My Heart Fills With Happiness

Starred review from November 30, 2015
A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and—yes—happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures, which features a cast of First Nations children and adults; Smith dedicates the book, in part, “to the former Indian Residential School students and their families.” Short, first-person phrases (“My heart fills with happiness when... I see the face of someone I love”) revel in both solitary and familial activities, building to a direct address to readers: “What fills your heart with happiness?” Flett’s (Little You) crisp-edged paintings blend universal and culturally specific experiences—three children cluster around the oven as bannock bakes, while another boy spots a frog as he walks barefoot through the grass. Up to age 5.

Starred review from March 1, 2016

Toddler-PreS-Joyful and tender, this board book celebrates the activities that bring gladness through family and cultural connections. On one spread, three children wait in front of the oven in a modern kitchen ("My heart fills with happiness when...I smell bannock baking in the oven."). The patterns on their clothing are echoed in the kitchen textiles, creating a sense of belonging and completeness. Flett's quietly powerful gouache and digital collage illustrations emphasize the relationships between people through small gestures and touches; the bold colors and simplified compositions increase the impact by stripping away all that is unnecessary. Other things that bring happiness include holding hands, seeing the face of a loved one, singing, drumming, feeling the sun's rays, and listening to stories. All the people appear to be indigenous, although specific groups are not mentioned. The book is dedicated to "former Indian Residential School students and their families." The author and illustrator are strongly connected to their Canadian Aboriginal communities, and the sweet family story has universal appeal. VERDICT A first purchase for all libraries.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Black-haired, brown-skinned children describe many sources of happiness in this board book, dedicated by the author to "former Indian Residential School students.""My heart fills with happiness when... / I see the face of someone I love // I smell bannock baking in the oven / I sing." Author Smith, who is Cree, Lakota, and Scottish-Canadian, infuses her simple text with the occasional detail that bespeaks her First Nations heritage even as she celebrates universal pleasures. In addition to the smell of bannock, the narrator delights in dancing, listening to stories, and drumming. Cree-Metis artist Flett introduces visual details that further underscore this heritage, as in the moccasins, shawl, and braids worn by the dancing child and the drum and drumsticks wielded by the adult and toddler who lovingly make music together. (The "I drum" spread is repeated immediately, possibly to emphasize its importance, a detail that may disorient readers expecting a different scene.) Although the narrative voice is consistent, the children depicted change, which readers will note by hairstyle, dress, and relative age. The bannock bakes in a modern kitchen, and most of the clothing is likewise Western, emphasizing that these Native Americans are contemporary children. There is nothing in the text that specifically identifies them by nation, however. Specific visuals ground this sweet celebration of simple pleasures. (Board book. 1-3)

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