Monday, September 24, 2018

Review - My Heart Fills with Happiness

My Heart Fills with Happiness
by Monique Gray Smith
illustrated by Julie Flett
Date: 2016
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy.

International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the second picture book I've read by this author, the first being You Hold Me Up, which I didn't really like much. I think the pictures in this one were a lot better, helping to illustrate the tender moments in the book. There's really no story, just a collection of happy thoughts. It reads almost like a child's gratitude journal.

There's not much in the way of text (so read-out-loud storytime will be very short), but the pictures are nice to look at and illustrate some cultural traditions that many kids might not know much about.

Overall, it's a cute little book, with a nice message and simple pictures. I'd recommend this one over You Hold Me Up for the illustrations alone.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

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