My Heart Fills with Happiness / Mi Corazón Se Llena de Alegría - by Monique Gray Smith (Paperback)

About the Book

A dual-language book that celebrates happiness and invites children to reflect on the little things in life that bring them joy. In English and Spanish.

Book Synopsis

★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and--yes--happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

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 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.

This bilingual book includes full text in both English and Spanish.

From the Back Cover

What fills YOUR heart with happiness?

¿Qué llena tu corazón de alegría?

Review Quotes

★ "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 (SLJ), starred review"

"Charming in its simplicity, this is a great -reminder of what can be found every day in our lives."-- "School Library Journal (SLJ)"

"Este libro amarillo celebra las pequeñas alegrías de estar vivo. El texto sencillo y las ilustraciones en bloques de colores que representan a niños y adultos indígenas cantando, bailando y tocando tambores harán que los lectores más jóvenes imaginen con alegría lo que llena sus propios corazones de felicidad".-- "The New York Times"

"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"

"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"

★"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"

"[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"

"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 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"

"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"

"An excellent board book for every baby Canadian."-- "The Toronto Star"

About the Author

Monique Gray Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author and public speaker. Her books cover a broad spectrum of ages, topics and emotions. Woven into all of Monique's writing and her speaking engagements is the teaching that Love is Medicine. Her books include Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation, My Heart Fills With Happiness, You Hold Me Up, Lucy and Lola, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience, Tilly and the Crazy Eights, When We Are Kind and I Hope. She has also created the young adult adaptation of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Monique is Cree and Scottish. She lives with her family on the Traditional Territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ Peoples.

Julie Flett is a Swampy Cree and Red River Métis artist and author. She studied fine arts at Concordia University in Montreal and Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, British Columbia. She won the Governor General's Award for Children's Literature for her work on When We Were Alone by David Robertson, and her book Birdsong won the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award. She is the three-time recipient of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Award for Owls See Clearly at Night: A Michif Alphabet, Dolphin SOS and My Heart Fills With Happiness.