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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Woodburn Public Library | E Doyle | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Monmouth Public Library | DOYLE | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Tease less . . . tickle more!
Shout less . . . sing more!
Worry less . . . wonder more!
With a cheerful message about sharing, giving, and being kind to others, Get Happy will show any child how to turn a frown into a giggle, spread the joy around, and live life to the fullest. Perfect for the youngest of readers, it won't be long before everyone knows how to get happy!
Author Notes
MALACHY DOYLE worked in advertising and as a teacher for children with special needs before writing children's books. He is the author of more than seventy books for children.
www.malachydoyle.co.uk
CAROLINE UFF is a popular artist who has written and illustrated several books for children.
www.carolineuff.com
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Doyle's latest conceit, a treatise on positive behavior, is likely to go over the heads of its intended audience. The story is simple. On the first spread are the words "Squabble less," accompanied by an illustration of two children pulling on opposite arms of a teddy bear. The facing page says, "Share more!" and shows the same children digging into a bag of treats. And so it goes, through "Sniffle less./Snuggle more!" "Grumble less./Giggle more!" and "Zone out less./Zoom around more!" to "Fearless for evermore!/Be strong!/Be Happy!" The childlike illustrations of round-headed, dot-eyed people are appealing and depict a multiethnic cast, although the primary children, presumably siblings, are Caucasian. The mixed-media artwork fills the pages with motion and color in mostly full-bleed spreads that make good use of the often white backgrounds. The layout works well, and the pictures do a good job of portraying the emotions and actions in the minimalistic text. Unfortunately, it is the very simplicity of the text that causes the problem. The concepts and word choices are quite sophisticated, and are unlikely to speak to the target audience without a lot of explanation. A pleasant enough addition for those looking to discuss behavior, but expect lots of questions.-Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
With contents as authoritative as its title, this picture book pairs positive behaviors with less desirable ones. "Squabble less," writes Doyle, as a pair of children, presumably siblings, fight over a stuffed bear. "Share more!" appears opposite, as the same couple splits a bag of candy (even the bear looks pleased). Other basic pairings follow ("Sniffle less./ Snuggle more!/ Grumble less./ Giggle more!"), as Uff portrays the siblings and a wider cast of children in alternately cheery and antagonistic scenes. If the book doesn't have much use for kids' more selfish inclinations, it provides a roadmap to a less fraught home life-for kids willing to follow its advice. Ages 3-6. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Squabble less. / Share more! / Sniffle less. / Snuggle more!" The "less" pages face the "more" ones, creating side-by-side contrasts that reflect a little girl's daily experiences. The text's alliteration, optimism, and brevity make this turn-a-frown-upside-down pitch a pleasure. Uff supports the spare writing by communicating volumes through the cast's facial expressions. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A too-simple guide to walking on the bright side of the road.Doyle's intentions are honorable, and his clear opposites are aspirational. "Squabble less. Share more!... / Grumble less. Giggle more! / Zone out less. Zoom around more!" A few of the admonitions are problematical. How, for instance, is a child supposed to warmly snuggle rather than sniffle when tangles are being combed from her hair? Why, for goodness sake, shouldn't a kid feel a sense of worry (which, anyway, can deliver a disarming frisson) when thunder and lightning cracks and flashes through the night sky, instead of a sense of wonder? But for the most part, Doyle points kids away from selfish or rude or indulgent behavior, away from the evil twin and toward the happier one: "Pick less. Plant more! / Grab less. Give more!... / Sulk less. Sparkle more!" (Or at least try to.) Uff's artwork displays Helen Oxenburyesque warmth if little of the master's subtlety. The unworthy behavior is depicted in an elemental, diminished state on the left page, while the good acts are fulsomely painted on the right.Too didactic by half, with little cleverness to amuse while it instructs.(Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Round-faced children (who resemble those in Helen Oxenbury's books) exemplify words of advice for little ones, and they deliver them in an utterly charming fashion. Each two-page spread shows a don't in the simplest of terms, and then offers a do piece of alternative behavior. For instance, as a sister and little brother are going at it, the text advises, Shout less, while on the facing page, the suggestion Sing more appears next to the picture of a boy using a brush as a mic. Other ways to get happy, as the book's title encourages, are to grumble less and giggle more, worry less and wonder more (illustrated with nice contrasting images of stormy and star-filled skies), and grab less and give more. With a short, powerful text and endearing, recognizable children, this book is an excellent discussion starter for the youngest children, one-on-one or in groups. Pair it with Amy Krouse Rosenthal's picture books for more life lessons.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist