Ziji is a scruffy little puppy who lives with his family in an apartment. There is a park next to the apartment and Ziji likes to chase pigeons there. When a new boy moves in, Ziji is very curious and wants to befriend him, and the boy wants to teach Ziji meditation. Along the way, he also teaches Ziji that chasing the pigeons scares them and how it is unkind.

I felt like the book could have been a little shorter, as some of the scenes felt repetitive. I liked how the book shows that it takes practice and visualize thoughts floating away like clouds and your mind being "stirred up" like the stick in the lake, and there is a section in the back with notes on how to use the book to teach children about meditation.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

I recommend this book, it is essential as parents or educators to provide our children with tools of personal and spiritual development, so that they have what is necessary for their fulfillment in life.
Many parents and educators have put aside this type of teaching, partly because we have not experienced it. But times have changed and we are moving towards a more holistic paradigm of who we are as conscious Human, in addition to the new challenges our children face in the Information and Technology Era.
I believe that meditation is an invaluable tool for our children, as a means of self-knowledge, self-awareness and happiness. The transcendental and spiritual aspect of humanity makes it necessary for us to also develop this area, to be integral beings to achieve more satisfaction in life.

The images were nice and the story was ok, I just didn't feel that the story was excellent and I did find it a bit awkward at times. I thought that this book was enjoyable and it deserves the three stars I have given it.

5 Star book written by a Tibetan meditation master and a child psychologist, young Nico teaches the lovable, childlike puppy dog Ziji to become quiet, calm and open—to meditate—where he achieves a sense of spaciousness and compassion in a busy environment. Wonderful book. Highly recommend.

A really inspiring and unique book, written by a Tibetan meditation master, Yongey Mingyur who uses the transformation of a dog called Ziji to teach children the art of meditation.
Ziji starts out as a hyperactive dog with ruffled up fur who lives in a chaotic family environment. His favourite thing is to bark and scare off the pigeons in the park. One day he meets a boy called Nico who appears to be sitting quietly doing nothing. Over time Nico teaches Zijii how meditation calms the brain and eventually Zijii becomes a calmer dog who doesn;t chase pigeons anymore.
The beautiful illustrations show Zijii progress from a scruffy hyperactive pup to one who is happy, smiling and with smooth fur. Nico explains how frightened the pigeons are by Ziji's barking and how he should consider how his actions hurt others. Zijiis mum goes to the park to learn how to meditate too.
At the back of the book, there is a section for teachers and parents which informs them of the benefit of meditation and how the reactions of Ziji can be used to reinforce the message that calmness brings happiness.., I can't praise this book enough, it is non religious and will be a source of inspiration to a new generation.

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, one of the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters, teaches your child the basics of meditation using Ziji the bouncy puppy and his new friend Nico as guides.

Zij the puppy lives with the Anderson family: Mom, Dad, Jenny, and Baby Jack. He’s noisy and bouncy and loves to chase pigeons in the park. From his favorite place (the back of the couch), Ziji sees Nico sitting quietly in the park. What is Nico doing? He’s meditating! Nico teaches Ziji to meditate and learn empathy for the poor pigeons he used to chase.

Kids will see themselves in the bouncy puppy and enjoy learning about meditation alongside him. And learn to put themselves in the shoes of others helping them develop empathy. This is a longer book for picture books but I think it’s engaging enough to keep young children listening and maybe it’ll even help them learn to sit still longer!

The extensive guide for parents and teachers at the back of the book has more information on what meditation is, how it can be helpful, and suggestions on how children can continue to practice meditation on their own.

Ziji was a somewhat far fetched story about a crazy little dog learning yoga and meditation practices at the local park. Although it is somewhat unrealistic for a dog to learn meditation to stop chasing the pigeons, the way it was approached could help children understand the purpose of meditation as well as how your actions impact other people. This book would be a good introduction to meditation in a classroom setting.

This book is extremely long for a picture book. It’s about learning to meditate to let go of energy. The story isn’t bad, and it includes a guide on how to use the book in the back. But personally this is not one, I would read to my kids, but those who want to learn more about meditation may find this helpful.

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This is a cute story with sweet illustrations in muted colors. It provides a way to introduce younger children to meditation. It offers one of the best and simplest explanations of meditation using an analogy with a stick and a pond.