cover image My Mind Is a Mountain/Mi mente es una montaña

My Mind Is a Mountain/Mi mente es una montaña

Cindy Montenegro, illus. by Nqobile Adigun. Lil’ Libros, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-948066-18-1

“Your mind is a mountain, powerful and strong./ You can handle every emotion,/ no matter how big or how small!” instructs a child narrator in this earnest bilingual guide to managing feelings. In Montenegro’s plainspoken prose, printed in English and Spanish, the narrator, portrayed with brown skin, first recounts the bodily sensations that accompany happiness, sadness, excitement, and anger. Adigun’s illustrations portray basic, communicative facial expressions and sympathetic backdrops (e.g., shadowy blue green for sadness). Having acknowledged the reality of overwhelming feelings, the child recommends visualizing oneself atop a mountain, employing a deep breathing technique, and talking to others. Finally, the yogic child addresses the reader: “How are you feeling right now?/ Who would you like to share your feelings with today?” Though the segue to interactivity comes suddenly, the volume succeeds in making emotional regulation feel achievable. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)