Best Selling Books by Susan Verde

I am human I am a work in progress Striving to be the best version of ME From the picture book dream team behind I Am Yoga and I Am Peace comes the third book in their wellness series: I Am Human. A hopeful meditation on all the great (and challenging) parts of being human, I Am Human shows that it’s okay to make mistakes while also emphasizing the power of good choices by offering a kind word or smile or by saying “I’m sorry.” At its heart, this picture book is a celebration of empathy and compassion that lifts up the flawed fullness of humanity and encourages children to see themselves as part of one big imperfect family—millions strong.

From bestselling author Susan Verde comes a new series exploring the five senses through a mindfulness perspective, highlighting how they allow us to appreciate the world around us When I am busy— moving through my day, watching where I go— looking shows me what is right in front of my eyes. But when I slow down— find stillness, and notice with patience and curiosity— I can see. Seeing shows me more . . . Gracefully written by Susan Verde, bestselling author of the I Am books, and winsomely illustrated by Juliana Perdomo, the Sensing Your World series teaches little ones to experience the world around them more deeply, using the five senses to find joy, connection, and beauty in the small, everyday moments. Can You See It? encourages us to look closer to see deeper: not just with our eyes, but with our whole hearts.

Celebrate kindness, compassion, self-care, and love in all its forms in this instant New York Times bestseller! Love means showing kindness, living with gratitude, and taking care of our minds and bodies. Letting our hearts lead the way can help move us closer to a better world. From the bestselling team that created I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, and I Am One comes a celebration of love in all its forms. Grounded in mindfulness and wellness, I Am Love asks readers to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. When a storm is brewing inside us and the skies grow dark, the transformative power of love lets the light back in. Includes heart-opening yoga poses and a guided meditation.

Discover the power of activism in this companion to New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love One seed to start a garden, one note to start a melody, one brick to start breaking down walls: Every movement and moment of change starts with purpose, with intention, with one. With me. With you. From the #1 New York Times bestselling team behind I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, and I Am Love comes a powerful call to action, encouraging each reader to raise their voice, extend a hand, and take that one first step to start something beautiful and move toward a better world.

I am movement Heat Static electricity Fueled by food And powered by PLAY! Unstoppable Me is about the sort of energetic child we all know and love — full of fun and play...and a bit exhausting! In this book, we see an unstoppable little boy, run, jump, and soar through his day. He takes a little time to refuel, then he''s back at it—zooming and zipping around. From #1 New York Times bestselling author, Susan Verde, comes a poetic and joyful book about the celebration of an active child.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and children’s yoga and mindfulness expert Susan Verde, Say One Kind Thing is an original essay collection, emphasizing the power of positive self-talk and the lessons we learn from motherhood and gaining self-acceptance. Susan Verde knows the power of positive self-talk. For decades, Verde has struggled with her inner critic, a voice inside telling her that she was not enough. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices became her way of challenging and quieting this voice. However, the moment she became a parent, the voice became louder than ever. How would she manage parenting three little ones when she could not speak to herself with compassion, kindness, and love? Motherhood would prove to be the ultimate test of her practice. With humor, heart, and disarming vulnerability, Verde shares stories from her life as a parent, a child, a human, and a coffee addict on a journey toward self-acceptance. She reveals her missteps and her greatest moments of joy—from supporting one of her children through a mental health struggle, and another through gender affirmation; to losing her father and reconnecting with her mother; to the immense pain and pride of preparing to send her three teenagers off to college and facing an empty nest. Woven throughout Say One Kind Thing are mantras reminding readers to speak to themselves with compassion, with the ultimate goal of living, loving, and parenting from a place of freedom and authenticity. Verde’s message is that we must all be the authors of our own inner dictionaries, filling them with words of self-love. We must listen to the voice that is telling us that we are worthy. And we must let these words become our story.

Based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood, a young girl dreams of bringing clean drinking water to her African village With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own. Inspired by the childhood of African–born model Georgie Badiel, acclaimed author Susan Verde and award-winning author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds have come together to tell this moving story. As a child in Burkina Faso, Georgie and the other girls in her village had to walk for miles each day to collect water. This vibrant, engaging picture book sheds light on this struggle that continues all over the world today, instilling hope for a future when all children will have access to clean drinking water.

You and Me is a loving tribute to how fate brought two best friends together. An adorable cat muses about the what-ifs in life: What if he had slept late that one special morning? What if he’d missed his train on that fateful day? Then he might never have met his favorite person in the world, and his entire life would be different! Two friends delight in the incredible power of serendipity in this charming tale. Illustrated by the bestselling Peter H. Reynolds, You and Me is the ultimate gift for the closest of friends on Valentine’s Day or any day of the year.

When the world feels chaotic, find peace within through an accessible mindfulness practice from the bestselling picture-book dream team that brought us I Am Yoga. Express emotions through direct speech. Find empathy through imagination. Connect with the earth. Wonder at the beauty of the natural world. Breathe, taste, smell, touch, and be present. Perfect for the classroom or for bedtime, Susan Verde’s gentle, concrete narration and Peter H. Reynolds’s expressive watercolor illustrations bring the tenets of mindfulness to a kid-friendly level. Featuring an author’s note about the importance of mindfulness and a guided meditation for children, I Am Peace will help readers of all ages feel grounded and restored.

