles, and so on. Debut illustrator Schaefer creates an air of serenity in her multitextured digital collages, emphasizing how Lyla’s movements echo the animals’ movements or bodies. Fischer’s perky verse generally makes clear how readers can achieve each pose (“Eight gorillas screech/ Lyla folds in half/ Clasps hands under feet/ And lets out a laugh”), and separate exclamatory comments (“It’s okay to bend your knees!”) offer encouragement. Parents seeking to introduce yoga to their children should find this an engaging, easy-to-follow resource. Ages 2–6.[em] Illustrator’s agent: Brooks Sherman, Bent Agency. (July) [/em]