FICTION

My Heart Fills with Happiness: Nijiikendam

by Monique Gray Smith (text) & illus. by Julie Flett
Orca. Sept. 2020. 32p. Board $10.95. ISBN 9781459825390.
COPY ISBN
PreS-K–The concept of happiness is explored in both English and Anishinaabemowin. The phrase “My heart fills with happiness” begins the book and is repeated a few times throughout. Most of the text is a single sentence about an activity that brings joy. Bold, richly colored illustrations in a folk style fill one page, while one or two small drawings of an item from the picture are on the text page. “I drum” shows a child sitting on a man’s lap as they both tap drumsticks on the top of a drum, with a small drumstick drawn beneath the text. A variety of Indigenous children and families are shown enjoying their daily lives and activities. The book ends with a child viewing a reflection in a mirror and the question, “What brings you happiness?” providing an opportunity for further discussion.
VERDICT Charming in its simplicity, this is a great reminder of what can be found every day in our lives.
Reviewed by Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Lib., WA , Jul 01, 2021

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