You Make Me Happy

October 1, 2018
Fox and Porcupine celebrate the many ways they enjoy each other."You make me happy, / like birds taking flight, / like a waterfall twinkling, / like morning's first light. // The things that you do, and the things that you say, / fill me with sunshine and brighten my day." Throughout the seasons, readers are treated to a look at all the lovely times the duo have. Even when the text hints that one is feeling down and the other is cheering them on, the acrylic-paint-and-colored-pencil artwork shows both feeling glad, demanding that readers guess which might have been sad. That's not the only thing readers will have to guess either. It's unclear whether this relationship is friendly, romantic, or familial; at times the text and illustrations make it seem as though it could be any of these. And the first-person narrator is also never identified. The idea is certainly sweet, the roly-poly pair are delightfully expressive and adorable, and the sentiments expressed are those caregivers appreciate and celebrate in their children. Still, the wording may cause adults to cringe, especially those trained in psychology and like subjects that emphasize that confidence and well-being do not rest on externalities: "You make me happy and hopeful and strong." Cute but not substantive, and the wording may be off-putting. (Picture book. 3-7)

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July 26, 2019

PreS-K-An adorable testament to the importance of close relationships from the author and illustrator of I Love You Night and Day and I'll Never Let You Go. Fox and Porcupine frolic through the forest, across seasons, and offer one another love and support. Their relationship is left undefined and could easily be applied to parent and child, siblings, or friends as they play, laugh, and build a tree house together. Written in rhyming similes and lyrical vignettes, the text also acknowledges that sometimes close relationships are hard, as one can make the other grumpy, but overall being together is the most important thing. The illustrations rendered in acrylic and color pencil depict the pair having a picnic, splashing in a lake, and rowing an umbrella in the rain, reflecting the changing of the seasons and their continued connection through thick and thin. Soft colors and beautiful details, such as flower petals floating through the air, a snow porcupine with stick spikes, and a waterfall with a vibrant rainbow, fill the pages offering readers a delightful visual to match the endearing text. VERDICT A warming addition to any collection and for fans of the author and illustrator's previous joint efforts.-Kaitlin Malixi, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia

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