The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story

The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story

Written by Uma Krishnaswami

Illustrated by Ruth Jeyaveeran

Published by Lee & Low Books Inc.

Copyright 2005

32 pages

Multicultural

The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story is about a girl named Meena. She wants to be a tree in the school play, but she thinks she is too clumsy. How will she overcome her clumsiness? How will her performance be during the play?

Ruth Jeyaveeran used acrylic to illustrate the book. The bright illustrations will capture readers’ attention. The illustration of Meena in the class shows how happy she is to overcome her clumsiness. The illustration of the children rehearsing the play shows the emotions of the students.

This book could be used in a fourth or fifth grade classroom. The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story could be used for a social studies lesson. Students could research facts about India. This book could also be used for a writing lesson. Students could write their own version of Red Riding Hood. This book could be used for another social studies lesson. Students could research the origin of yoga. This book won a Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. This book was a book of the week at the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.