“Verde’s unique style and simple yet increasingly important messages of peace, mindfulness, and community make her stories a must-share...A must-purchase.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Walls do not just create barriers and divide spaces. They can be canvases for artmaking; opportunities to shape a community.” —The Horn Book “This story of urban renewal sends a welcome double message by Verde: neighbors and neighborhoods are more than the way they look, and ordinary people can band together to transform big things.” —Publishers Weekly A boy takes on a community art project in order to make his neighborhood more beautiful in this empowering and inspiring picture book by Susan Verde, stunningly illustrated by award-winning artist John Parra. One creative boy. One bare, abandoned wall. One BIG idea. There is a wall in Ángel’s neighborhood. Around it, the community bustles with life: music, dancing, laughing. Not the wall. It is bleak. One boy decides to change that. But he can’t do it alone. Told in elegant verse by Susan Verde and vibrantly illustrated by John Parra, this inspiring picture book celebrates the power of art to tell a story and bring a community together.

Embrace individuality and being your authentic self in I Am Me, the companion to New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love, now in board book Sometimes I stand out in a crowd. Sometimes I am not seen at all, and I feel alone. I start to ask myself, why can’t I blend in? Fit the mold? But when I stop and look, I see nothing in this world is exactly the same. Sometimes we hide who we really are to conform to the way we think we are supposed to be in the world. Sometimes we compare ourselves to others and feel we don’t fit in. But when we realize we are something to be celebrated, and we proudly live out loud as our true selves, we can make our unique mark on the world—and share our joy! From author Susan Verde and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, the #1 New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series, comes a bighearted celebration of individuality, being comfortable in our own skin, respecting others for who they are, living authentically, and loving ourselves. For anyone who’s ever felt like too much or not enough, I Am Me is an affirming reminder that difference is what makes life beautiful—and that each of us matters, just as we are. Inside you’ll also find exercises to celebrate who we are. I Am series: I Am Me I Am We Who I Am I Am Courage I Am One I Am Love I Am Human I Am Peace I Am Yoga

DIV /div When I see a work of art, something happens in my heart! As a little girl tours and twirls through the halls of the art museum, she finds herself on an exciting adventure. Each piece of art evokes something new inside of her: silliness, curiosity, joy, and ultimately inspiration. When confronted with an empty white canvas, she is energized to create and express herself—which is the greatest feeling of all. With exuberant illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds, The Museum playfully captures the many emotions experienced through the power of art, and each child’s unique creative process. UPraise for The Museum/u "Verde and Reynolds deliver a simple premise with a charming payoff... this “twirly-whirly†? homage to a museum is, on balance, a sweet-natured and handsome celebration." —Kirkus Reviews "Debut author Verde makes an engaging case for understanding art as an experience rather than an object." —Publishers Weekly "The rhymed text captures the excitement of a being sparked by art.†? —Booklist "Communicates a fresh, playful, childlike perspective on art and normalizes childlike responses to it. The idea that posing, laughing, and curious questions are all appropriate museum behavior may be a new one for both children and parents, and knowing this is sure to make for more enjoyable museum visits." —School Library Journal "For parents who have trouble communicating the excitement of art to their children, The Museum can serve as the starting point for a conversation. The book is also a wonderful reminder of visual art’s power to encourage and empower self-expression. Children and adults will finish this book excited about their next art experience, and perhaps tempted to dance through the halls of a museum in the near future." —Bookpage "This playful picture book pays tribute to the joyous effect art can have on the viewer." —Shelf-Awareness

An eagle soaring among the clouds or a star twinkling in the night sky . . . a camel in the desert or a boat sailing across the sea—yoga has the power of transformation. Not only does it strengthen bodies and calm minds, but with a little imagination, it can show us that anything is possible. New York Times bestselling illustrator Peter H. Reynolds and author and certified yoga instructor Susan Verde team up again in this book about creativity and the power of self-expression. I Am Yoga encourages children to explore the world of yoga and make room in their hearts for the world beyond it. A kid-friendly guide to 17 yoga poses is included.

