My Heart Flies Open

Written and illustrated by Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis, My Heart Flies Open is an inclusive, empowering, and uplifting picture book for girls of color about yoga, meditation, and coming home to self-love. All children will be charmed by this book.

In every situation I can blossom. Breathing in and breathing out, I know…I AM PEACEFUL.

Beautifully and brightly illustrated, My Heart Flies Open takes readers on a yoga journey of mindful reflection, self-discovery, and self-love. Starting with Easy Pose (“I AM LOVE”) and moving through Mountain Pose (“I AM STILLNESS”), Triangle Pose (“I AM ME”), and more, My Heart Flies Open guides young readers through a grounding sequence of 15 yoga poses and affirmations.

More than just another yoga or mindfulness book, My Heart Flies Open transports young readers to a magical world where they learn to overcome negative emotions and move dynamically through their feelings–shining bright and connecting to the peace, laughter, love, grounding, and spirit that live inside all along.

With every yoga pose, each breath in, and each breath out, My Heart Flies Open brings young readers home to themselves: they are life, love, joy, and kindness; bold, fierce, peaceful, and whole. Written for children, and especially girls of color, ages 4 – 8.

FILLS AN ESSENTIAL MARKET GAP: Despite the volume of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness books for kids, it’s difficult to find picture books in this genre that feature a protagonist who’s a young girl of color. This book meets a critical need and fulfills the growing desire of Black parents to have positive, diverse, and affirmative images and stories which equip their child with yoga, mindfulness, and emotional wellness tools. Secondarily, it meets the growing need of white families for diverse, positive reading material for kids in their care, both in general and in the yoga/mindfulness spaces. YOGA AND MINDFULNESS RESOURCE: Provides a practical, beautiful, and inclusive mindfulness resource and an easy-to-follow yoga sequence. Includes diverse mindfulness/yoga images and a story which meets the growing demand of counselors, teachers, school administration, school librarians, and yoga teachers.
POSITIVE AND UPLIFTING STORY: Per the author and industry commentary in the New York Times, kids’ books that feature Black characters often have limited or oppressive narratives. There’s a need for children’s picture books featuring protagonists of color that uplift, affirm, and inspire.