The Ball of Red String: A Guided Meditation for Children

by Marlene Halpin, Carrie Schuler (Illustrator)

The timeless book on guided meditation returns to inspire a new generation of children to connect with God and build a lifelong relationship with their Creator.

The Ball of Red String  is a simply but beautifully written guided meditation for children that takes little ones on an imaginative journey to a quiet place where they meet Jesus. It is designed to help kids understand that they can talk to God at any time and about anything. In this new edition with calming and captivating artwork by Carrie Schuler, The Ball of Red String relies on children’s innate imagination to help them know God while developing mindfulness, self-control, self-awareness, and faith.

32 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2023

Reviews

[Christina Valastro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book! I am a huge mediator and looking for ways to introduce meditation to my family. This is there perfect book to help beginner mediators understand the importance of disconnecting for the outside world and reconnecting with our inside world 🌎

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!!

[Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

If you are a family of faith and are trying to teach children how to become closer to God, this is a good book. I liked the illustrations.




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[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book about prayer and meditation is great for families, churches, and religious education settings. The content is non-denominational, and it invites children to imagine a journey to meet Jesus in their "heart home." The story helps kids picture the process of traveling to meet Jesus, and then it guides but doesn't dictate their experiences talking to him. The illustrations are lovely, and I like how they don't visualize Jesus directly, showing him in shades of dark or light instead of picturing an artist's imagination of what he looks like.

The book includes a note for parents and educators at the end. It explains how they can use the book with kids, suggests ways to modify the material, and shares further encouragement for helping kids connect with Jesus. I particularly liked the detail that what kids choose to discuss in prayer is private, and that adults should respect this. This is a helpful guide for building children's relationships with God, and I recommend it.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Eunice Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gets a huge thumbs up from me. It's so simple yet so to the point for helping any child to understand Jesus loves them and wants a relationship with them, that it's easy to talk with Jesus. I love the red ball of string idea of how a child can follow where it leads as it unravels and rolls along, leading - so to speak - to find Jesus and commune with Him.

At the end of the book, there are great suggestions on how Sunday School teachers, carers of children and I suppose, even parents, can use the story to greater effect in teaching children to talk with and listen for Jesus' answers, even if it is all silent communication. Excellent, excellent book!

Illustrations in muted colors add extra garnish to the story.

A definite 5-Star rating from me!

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this book! I can't wait to read it with my kids. There is a guide in the back that is helpful to read ahead of time on your own. The story itself starts by talking about your "heart home" and how to find it. We are given a ball of red string which leads us tangibly through different obstacles. Eventually we reach our "heart home" which is Jesus and the wording when you meet Him is so simple yet profound. It teaches kids (and adults!) how to talk to Jesus, listen, and how to keep finding Him. I love that it says to listen with your heart and you might not hear words but might still know what He's saying. What a wonderful and practical guided meditation! The illustrations are also beautiful watercolors.

[Kristen Jett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually avoid religious reads, so I'm not sure how this one got recommended to me, but it's a delight. The Ball of Red String is a great way to introduce guided meditation in a safe, and fun way to children.

If you are not religious, or want to give your child more autonomy in their beliefs, I think it would be easy to adapt for that. I'll be suggesting that my oldest see an angel as I know that's a concept he's comfortable with, and for my youngest I might try "a safe person" and see what comes up for him.

I could see this being used regularly in a mindfulness practice, or to continue building a spiritual relationship. (I can also see adults enjoying doing this!)

[Omm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although my personal religious beliefs do not align with the author, this book is charmingly written and illustrated. The story is simply told with sweet images to follow with the story to build on the tale being told but without being distracting. The alternative methods for use in groups or other settings is wise as well. Good resource for religious educators or anyone that wants to include meditative prayer into their child's life. This is a book that should be read as hard copy or in a way that preserves the formatting- the Kindle version was a mess while the original is lovely.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great way to introduce Christian children to meditation. The exercise is detailed and well thought through. It will help to activate a child's imagination, even as it soothes their anxiety.

I like the way that the child is reminded that they are always safe, and that they can communicate with Jesus just by sharing their thoughts instead of needing to speak to him.

The detailed instructions at the back of the book also offer alternative options for how to do the meditation with children.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley*

Too many words for this concept. If the idea is to simplify prayer, why is this so detailed? The concept is nice, but I don't think it's necessary to follow the string to all the other places before you get to Jesus. It makes the message get lost in the weeds. I did really appreciate the art, and I loved that the images of Jesus left a lot to the imagination. That was awesome. The concept is there, but the execution is lacking for me.

[stephanie cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Ball of Red String" by Sister Marlene Halpin is a beautifully crafted guided meditation book designed to help children connect with God and cultivate a lifelong relationship with their Creator. The narrative is straightforward and engaging, making it enjoyable to share with young readers. The illustrations are charming and enhance the overall experience, adding a visual warmth to the meditative journey. This book is a wonderful tool for introducing children to spiritual practices in a meaningful and accessible way.

[Jessica Bellemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about a guided faith meditation.

The meditation is even a wonderful read for adults, with beautiful illustrations and heartfelt faith messages.

In a world where mindfulness and meditation are heavily practiced, this book sets itself apart by introducing the Christian dimension.

As someone who works with teachers, this will be a book that I will be referring to them as a necessity for their classroom bookshelf.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book from a religious perspective but from a meditation perspective (as the book promises), I'm not sure how it would work. Most of the people that the book recommends to use this book (teachers, youth leaders, catechists) are typically working within a group. It might be a good one on one resource maybe very small group resource.

If you're not looking for a religious book, skip this one.

#arc
#netgalley
#theballofredstring

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written and illustrated. It is a guided mediation for children that leads you to Jesus. It may be helpful to read the guide in the back ahead of time on your own. Meditation is wonderful for all ages.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me an advanced electronic copy of this book for me to read this book for an honest review.
#TheBallofRedString #NetGalley #meditation

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a meditation book for Christians, how you spend some time alone, or quiet time (together) while getting closer to Jesus. As a believer, we know that Jesus is there but we rarely know that He will answer in His own amazing way. He knows us best, and has the tools to reach us, if we let Him. And through meditation, you might find Him, and feel His loving hands strengthen you.

[Jenna Stensland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well done meditation for kids and I think it would work well for any Christian denomination. It is a simple guided meditation that helps a child visualize their relationship with Jesus through prayer. The addition of the tips and adaptations adds even more to the book. Very well done.

[Margaret Closs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great meditation, would be especially helpful for Sunday school teachers introducing children to private prayer with Jesus. I almost feel the part at the end of the book, describing how adults can facilitate the meditation, might be better at the beginning of the book (so when reading, you may want to jump ahead and read the context first). Very well done start to meditative prayer.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful it made me want to cry. What a wonderful way to teach children to find their way to Jesus. I absolutely love this book and meditation. We need more books like this for children and for adults too.

[Marissa Mascaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I liked the meditation due, it was very easy to follow. I think it could’ve been slightly longer and introduced a bit more, but otherwise I would definitely use this.