Mop Rides The Waves of Life

Mop Rides The Waves of Life is a wonderful picture book written by Jaimal Yogis and illustrated by Matthew Allen. When this book arrived at my house, I couldn’t think of a better time to have received it. During the pandemic and erratic weather conditions, it can be difficult to keep positive energy going. We all have good days and bad days as adults but how do we explain this to our children? Our children have been through so much these past six months and it’s books like Mop Rides The Waves of Life that can be an effective tool to help our children’s ride the waves up and down.

The book begins with the introduction of a unique character named Mop. Mop loves to surf! He also loves school but sometimes get impulsive and has difficulty controlling his anger. During one instance, Mop pushes his friend into the sandbox after getting upset. Later that day, he gets teased for “looking like a poodle” because of his hair. Mop is feeling down and doesn’t know how to feel better. When he arrives home, his mom is determined to life his spirits. How can Mop’s spirits be lifted? Surfing of course!

Mop’s mom begins with teaching Mop breathing and mindfulness exercises to help feel “the emotional waves” inside. Then Mop’s mom taught her son about the “waves of life”. She explains “So when you feel bad, don’t be scared. Stormy waves are natural.”

The illustrations in this book work beautifully with a mix of emotions such as anger, fear and sadness. The author also explores how waves feel when you are happy and content.

After surfing with his Mom and practicing mindfulness, Mop feels much better! He comes back to school and is able to make amends with his friends and control his anger better.

Language and Learning Tips

I love this book because it helps children understand complex emotions that can be difficult to explain. Mop goes through a variety of emotions throughout the story but works through his anger and learns from his mistakes. He also learns how to be more mindful with the help of his mom and surfing.

As you reading this book, take note of the different emotions that Mop experiences and label the feelings. Discuss with your child anytime they may have felt lonely and angry at a friend. Talk about the waves and how they compare to feelings. The best way for children to understand emotions is labeling them when occurring. Also practice deep breathing and mindfulness, which can be a wonderful tool for children and adults. Check out the author, Jaimal Yogis youtube channel for more videos about meditation with your child!

When reading the book, use emotion stones to review and discuss emotions. To learn more about emotion stones, click here.

Mop Rides the Waves of Life: A Story of Mindfulness and Surfing