ForImmediateRelease Contact:EarlitaChenaultTel.(510)944-9032/earlita@parallax.org

AGUIDEFORNOURISHINGJOYFUL,WELL-ADJUSTEDCHILDREN.

“ThepracticesofferedinAwakeningJoyforKidshelpparents,teachers,andkidslearnthepausethatcanmakeallthedifferenceinaday,andin

alifetime.”–TaraBrach,RadicalAcceptanceandTrueRefuge

“Thisbeautifulbookgoesstraighttotheheart,sorichwithsimple,powerful,practicalthingsthatchildrenandadultscandotogrowreal

andlastingresilience,compassion,andjoyinsidethemselves.”–RickHanson,PhD,HardwiringHappinessandJustOneThing

Anyonewithchildrenwilltellyouthattheyarecapableofawidevarietyofemotionsfromhappinesstorage.Ifoneisluckyoneisabletoholdontothepeacefulmomentswithchildren,toteachthemtobemoremindfulandjoyful.AwakeningJoyforKidsisamust-havetooltohelpparents,teachers,andcaregiverstodojustthat.SpiritRockfounder,author,andteacherJamesBaraz’sAwakeningJoyoffershislargeanddevotedreadershipaprogramtogaincontentmentandhappinessbycultivatingtheseedsofjoywithin.InAwakeningJoyforKidshejoinswithMicheleLilyanna,aclassroomteacherfor25years,tooffercaregiversandchildrenwaystofindjoyineachdaytogether.Thisuniqueofferingnurturesbothadultsandkids.Barazpresentsthepracticesfortheadults—parents,caregivers,andteachers—whileLilyannaoffersherownexperiencesasaparentandasateacher,showinghowthethemesworkwithkids,followedbythetriedandtruelessonsthatshe'susedherselfintheclassroomandathome.PackedwithpracticesandactivitiesthatJamesandMichelehavegatheredovertheirmanyyearsofworkingwiththousandsofadultsandchildreninretreats,workshops,andtheclassroom,AwakeningJoyforKidsisimbuedwithcompassionanddelight.PartofParallaxPress'growingcurriculumforparentsandeducatorsdesignedtocultivatejoyandmindfulnessinchildren.

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About the Authors JamesBarazhasbeenameditationteachersince1978.In2003hecreatedtheAwakeningJoycourse,whichhehastaughtattheOmegaInstitute,EsalenInstitute,andothervenuesacrosstheUnitedStatesandabroad.Heisco-foundingteacherofSpiritRockMeditationCanterinWoodacre,California,wherehestartedtheFamilyProgramandauthor,withShoshanaAlexander,ofAwakeningJoy,thebookbasedonthecourse.HeisanadvisortheOneEarthSanghaaforumdevotedtowiseresponsestoclimatechange.Earlierinhislife,Jameswasanelementaryschool

teacherfor12yearsmostlyinAstoria,Queens.JameslivesinBerkeley,Californiawithhiswife,Jane.Hehastwosonsandthreegrandchildren.

MicheleLilyannahastaughtinthepubliceducationsystemforthepast25years,althoughallofherprincipalshavedescribedheras"outofthebox"andoutofthebuildingwithherstudents!Formostofthattimeherfocushasbeensocialandemotionallearning.WhenMicheleisnotteachingparents,educators,orchildren,youwillfindherawakeningjoyontheSunshineCoastofBritishColumbiawithherpartnerPeterandhertwosons.

Interview Questions for James Baraz

1. How does this book relate to your previous title, Awakening Joy?

2. Why should someone with the first book buy this one?

3. How long have you been doing the Awakening Joy program?

4. How did you first begin to develop this program?

5. What made you decide to do the book for kids?

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Interview Questions for Michele Lilyanna

1. How did you come to discover Awakening Joy?

2. How did you meet James? What was it about his work that moved you?

3. How did you adapt Awakening Joy into the lessons for the classroom?

4. What results have you had using the material?

Interview Questions for James & Michele

1. How did you first learn about and begin to practice mindfulness?

2. When did you start using mindfulness in the classroom?

3. Are the lessons in the book easy to do?

4. In your experience, how did mindfulness affect the students?

5. Why is it important for parents and caregivers to practice mindfulness?

6. You say that you don’t have to be a school teacher or even a parent to benefit from Awakening Joy for Kids. How is that?

### AwakeningJoyForKidsbyJamesBarazandMicheleLilyanna Contact:EarlitaChenault6”x9”,304pages (510)944-9032,earlita@parallax.orgTradepaperback,$16.95 ISBN978-1-941529-28-7 DistributedbyPenguinRandomPublishingAugust9,2016 HousePublisherServices