My Happy Life

“This simply written chapter book tenderly portrays the happiness of a child whose life is in balance, as well as the colossal, unremitting, inconsolable sorrow of one who is suffering loss. . . . The clarity and simplicity of the writing are balanced by the verve and finesse of Eriksson’s captivating illustrations. . . . A quietly compelling book for young readers.”—starred, Booklist

http://www.reading.org/reading-today/post/rty/2013/08/21/back-to-school-books#.UxSw4fldV20
Back to School Books
BY THE CL/R SIG
August 21, 2013

Lagercrantz, R. (2013). My happy life. Reprint Edition. New Zealand: Gecko Press.

Dani has been waiting for the beginning of the school year at her new school all summer long. When the day comes, she is excited but scared as well. What if she cannot find any friends? Her father tries to calm Dani down and tells her to think about happy moments. As Dani makes friends with Ella, her life at the new school becomes full and complete. But, to Dani’s frustration, Ella and her family move out of town. Dani feels angry and lonely. She tries to find other friends among her classmates; however, Dani just seems to create drama. Following her father’s advice, Dani starts to write her own storybook about happy moments in her life. Then, she gets a letter from Ella that invites her to come to celebrate Easter with Ella’s family. This visit becomes a realization of what happiness really is; Dani sees happiness in simple things such as friendship, caring, and love. This book is about learning and navigating one’s life in a new school and living in a single-parent home. The illustrations of the book are done in ink, and since Eriksson mostly relies on lines, the images provide dynamics to the story. My Happy Life is translated from Swedish by Julia Marshal and will definitely serve the classroom as a good and vivid example of international children’s literature.
– Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

“The book’s open layout, with its plentiful white space, welcomes the new reader, as does the prose style….Ericksson’s beautifully composed line drawings are full of personality and emotion, and the whole book speaks of care and artfulness in its production.” —The Horn Book Magazine

“For young middle grade readers, a new chapter book, ‘My Happy Life,’ takes up the subject of resilience in such a natural and powerful way, children won’t remotely feel like they’re reading a manual….If only all early chapter books were this beautifully conceived.”—The New York Times Book Review

“The illustrations complement the narrative well, and will enable younger readers to feel a sense of accomplishment for tackling a lengthy chapter book….The difficult subjects are handled gracefully, allowing children to realize that happiness comes and goes, and that everyone has hardships to face.” —starred, School Library Journal

“A sweet read for both children and their parents, who may be grateful at the reminder of emotional complexity lurking behind their children’s smiles.”—Kirkus Reviews

“To understand the true meaning and value of resilience, look no further than the 20 brief chapters of this early reader…beautifully translated into spare, lyrical prose….As Eriksson’s emotionally astute and often endearingly funny pencil drawings show, Dani does indeed have much to be happy about.”—starred, Publishers Weekly