Ellie Jumps a Mile: Teaching kids to recognize fear and calm themselves.
This charming story for ages three to eight features our beloved Ellie the Elephant, known for her gentleness. Ellie faces her fears when frightened for the very first time. Things look scary until her friends Cheetah, Monkey, and Snail share their experiences and Dragonfly-Fairy helps them all understand the power of calming themselves.
This beautifully illustrated book is designed to encourage children to pause when feeling afraid. It teaches kids to slow down, take a deep belly breath, and focus on what is around them.
The book starts with the Snuggle Breathing Meditation™ and ends with Ellie’s S.T.A.R. Breathing, an activity page that helps families practice calming and self-regulation skills so they can recognize fear and calm themselves.
Ellie helps children see that all of us—even the biggest, toughest creatures—sometimes feel afraid. She guides children in understanding fear a bit better, and then she and the Dragonfly-Fairy model deep breathing exercises so children are more prepared to calm themselves the next time they encounter a big feeling like fear.
As a lifelong educator and expert in social-emotional learning, I’m absolutely thrilled that Conscious Discipline’s S.T.A.R. breathing is a part of Andrew’s inspiring children’s literature.
- Dr. Becky Bailey Founder, Conscious Discipline
