How to Make a Shark Smile

January 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-Ripple the dolphin is excited for his first day at a new aquarium. The fish are all hiding and sad. Ripple asks Bob the blowfish what is wrong. The fish have mistaken Ripple for Snark the shark, the meanest creature in the aquarium. Ripple challenges Bob to stare at his smiling face and not smile himself. Bob does smile and, impressed with Ripple's joyous presence, he busies himself spreading smiles among other fish. Snark happens along and Ripple challenges him to smile. Try as he might to resist, Snark eventually gives in to his first toothy shark giggle. Wide-eyed and cute cartoon characters, produced digitally with bright colors, will appeal to young readers. The prose is mainly conversational and plentiful, which may make it challenging to read aloud to a wiggling group of children. However, the message of infectious positivity affecting the energy of those around you is delivered with enough humor and charm that young listeners should respond. The end pages contain tips for helping yourself and others develop a happiness mindset. VERDICT A compelling and age-appropriate story on the mechanics of a positive mindset. A solid addition to most libraries.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2019
As the song goes: "Gray skies are gonna clear up / Put on a happy face!" With an assist from Blankson, the author of the positive psychology guide The Happiness Advantage (2010) takes his message to children in this newly illustrated reissue of the 2012 title Ripple's Effect, originally illustrated by Cecilia Rebora. A smiley dolphin named Ripple, new to the aquarium, is eager to make friends. Alas, she discovers that the other sea creatures live in fear of Snark, a bullying shark. Undeterred, Ripple teaches everyone a game in which players must stare into another's face for seven seconds without smiling. Naturally, this elicits belly laughs among the aquarium's denizens. When Snark investigates the newfound attitude of the formerly frightened, he's pulled into the game, and thanks to his inevitable smile, all bullying is henceforth forgotten. Whether readers believe Ripple's declarations that happiness is a choice (thereby circumventing the existence of depression and mental illness) is rather beside the point. Children are meant to glean from this book methods that help increase their own happiness, illuminated by the book's backmatter. Alas, the story eschews practical methods of handling bullying. Nor, for that matter, does it confront the idea that sometimes a bully can experience great happiness...from the misery of others. Colorful, peppy art perfectly plays up the book's un-nuanced can-do attitude. Does this book have what it takes to help kids in any practical way? Go fish. (Picture book. 4-7)

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