Because Amelia Smiled
by David Ezra Stein (Author) David Ezra Stein (Illustrator)
Just try not to smile! A positively inspiring picture book from the creator of the Caldecott Honor–winning Interrupting Chicken.
Because Amelia smiles as she skips down the street, her neighbor Mrs. Higgins smiles too, and decides to send a care package of cookies to her grandson Lionel in Mexico. The cookies give Lionel an idea, and his idea inspires a student, who in turn inspires a ballet troupe in England! And so the good feelings that started with Amelia’s smile make their way around the world, from a goodwill recital in Israel, to an impromptu rumba concert in Paris, to a long-awaited marriage proposal in Italy, to a knitted scarf for a beloved niece back in New York.
Putting a unique spin on "what goes around comes around," David Ezra Stein’s charmingly illustrated story reminds us that adding even a small dose of kindness into the world is sure to spur more and more kindness, which could eventually make its way back to you!
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Publishers Weekly
A series of kindly acts comes full circle in this heartwarming, yet never saccharine story from Stein (Interrupting Chicken). "Because Amelia smiled, coming down the street... Mrs. Higgins smiled, too. She thought of her grandson, Lionel, in Mexico and baked some cookies to send to him." Lionel's reaction to his grandmother's gift spurs one of his students to become a kickboxing instructor; her video makes its way to England, inspiring virtuous acts in Israel, Paris, Italy, and back around to Amelia in New York City. Stein's spreads are dense with colored pencil and crayon lines and crammed with visual information. Lionel can be seen in his second-story apartment in an unnamed Mexican city, but Stein draws Lionel's whole neighborhood, with its tiled roofs, food cart, starry night sky, a dog—and that's just one spread. Night and day, light and shadow, groups of old and young people spending time together: it's a satisfying portrait of the feast of life. Even youngest children will grasp the idea that good deeds and positivity beget more of the same. Ages 3-7. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.)
Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.School Library Journal
Gr 2-4--Because Amelia smiles, Mrs. Higgins smiles as well. She thinks of her grandson in Mexico and decides to bake cookies for him. Lionel shares them with his class and teaches them a song, setting off a chain of events that spans the globe from the U.S. to Mexico to Europe and back. Stein's simple text reminds readers that what goes around comes around, and that the simplest of gestures can impact a multitude of people. Outstanding illustrations in bold, vintage Stein portray the busy streets of New York, a plaza in Mexico, a stage in Israel, an outdoor cafe in Paris, an oceanfront in Italy, and more, depicting how a simple smile brought happiness to many people all over the world. Dynamic blends of crayon and watercolor create an impressionistic scene that still conveys eye-catching detail. The visual elements will capture readers' attention, and the story offers valuable opportunities for discussion of how one person's actions can influence events far beyond their own surroundings.--C. J. Connor, Campbell County Public Library, Cold Spring, KY
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
—The New York Times Realistic, heavily colored, and intensely detailed, the illustrations invite children to look closely and see the way people across the globe are connected: the smiles, the pets, the music. Certainly there's a lot to discuss here, and some adults may want kids to make connections with their own actions, but this is also just a lovely way to look at life.
—Booklist Salutary good humor and a series of related events are both reliable picture book patterns; their up-to-date transmission here, however, is particularly effective, as are Stein's cheerfully energetic illustrations in pencil, water-soluble crayon, and watercolor. His main characters are scruffy and fascinatingly individual, his settings are exuberant with color and light, and both are sure to elicit smiles in any kind of weather.
—The Horn Book Will nicely suit parents who hope to impart the value of pay-it-forward kindness to their children.
—Wall Street Journal Teems with cheer and vigor, the illustrations bursting to the sides of each spread and rushing with color all around.
—Kirkus Reviews Children's blog This book made me smile, it even made me get all misty-eyed from happiness, it darn well made me glad to be alive, and it made me want to stand on the corner and hand a copy to everyone I see.
—Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
JUV030000 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | General
Thoughtfulness
