Book Review: Striker, Slow Down by Emma Hughes, John Smisson

Striker, Slow Down is a picturebook written by Emma Hughes and illustrated by John Smisson. Striker the cat is unstoppable! He thinks that there is too much fun to be had, and no matter what his mama tells him, he never slows down. One day, a bump to the head brings this busy cat to a standstill. Will Striker finally listen to his mama and learn to make time for a little calmness?

Striker, Slow Down is a charming book about slowing down and taking the time to notice things and clear the head. The illustrations are sweet and charming, capturing the energy Striker has and the reluctance to slow down. As a mom of two very active children I have seen this in real life, the fear of missing out or not taking advantage of every fun possibility that comes their way. I enjoyed that the book show how slowing down and being more aware, more mindful, of their bodies and the world around them. I think there was a nice balance of fun and getting the point across with out getting pushy. I think the concept of thinking of nothing might be hard for some youngsters to grasp, and I felt like there was not much time spent on how to actually relax. Although I do like the idea of starting this conversation and giving parents and caregivers some of these tool, both for themselves and the kids.