PAWS MCPAUSE
Mark Pallis
RIGHTS AVAILABLE: Translation, Film/TV and all other rights controlled by the bks Agency
Introducing children to mindfulness with a fun new character.
The Paws McPause stories are designed to bring meditation and mindfulness to a mass audience of children and parents. Many people are still not fully conversant with mindfulness, but have heard some of the buzz about its positive impact on children, including boosted self-esteem and well-being; reduced anxiety; greater calmness, relaxation, and self-regulation, and better sleep.
The books will be bright, dynamic and fun, taking science-based meditation and mindfulness techniques and apply them to real-life situations, with a healthy dose of humour. In Paws’ universe, the experience of being ‘in the moment’ is valued, and is understood as integral to our everyday life. At the end of each story, the child will feel entertained, but will have also experienced mindfulness through a sense of connection with their breath, body and surroundings. As they become more familiar with a ‘Power Pause’ they will be able to reap the benefits of mindfulness for themselves, having absorbed simple meditation/mindfulness techniques.
Mark Pallis has been an ad agency Creative Director, a writer on the Emmy-winning Tales of Peter Rabbit and a kid’s TV consultant. He is a former Member of the Executive Committee of the Children’s Media Foundation.
He began practicing mindfulness in 2015 and wanted to share the benefits with his children without having to sit them down for a meditation session. He created the ‘Power Pause’ which used everyday objects to trigger a moment of mindfulness. He engaged in extensive research and worked with various mindfulness experts to hone the process.
Mark studied at LSE and Cambridge and was originally a barrister and occasional contributor to the Guardian and The Times. He switched to the creative sector after devising the award-winning BBC drama Garrow’s Law and acting as Story Editor over its four series. Since then, Mark has built up 15 years’ experience in communication, branding and storytelling.
He is now a writer and creative producer with a passion for opening up important areas like Mindfulness for everyone to enjoy.
“I love creating compelling characters and worlds. My aim is to make moments of genuine engagement between a reader and a child that will stay with both of them for life.”
He began practicing mindfulness in 2015 and wanted to share the benefits with his children without having to sit them down for a meditation session. He created the ‘Power Pause’ which used everyday objects to trigger a moment of mindfulness. He engaged in extensive research and worked with various mindfulness experts to hone the process.
Mark studied at LSE and Cambridge and was originally a barrister and occasional contributor to the Guardian and The Times. He switched to the creative sector after devising the award-winning BBC drama Garrow’s Law and acting as Story Editor over its four series. Since then, Mark has built up 15 years’ experience in communication, branding and storytelling.
He is now a full time writer and creative producer with a passion for opening up important areas like Mindfulness for everyone to enjoy.
“I love creating compelling characters and worlds. My aim is to make moments of genuine engagement between a reader and a child that will stay with both of them for life.”
HOW TO HAVE A MINDFUL PREGNANCY
Mark Pallis & Sian Warriner
RIGHTS AVAILABLE: Translation, Film/TV and all other rights handled by the bks Agency
RIGHTS SOLD: World English language/Trigger Publishing
Written with real mothers, real partners, and real life in mind, How to have a Mindful Pregnancy is grounded in research and shows mothers-to-be and their partners how to develop a set of simple yet hugely powerful skills that can transform their emotional experience and well-being.
This simple, fun and highly practical book contains everything mothers-to-be need to easily introduce mindfulness to their pregnancy. Whether they are new to mindfulness or practice regularly, these thirty tried and tested exercises will easily and gently bring the benefits of mindfulness to their lives, helping them feel more connected to their body and their baby.
Dr Sian Warriner RM, MSc, DClinPrac is a Consultant Midwife and mother of four boys. She leads the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting antenatal education programme. This book draws on the exercises that Sian uses regularly in her teaching.
Sian is also an Associate at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, University of Oxford and is the lead author of the study: An Evaluation of Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Courses for Pregnant Women and Prospective Fathers/Partners within the UK NHS (Midwifery, 2018). This important, highly cited study evaluated the health benefits that mindful practice brings to pregnant women and to their partners.
Mark Pallis is a former advertising agency Creative Director and Head of Engagement for the Royal Society of Arts. He has two young children and is the author of the popular Crab and Whale Mindful Storytime book series for children. As Publisher at Neu Westend Press, Mark works closely with world-leading experts to communicate quality research-based factual information in a new and refreshing way, to delight readers and engage broader new audiences.
THE FABULOUS LOST AND FOUND AND THE LITTLE MOUSE - Many Languages available
Mark Pallis
RIGHTS AVAILABLE: Translation, Film/TV and all other rights handled by the bks Agency
RIGHTS SOLD: German/Bassermann Verlag
In the middle of the big city is a tiny yellow building. If anyone loses anything, this is where it ends up. It’s called the Lost and Found.
The owners, Mr and Mrs Frog, keep everything safe, hoping that some day every lost watch and bag and phone and toy and shoe and cheese grater will find its owner again. The shop is very small and there are so many lost things.
It’s all quite a squeeze, but still, it’s fabulous.
“I love that I can introduce my kids to a new language without it feeling like homework.” Zoe Reynolds, UK
“Let’s read it again.” Noah, aged 4.5.
Utterly charming story, making use of children’s natural approach to learning language” Madalena Xanthopoulou, Founder, The Alma Collective. Expert on raising multilingual children.
"A wonderful book to introduce a new language Into the classroom. Lots to talk about and really captivating illustrations." Rohan Plunkett, Deputy Head, Akiva Primary School.
How does the Story-Powered Language Learning Method work?
Aimed at children aged 2-7, The Fabulous Lost and Found is children’s language learning book like no other. It is the first in a series of books using the “Story-powered language learning” method, and is intentionally easy to translate into any pair of languages.
Inspired by the latest research in children’s language acquisition, Author Mark Pallis believes that a child’s first steps in a new language should be a riotously fun experience. His charming story teaches children more than just words, it builds empathy and helps lay the foundation for a lifelong love of language.
And it is all brought to life through beautiful illustrations by the award-winning animator Peter Baynton.
