Twist: Yoga Poems

Gr 25This collection of 16 poems touches on the uplifting and emotional aspects of yoga, putting words to the spirit of the poses and evoking the energy and feelings of the practice. Wong's simple verses read almost like haiku, using imagery to get to the essence of the positions, rather than teaching how to perform them. On each spread, Paschkis's watercolor paintings frame both the poem and a child performing the pose with colorful fauna, flora, and people that suggest India as well as that particular exercise. The youngsters are varied ethnically though all wear clothing with Indian colors and patterns. The words and images blend together effortlessly, with energy and beauty. A few minor concerns: Tree pose should never be done with the foot directly on the knee as shown in the illustrations. Handstand shouldn't be done with the head on the floor and is a dangerous pose for children to try without direction. However, this is not an instruction book and readers should be directed to resources such as Baron Baptiste's "My Daddy Is a Pretzel" (Barefoot, 2004) to learn the actual poses. A simple author's note provides added encouragement for novices. Lovely to listen to and to look at, "Twist" is sure to inspire some new yogis."Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL" Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.