Bookish Thursday II - When Mama Grows With Me by Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler

Yep...another book review for WOW-Women on Writing!

And if you visit their review, you can enter for a chance to win this lovely children's book. 

Ok, when they announced the chance to review this book, I jumped on it. After all, who is the Extension Master Gardener Intern here? And who has a granddaughter (and soon a grandson) to dig in the dirt with? 

But once again, business before pleasure!

Book Summary

In When Mama Grows with Me, a mama and her son create their own garden, starting with just a few small seeds and ending with a beautiful display of flowers. They observe how pollinators help the earth stay healthy, learn how to care for plants, and meet other critters that live in their garden, all while playfully shaping their bodies into yoga poses inspired by nature. Not only do Mama and her son learn valuable lessons about their garden, but along the way, they also learn to prac

tice patience. 

By pairing lessons with movement, Rebecca Wheeler helps young readers make connections between the natural world and their own emotional experiences. Learn the value of patience and practice some fun yoga poses in this beautifully illustrated children’s book.

 

Includes a step-by-step guide to each yoga pose!

Publisher: Belle Isle Books

ISBN-10: 195875465X

ISBN-13: 978-1958754658

Print length: 32 pages

Purchase a copy on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Thrift Books, or Bookshop.org. Make sure you add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author

Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler was raised in West Point, a small town in the Tidewater region of Virginia. From the moment she submitted her first short story to a young author’s contest in second grade, Rebecca knew she wanted to be a writer. Her love of writing led her to earn a BA in English and an MEd in English education. She spent several years as a high school teacher, during which she also developed a passion for mental health advocacy. Rebecca completed an MA in professional counseling and now works in school-based mental health and as a college adjunct psychology instructor.

 

Rebecca also teaches yoga for the young and the young at heart, and she likes to infuse yoga and breathwork in her counseling practice wherever she can. She believes the most valuable use of her time is teaching youth how to love and care for each other and the world around them. Her stories share this focus on positive relationships and a love of nature. Rebecca now lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her husband, two children, and two spoiled Siamese cats.

When Mama Grows with Me is Rebecca’s third book. Her first picture book in the yoga series, When Daddy Shows Me the Sky released November 2021, and her first YA novel, Whispering Through Water, released January 2023. 

 

You can follow her on Instagram @rebeccawwheeler_author, Twitter @RWW_author and www.rebeccawwheeler.com

So Lady K will garden with me. In fact, we are currently discussing plans for next year's garden. But more about When Mama Grows With Me by Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler. 

Having done a little yoga in my lifetime (and promises to myself to do more), combining the story of growing plants and gardening with yoga is genius! 

The poses introduced in the book compliment the story so nicely. And the progression from planting a seed to seeing it emerge from the ground (or pot) is simplistic and understandable for the youngest child. This will be a great book to read to kindergarten through about second grade, leading them through the poses - a double delight - activity and reading!

I wish I were still involved with a library so I could do a 'books and babes' with it. However, it will be shared with my Extension Master Gardener group who does do outreach to young children. This would make for a great program!

In the meantime, it will have a place on my shelf for my grandson-to-be. I look forward to reading this book to him in the future. 

But don't take only my opinion, check out these other reviews (and don't forget to go enter for a copy of the book)...