I’m thinking of gifting Mop Rides the Waves of Life to my 10-year old nephew. He is sweet as can be but oh boy, when things don’t go his way, he can throw a bit of a tantrum. Something slightly small can become so big and bad. I was that way too as a child, so I can’t blame him! As a child, I would have loved to know that I can pause, breathe in and out, and calm myself down when problem arises. So I’m thinking my nephew might appreciate this mindful approach to “riding out” problems the way one rides a wave.
“Just breathe and let those waves pass. Like the ocean, your mind is always changing.”
That’s basically the point of this book. The main character Mop, so named because he has a mop of hair, loves to surf. He expertly rides the waves. Life is all good when he is surfing. Now, he loves school too but when things don’t go well, they really get under his skin, such as when Toby on Monday says Mope “plays four square like a baby” or when Izzy says he “looks like a poodle.” His entire week suddenly becomes bad. Thankfully one day his wise mom took him surfing and says, “You’re a great surfer. But you can learn to surf life, too. You start by feeling your breath go in and out like the tides. Breathing mindfully helps you notice the emotional waves inside.”
This book tackles a topic that is relevant to children and adults alike: managing one’s anger, problems and life in general necessitates a calm state of being. Like adults, children have similar frustrations and anguish, and taking a mindful approach is constructive.
Hard Cover
Length: 22 Pages
Age: 5-8+
