The Smile Shop

March 1, 2021
Amid a bustling city, a young boy seeks something to call his own. A young boy with pale skin and dark brown hair feels special. For the first time, he has his own money. But what will he buy? Told in the first person, the boy's narrative features evocative language that conveys his experiences as he takes in the sights, smells, and temptations of the shops. The boy is portrayed in bold primary colors, drawing readers' eyes with each page turn; around him, a racially diverse crowd rushes about, painted in a fainter palette. Contemplating toys, tasty treats, and more, the boy is bumped by a kid on a skateboard and loses most of his coins down a storm drain. Dejected, the boy goes into a shop with a sign that says "Smile" and asks the brown-skinned shopkeeper if he can afford a very small smile. The boy has previously been mostly on his own, but the shopkeeper interacts with him directly and gives him just what he needs--for free. In doing so, he opens up the boy's perspective to appreciate the world around him. Simple illustrations brimming with eye-catching details are stylistically reminiscent of Uri Shulevitz with a dash of Tomie dePaola. The classic, subdued palette perfectly complements the boy's journey, fading to gray at the story's darkest moment and brightening with the resolution. A satisfyingly--and deceptively--simple tale about sincere pleasures in hectic times. (Picture book. 4-7)

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April 15, 2021
Grades K-3 In this wonderful story by Kitamura (Me and My Cat? 2020), a young boy is excited to make his first purchase using his own money. He wanders through a busy market, smelling all the delicious treats, admiring the colorful stalls, and pausing at interesting stores like the clock shop. The busy illustrations--created in pen, ink, watercolor, and gouache---feature fine but imprecise line work that gives a childlike quality to scenes sure to resonate with young readers. Yet none of these items is what he wants to buy, so the boy continues to window shop, only to collide with a skateboarder and lose his money down a drain. Suddenly, the color goes out of the illustrations around him, reflecting the boy's sadness, until he happens upon the Smile Shop. When he enters, color returns, and the shop owner explains that a smile is to be exchanged and shared, not bought. They smile together, and the child leaves happy once more, smiling at everyone he passes, as do they. A lovely reflection on happiness.

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