This Joy!

PreS-Gr 2--A young girl celebrates the world around her and the love within her in a story figuratively bursting with happiness. Enjoying the beauty of nature, from soft green grass to tall trees and sand beneath her feet, the child attempts to express the immense joy she feels within her while she is experiencing these everyday miracles. Sharing that everything is a gift, from being with friends and loved ones to watching birds take flight in the sky, the girl divulges one final secret: although we can't capture every part of the beautiful world in our hands, we can always stretch out our arms and hold on to our loved ones. Beautiful pencil, marker, and crayon illustrations bring to life the joy in the young protagonist's world, and it is easy to imagine she could be the artist behind the illustrations as she enjoys activities such as finger puppets and playing with blocks. The short, poetic sentences, made up of a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, combine perfectly with the ebullient illustrations. The emotions she is so eager to describe come through every lovely page. VERDICT A wonderful reflection on enjoying the amazing world and people around us, this book will have readers young and old smiling in recognition.--Selenia Paz