Description
★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and—yes—happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy.”—The New York Times
The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy.
International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.
Available in French as J'ai le cœur rempli de bonheur and in Spanish as Mi corazón se llena de alegría.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 0 to 2
- Grade:
- p
- Reading age:
- 0 to 2
Awards
- Commended, State Library of Kansas - Kansas Reads to Preschoolers
- Short-listed, Periodical Marketers of Canada (PMC) Indigenous Literature Award - Children's Category
- Winner, BC and Yukon Book Prizes - Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize
- Commended, Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year
- Commended, Girls of Summer Reading List - Picture Books
Editorial Reviews
“A comforting board book offers young children the opportunity for reflection, and for affirmation, too. Moments of happiness tucked into each and every day celebrated here include time with family, self-expression, and the natural world."
— Cooperative Children’s Book Center
"A board book that leaves you feeling cheerful and appreciative of those small moments in life that bring one joy. Recommended."
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"[A] light, warm and utterly charming book...Highly recommended for families, parents of young children to share with them and to begin conversation and sharing about emotions."
— Resource Links
“This small yellow book celebrates the little joys of being alive. The simple text and color-blocked illustrations depicting Native children and their grown-ups singing, dancing and drumming will leave the youngest readers gladly imagining what fills their own hearts with joy.”
— The New York Times
"A celebration of aboriginal culture...but also universal in its message: sometimes it's the simplest things that lift our spirits highest...[The book] is beautiful in both its appearance and its intention."
— Quill & Quire
"It is a fantastic toddler book that celebrates family and heritage and would be valuable in any collection, especially those of First Nations heritage."
— Raising Mom blog
★ "Joyful and tender, this board book celebrates the activities that bring gladness through family and cultural connections...Flett’s quietly powerful gouache and digital collage illustrations emphasize the relationships between people...The sweet family story has universal appeal. A first purchase for all libraries."
— School Library Journal, starred review
"An excellent board book for every baby Canadian."
— The Toronto Star
★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and—yes—happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures, which features a cast of First Nations children and adults...Short, first-person phrases...revel in both solitary and familial activities...Flett’s (Little You) crisp-edged paintings blend universal and culturally specific experiences."
— Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Specific visuals ground this sweet celebration of simple pleasures."
— Kirkus Reviews
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Annotations
My Heart Fills with Happiness
Beautifully illustrated board book with short sentences that could be a great gift for new parents. This book could also be read aloud in the primary classes to show Indigenous representation and used as a prompt for sharing connections and writing about what fills their hearts with happiness.
Librarian review
My Heart Fills With Happiness
International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.
What fills your heart with happiness? This simple board book explores the question using pictures and words to show happiness in a young First Nations girls’ world. Personal narratives can be drawn from the text and images. The book can also be used for drama exploration by having the students create tableaux of scenes represented in the book, as well as to invent images of what happiness means to them.
Author available for school visits @ltldrum
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Top Grade Selection 2016.
