Friday, June 5, 2020

Review of Bee Heartful: Spread Loving-Kindness by Frank J. Sileo


Readers will rejoice that Bentley the bee is back in this third book in Frank J. Sileo’s award-winning series. When compassionate Bentley sends loving-kindness thoughts to himself and others, he can feel his heart growing: May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe. May you be peaceful. When Willie Wasp steals Bentley’s favorite red scarf, it really stings! Bentley has the whole garden buzzing as he works through the situation. This sweet story shows the power of strong, positive, and loving thoughts.

Includes a note from the author with more information about loving-kindness and related meditation, and guidelines for how readers can practice being heartful just like Bentley!


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
Reading this book took me back in time to when I was doing my Montessori training. My mentor teacher often had the children do these still exercises and sending loving-kindness thoughts to other children, especially when they were absent for any period of time. You could really see the difference in the kids as the school year went on and they practiced this more and more. They also were calmer themselves. It wasn't a perfect cure-all for agitation and other problems. But it was a sweet and calming activity to do. This story of Bentley the Bee would be a great introduction to using the calming breathing with kids. And placing it where children could look at it again and again would let them practice it on their own. 

The book also gives a lot of information to adults about why these meditations are beneficial and how to present them to children. It provides a script to use as you are introducing it. And it encourages you to seek help for a child who appears to be suffering from any clinical issues.

I would definitely add this book to my classroom collection.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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