Review by Booklist Review
Henn presents 10 thought-provoking messages to put a smile on little ones' faces. When you see something terrific / smile a smile and pass it on. / If you chance upon a chuckle, / hee hee hee and pass it on. Henn's lilting narrative a fitting combination of light alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyming, and repetition is a lovely match for her eye-catching, whimsical compositions with spare, minimalistic figures. The adorable cast of multicultural kids get up to all kinds of fun, and their camaraderie seems to suggest that those moments are all the more delightful when they're enjoyed together. Bold primary and secondary colors are set against each other to capture distinct moods, and things stay cheerful, even when Henn talks about downtimes. Sometimes the fun and glee aren't in their usual place. / But search around, there's always some / a hum, a hug, a happy face. This celebratory, feel-good story sends a sweet reminder to young audiences about the importance of finding joy in small things and sharing it with others.--Lock, Anita Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A bright message of the power of positive emotion is conveyed in this lovely title. It opens with a billboard stating, "When you see something terrific," and a page turn reveals a full-spread rainbow and the words, "Smile a smile and pass it on." Henn goes on to show young children in bold, colorful illustrations playing, experiencing nature, and enjoying activities such as riding a roller coaster and climbing trees. The simple text suggests that readers take the happy feelings that life gives and share them with friends. Expressed in this unpretentious tale is the concept that loneliness and uncertainty will be replaced with joy when laughter, smiles, and hugs are shared. VERDICT A wonderful storytime offering that will inspire little ones to connect gleefully with those around them. Be sure to read this book aloud and pass it on.-Mary Jennings, Camano Island Library, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A tiny tot knows that if you spread happiness, it will come back to you.An exuberant child with straight, black hair, light-brown skin, and a cheery red hat beseeches readers to smile, laugh, and jump for joybut most importantly, to pass it on. Friends (of many ethnicities and a few from the animal kingdom as well) reap the benefits of the narrator's jolly worldview. They giggle and marvel in concert, whether they are under the sea, high in the treetops, or whizzing along on a roller coaster. Set against vast swaths of almost every color of the rainbow, the matte background changes with each page turn, bopping along with the infectious mood. Of course, it's not all roses: "Sometimes the fun and glee / aren't in their usual place. / But search around, / there's always some // a hum, a hug, a happy face." Although the text has been Americanized, the book's British origins are hinted at by the inclusion of "wellies" on the gray, rainy page, which also shows that puddle-splashing is universal. The ultrapositive verse may seem to be a string of platitudes to some, but encouraging kids to be kind is never a misstep. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
