THANK YOU MODEH ANI

The Jewish ritual of reciting the daily morning prayer called “Modeh Ani” is explored for all children as a mindful way to begin each day.

The Hebrew phrase modeh ani translates to “I am grateful.” Solomon takes this concept and applies it to how we can begin each day with gratitude for our health, our strength, and our bodies. “Thank you for this brand-new day. / My whole body is grateful.” Without reference to a deity, children are encouraged to pay attention to parts of their bodies with a simple thank you. “Thank you for my toes that tap. My feet that point.” Each body part is assigned a function or movement, building until kids are happily jumping and dancing across the pages. With a nod to mindfulness, Solomon reminds kids to thank their breath that “goes in and out” and their heart that “beats fast and slow,” making their “whole body…ready for this bright new day.” Collage art presents a delighted group across all races and includes a Muslim girl in a hijab sitting side by side with a Jewish boy in a kippah as well as a brown-skinned, black-haired child in a wheelchair. Several illustrations show the Hebrew lettering for the phrase modeh ani. 

A positive, conscious approach to a stress-free morning routine before the day ahead.