Elizabeth L. Reviews I Am!: Affirmations for Resilience by Bela Barbosa, illustrated by Edel Rodriguez

Publisher: Rise X Penguin Workshop
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 6th, 2020
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Blurb from goodreads:

A stunningly illustrated guide to simple affirmations for young children, building self-esteem and confidence.

When you feel nervous, And you are ready to move on, Put your hands on your belly, take a breath, and say:

I Am Brave!

This brightly hand-lettered board book empowers young readers to lift themselves up! Ten relatable emotions are each followed by a centering exercise and a positive affirmation to be recited, as a practice in mindfulness. Young readers are encouraged to find their inner strength by recognizing and addressing their emotions, instilling a sense of power and self-confidence.

Today's review is from a personal friend of mine, Elizabeth L. We sometimes trade books and discuss authors. We're both early childhood educators but she teaches preschool. When the chance to review this came my way, I immediately thought of Elizabeth. I asked and she agreed. :) 

Elizabeth L's Thoughts:

As a teacher of preschool aged children, I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing this book, I Am! Affirmations for Resilience, written by Bela Barbosa and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez. The early childhood education center where I teach first introduced Mindfulness to children 4 years ago and I have used a variety of Mindfulness resources in my classroom over that time.

The inside cover has a note that begins with “Dear Grown-Up, This book is a tool kit for children. When children repeat these affirmations aloud, they boost their self-esteem and self-worth. It helps them keep things in perspective and move forward. It reduces negativity and increases gratefulness. It empowers them to be kind to themselves, and in turn, to others. Because children believe what they say.”

I have been reading this book to the children in my class in a group setting. The bold and colorful illustrations reflect the affirmations and quickly gained the children’s attention. As I read the book, I invited the children to follow the hand motions and repeat the affirmations. Some of the children’s favorite affirmations are: When you are feeling scared of something new, stand tall, put your hands on your hips, and say: I AM BRAVE!; When you are feeling guilty, bad about something you did, close your eyes, put your hands on your heart, and say: I FORGIVE MYSELF! I WILL DO IT DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME!; and When you are feeling frustrated because something isn’t working out, stand tall, take 3 deep breaths, and say: I TRY MY HARDEST! I CAN DO IT!

The mantras are written in big, bold type, which I feel represent the BIG emotions that children of this age are trying so hard to figure out. The author is an Early Childhood Social-Emotional Learning Educator, and it is clear that she understands how strong young children’s emotions can be and how to help children recognize, name, and move forward to regain their sense of self.

The first time I read the book, I read the entire book to the children. While the children had a wonderful time repeating the affirmations, some of them seemed to become “lost” in the reading as more were read. I now read 2-4 at a time to fit the emotions of the day. I am looking forward to using the book as the tool it was created to be by reading it in the moment with children who are experiencing big emotions.

During this time of COVID, emotions can be even stronger as the children experience changes both at home and in group settings. I highly recommend this book for both children and the adults who work with them. We can all benefit from this book.