All's Happy That Ends Happy

July 1, 2020

K-Gr 3-The sweet adventures of Dani and Ella continue in this final installment of the "My Happy Life" series. Dani has missed school for the past few weeks after having surgery to remove her tonsils and catching pneumonia during recovery. While she is recuperating, her father Gianni decides to marry his fianc�e in Rome. Dani misses her best friend Ella and is heartbroken that she can't invite her to the wedding because she is too far away. Meanwhile, Ella is slacking on her other responsibilities, like caring for her sister, as she and Dani strive to keep close when the physical distance between them grows. Lagercrantz's heartfelt story touches upon many realistic issues that young children may face, including the loss of a parent, parents dealing with depression, and adjusting to moving away from friends. VERDICT Fans of the previous books in this series will again be delighted by this gentle, realistic depiction of two girls coping with big life changes while maintaining their friendship.-Annmarie Braithwaite, New York P.L., New York City

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2020
The seventh in the My Happy Life series, translated from Swedish and imported from New Zealand. The story opens with a mystery: Where is Dani? She hasn't been to school for seven weeks, and now, no one is home at her house. Her school friends assume she's in Northbrook with best friend Ella for Easter break. But Ella is at her family's house on the island and hasn't seen Dani either. The storyline segues to Ella, who insists she is responsible enough to watch her little sister, Miranda, while their mother takes the little boat to pick up "Ella's extra father," Paddy. But Ella gets distracted and Miranda disappears. Ella, unable to face her mother, hides. Meanwhile, readers learn that Dani is in Rome, where her father is getting married. The Italian side of Dani's family is in full force, introducing her to Rome's attractions, but Dani misses Ella and wishes Ella could have come to the wedding too. The two storylines seamlessly join, and readers are treated to another stellar Dani and Ella story, enriched with Eriksson's inimitable (and happily, copious) pen-and-ink illustrations that express astonishingly subtle expressions and attitudes with simple lines. As in the other books in the series, this one brings a perspicacious perspective, a natural humor, a solid theme of friendship, and Dani's belief in life's capacity to bring happiness. All characters' skin is shown as the white of the paper. A gem. (Fiction. 6-10)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.