The Journey by Anne Whitehead & Rosa Vaughan — £7.99

The Journey by Anne Whitehead & Rosa Vaughan
ISBN: 978-0-9568997-8-1

Suitable for everyone but especially good to read together with children and grandchildren or for teachers/carers to read to children and young people. For younger children the reader can simplify the text as the illustrations carry the story along.

One day Goa Tee the Master Peacekeeper offers a reward to anyone wishing to make the journey to his home in the mountains starting out at dawn the very next morning. Maybell Mouse and Fangio Ferret are the only two brave enough to take up the offer. Maybell is quite relaxed and interested in the world around her, while Fangio is pretty tense and always rushing to be the best or the first, and so begin two very different journeys.

A little story to remind us not to rush and not to spend life trying too hard and being repeatedly disappointed. To be aware of the most precious, ‘ourselves’, and to remember that it is so much nicer to enjoy the many wonders of life if we can.

I read this story to my grandchildren, boys aged 5 and 8, and also at work to 14-16 year olds in my role as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nurse and Mindfulness Teacher. The Journey is a thoughtful approach to invite children and adults in to mindfulness awareness. A great experience of reading together and opening conversation, recognising themselves in the characters and noticing the differences. Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly enjoyed.
Maxine Hope (RMN, MBSR)

The girls both enjoyed the story and found Fangio’s erratic behaviour funny. They liked meeting the other animals and imagining the acrobatics especially. The contrast between the characters makes the differences easy for the children to identify. As a parent, I particularly liked reading together as it is rare that I read to them now as they are old enough to read for themselves. The book is calming with beautiful illustrations. We really enjoyed it.
Rebecca Pickles (RMN, with 8 and 9 year old daughters)

Enjoyable and heartwarming, a wonderful way of engaging between and across generations. A welcome addition to storytelling and to literature on the Alexander Technique. We can all learn from it.
Sue Fleming (MSTAT, Chair of Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique)