Each Breath a Smile

Sister Susan

Parallax Press, 2002 - Juvenile Nonfiction - 32 pages

Each Breath a Smile introduces preschool-aged children to mindful breathing. Through beautiful color illustrations, children learn to connect with their breathing to help them experience calmness and enjoy a deeper relationship with their friends and family. Illustrations of trees, frogs, crickets, and birds remind them of the many simple joys available in the world around them.

With twenty-eight full-page color illustrations by artists Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong, this book will delight children while serving as a valuable resource for parents and teachers.

About the author

Nghiem (Susan Swan), a grandmother and former teacher, is a nun in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. She lives and works at Green Mountain Dharma Center in Vermont.

Thich Nhat Hanh was born in central Vietnam on October 11, 1926. He entered Tu Hieu Temple as a novice monk at the age of sixteen. During the Vietnam War, he was part of a movement called "engaged Buddhism", which combines traditional practices with nonviolent civil disobedience. For this, he was exiled by both the Communist and non-Communist governments and was nominated by Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967 for his efforts to reconcile North and South Vietnam. He is a teacher, author, poet, and peace activist. He has written over 100 titles on meditation, mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism, as well as poems, children's stories, and commentaries on ancient Buddhist texts. His books include The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: An Introduction to Buddhism, Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness, The Art of Power, True Love and Anger, Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire, and Living Buddha, Living Christ. He founded a retreat in France called Plum Village.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Each Breath a Smile
• Author: Sister Susan
• Illustrated by: Nguyen Thi Hop, Nguyen Dong
• Contributors: Thuc Nghiem, Thich Nhat Hanh
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Parallax Press, 2002
• ISBN: 1888375221, 9781888375220
• Length: 32 pages
• Subjects: Juvenile Fiction / Religious / General; Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Biblical Studies; Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Eastern