Emily and the Mighty Om

PreS-Gr 1—This comical tale illustrates how children can often be misunderstood by well-meaning adults. Emily meets Albert, her new neighbor who teaches her yoga and gets stuck in a pose. Her attempts to help him results in several adults imposing their own interpretations of what Albert is saying and needs. Vibrant colors and great yoga pose illustrations bring the book to life as readers inwardly chuckle over the various characters' confusion over the yoga word om, hearing instead phone, gnome, poem, dome, Rome, and alone. The book is a great tool to empower student voice, discuss character traits, or build accountable talk. A wide variety of children will enjoy listening to it as a read aloud or reading it independently as they learn the magic of the word om, which brings peace, light and understanding to everyone, even the most stubborn adults. This simple story is a solid addition to any school library collection.—Tracey Wong, P.S. 54/Fordham Bedford Academy, Bronx, NY