Cultivate connection and kindness in author Susan Verde’s and Peter H. Reynolds’s I Am We, a companion to the New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love Connected is what we are: part of a world-wide community, diverse and magnificent, kind and accepting, supportive and present. All of us important, none of us alone. Sometimes we may wonder, how does caring for ourselves help anyone else? But then we realize that the better we feel inside, the more we can be there for others—our friends, families, and communities. We are part of something bigger than ourselves, and when we each turn our goodness and compassion outward, we can create, learn, and love. From the New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series comes a celebration of caring for ourselves AND others with open hearts and minds. Whether it’s listening to a friend, welcoming newcomers with open arms, or standing up against injustice, I Am We shows us what true community looks like—and the amazing things that can happen when we come together. Inside you’ll also find exercises for building community. I Am series: I Am Me I Am We Who I Am I Am Courage I Am One I Am Love I Am Human I Am Peace I Am Yoga

Sallie Bee learns how to apologize authentically in this funny and encouraging companion to Sallie Bee Writes a Thank-You Note from New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde, Courtney Sheinmel, and Heather Ross Sallie Bee didn’t mean to break Leo’s project, but it wasn’t her fault! Someone left a pencil on the floor—of course she tripped! She tries to make it better. A knock-knock joke? Check. A snickerdoodle? Yum. A quick “sorry”? Done! So why is Leo still upset? Maybe because Sallie hasn’t thought about how Leo feels—or added the most important part to her apology: the because. Time for a do-over. With a little courage and a lot of heart, Sallie is ready to make things right—for real. Sallie Bee Says “I’m Sorry” is a warm, relatable story about taking responsibility, offering true apologies, and learning from our mistakes. Includes an author’s note with steps for saying “sorry” Also Available: Sallie Bee Writes a Thank-You Note

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde, writer Courtney Sheinmel, and illustrator Heather Ross comes a warmhearted picture book story about expressing gratitude, perfectly modeling how to write a great thank-you note! When a surprise comes in the mail from Grandma, Sallie wants to text her right away: Thanks, Grandma! But wait—how will Grandma know what Sallie is thanking her for and how it makes her feel? And every proper thank-you needs some swirlies, right? This calls for something special: a handwritten note. The next day, Sallie hopes to get another package so she can write a second note. Nothing comes. But . . . she does get safely across the street on the way to school. Maybe that deserves a thank you! Dear Crossing Guard . . . With each new day, Sallie discovers more and more reasons to feel grateful. A warm and witty story about appreciating others, Sallie Bee Writes a Thank-You Note celebrates the simple kindness of saying “thank you.”

With the school talent show coming up, a young music lover spends most of her time daydreaming about the perfect act. She notices the sounds around her, like the brrrrring of the school bell or the rappa-tappa-tap of rain on the windowpane. But the talent show is the place to reveal her own voice. Will she mix up some hip-hop beats? Will she command an orchestra of dozens, bringing the classics to life? Or, will she go electric, Jimi Hendrix style? Marching out on the talent show stage to the beat of her own drum, this sweet and sassy musician ultimately chooses to be herself and sing her own song loud and proud, “I’ve got a rock ’n’ roll soul!”

My Kicks is a picture book from Susan Verde, the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Yoga, that explores the love and pride that kids have for their sneakers and the joy that can be found in growing up, growing out, and moving on—illustrated by Katie Kath. Kids love sneakers. But when a child finds that his toes have outgrown his favorite shoes, and they''ve gotten too dirty and smelly, his mom says it''s time for a new pair. Resistant to let go, the boy reminisces about all the good times he''s had with his favorite kicks on the city streets. There''s the paint splatter from his masterpiece and the drip from a Popsicle. There''s the scuff from when he fell off his skateboard. And there are those frayed laces that he learned to tie in bows and doubles. A new pair just won''t be the same. But, with bigger shoes to fill, the boy realizes new adventures await him. Maybe he could paint a little better? Or skate a little faster? The possibilities just may be endless . . . "The text is lively—in prose form, but with a bouncy hip-hop beat that reflects the boy''s attitude about his active life in his beloved shoes. Energetic ink-and-watercolor illustrations place the boy in a pleasant urban setting and are well matched to the text. A wonderful ode to shoes, old and new." — Booklist

A beautiful meditation on new motherhood from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the I Am series, Susan Verde. #1 New York Times bestselling author and mindfulness teacher Susan Verde has introduced millions of young readers to the idea of self-care. Now she has crafted a message of healing to be shared between new mothers and their babies as they read together. Becoming a mother isn’t always easy. There are tired days and tears, tests of patience and fears of getting it wrong. As mother and child read Mommy Love, the text provides the reader with the prompts of a mindfulness exercise. Mothers are guided to use their senses to help them bond with their babies, notice small details, and ground themselves in the present moment. There are words of encouragement and hope as Mommy and Baby begin their journey of love together. Complete with an author’s note, breathing exercises, a gratitude practice, and other resources, Mommy Love is a groundbreaking and heartwarming book that reassures all those who are experiencing motherhood that they are doing their best as they explore their important new role.

From award-winning creators Susan Verde and Steph Littlebird comes an empowering celebration of the strength, diversity, worthiness, and beauty of our bodies. Did you know your body is beautiful? And not only is it beautiful—it is also unique, miraculous, wise, worthy, and 100% your own. New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde (the I Am series) and acclaimed illustrator Steph Littlebird (My Powerful Hair) team up to celebrate all of the beautiful things our bodies can be and do: from mirroring the wonders in nature and carrying the stories of our ancestors, to speaking up for what they need, growing, dancing and more! With an empowering, lyrical text and bold, vibrant illustrations, Body Beautiful feels like a hug for every body.