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Bressie’s latest mindfulness picture book for children to be accompanied by new podcast that helps children explore difficult emotions

The third in Niall Breslin’s mindfulness books for children, The Chill Skill, is to be published on Friday, 16 October. In the run-up to the launch of the book, each day from Monday, 12 October, a short mindfulness podcast containing mindfulness exercises that parents and children can practise together will be released daily on YouTube, Spotify and all major podcast apps. Titled Niall Breslin’s Mindful Moments for Children, the podcast will include meditations such as ‘The Magic Moment’, which helps children deal with anxiety, ‘Take Five’, which explores the difficult emotion of jealousy, and ‘The Chill Skill’, which helps children calm down when frustration hits. Inspired by the stories and mindfulness tricks in his children’s picture book series, it is the latest step in Bressie’s quest to equip people with tools to manage their mental health, and the younger this starts the better.

 

Bressie says, ‘When I was a kid, one of the most frustrating things was that I had all these feelings and anxieties that I didn’t have the language to express. That is why it is such an important part of my mission to arm children with the tools to express their fears and worries. Mindfulness is the best way to do this and practising it from an early age can become something like a superpower as kids get older. I hope my books, and now the podcast, help create a space for parents and children to explore challenges such as anxiety, jealousy and anger openly together.’

 

The Chill Skill, which is illustrated by Emma Proctor, follows the success of The Magic Moment and Take Five, both illustrated by Sheena Dempsey. The Chill Skill explores the subject of anger. Anger is an emotion that we all experience or encounter, it is an essential emotion, but one that adults and children alike can find difficult to understand or manage. The Chill Skill aims to teach children not to suppress or ignore anger, but to learn how to sit and explore their discomfort through breathing techniques and mindfulness practice. In the story, Sam has been playing with her mum’s phone and when she takes her phone back, Sam begins to feel cross. Sam’s Grandad teaches her a breathing technique, which puts out the angry flames that are making her feel hot and bothered. Soon Sam is feeling much better – and enjoying a great day at the beach with her family.

Niall Breslin's Mindful Moments Podcast
Niall Breslin's Mindful Moments Podcast

The Chill Skill by Niall Breslin, illustrated by Emma Proctor, will be published by Gill Books on Friday, 16 October 2020, priced €16.99. Available to pre-order now at easons.com. The accompanying podcast, Niall Breslin’s Mindful Moments for Children, will be released daily the week of 12 October on Spotify, YouTube and all major podcast apps. Listen to episode one on YouTube below.

 

About the author and illustrator

Niall Breslin (Bressie) is an Irish musician, producer, mental health advocate, author and podcaster. He has a Masters in Mindfulness-Based Interventions from University College Dublin. His memoir, Me and My Mate Jeffrey, was a number one bestseller and winner of an Irish Book Award. He is also the founder and Creative Director of the mental health advocacy charity A Lust for Life and presents Where is My Mind? a podcast about how we manage our mental health in the manic, always-on, head-melting world in which we live.

 

Emma Proctor is from Wiltshire. She graduated in Illustration from Middlesex University. She is also the illustrator of Toby and Tabitha by Alexander Bar.

 

 

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