Stacey Allyson Loves Introducing Kids to Yoga
Yoga teacher, mom, and creative powerhouse Stacey Alysson shares her love for introducing kids to yoga in her book Parker Pig Goes to Yoga. This sweet and playful story is a delightful journey through a yoga class with Parker Pig and her yoga friends. It is a perfect accompaniment to practice designed for children ages two through eight.
The story begins with Parker being invited to yoga by her friend Ginny the Giraffe. With protests that feel familiar to all of us at any age, Parker wonders if yoga is really for her. “Yoga is for everyone!” Ginny the Giraffe answers. So, Parker agrees to try it out.
Animals Love Yoga Too
In the yoga class, Parker is joined by a variety of animals. A bear, turtle, snake, crocodile, cat, cow, dog, frog, butterfly, giraffe, and even a pig demonstrate a pose on their own page. Throughout the entertaining story, we’re reminded of some of the instructions that are at the essence of yoga, such as “It’s a yoga practice, not a yoga perfect.” And at the end, the animals relax for savasana and share their inner light with namaste.
Illustrations in Parker Pig Goes to Yoga
Patrick Girouard fills the pages with playful, captivating, and colorful drawings of the animals practicing yoga. The images are sure to attract young kids. Each of the fun drawings evokes personalities I could easily imagine as posters in a kid’s room or as stuffed animals in a bed.
You may be an adult who just loves fun picture books. Or you may be looking for something to gift or read to kids. Whomever you are, Parker Pig Goes to Yoga is a welcome addition to a yogi’s bookshelf.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.