My Happy Life ( My Happy Life Series)

by Rose Lagercrantz, Eva Eriksson (Illustrator)

Overview

A New York Times Notable book and first in the acclaimed series for beginning readers.

Dani is probably the happiest person she knows. She’s happy because she’s going to start school. Dani has been waiting to go to school her whole life. Then things get even better—she meets Ella Frida by the swings. After that, Dani and Ella Frida do everything together and become best friends. But then something happens that Dani isn’t prepared for…

A perfect first chapter book for children aged five and up, full of social-emotional learning and sweet and funny illustrations, from one of the world’s greatest illustrators, Eva Eriksson.

Young independent readers who like Kate DiCamillo or the Ivy & Bean series will be hooked on the 7-book series once they start.

"If only all early chapter books were this beautifully conceived."—The New York Times

Rose Lagercrantz is a popular Swedish author of books for children as well as for adults. She has received many of the top Swedish literary awards, including the August Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Prize.

Praise for My Happy Life

"Working beautifully with the text and usually given more space on the page, these sensitive ink drawings feature clean lines that express emotions through every character’s stance, gesture, and expression. A quietly compelling book for young readers."—Booklist, Starred

“Sweet and salty – umami for the emerging reader.”—The Horn Book

Read all the My Happy Life series:
My Heart is Laughing
When I Am Happiest
Life According to Dani
See You When I See You
Where Dani Goes, Happy Follows
All’s Happy That Ends Happy

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781877579653
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	My Happy Life Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	136
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rose Lagercrantz is a popular Swedish author of books for children as well as for adults. She has received many literary awards, including the August Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Prize.
Eva Eriksson is one of the world's great illustrators. Her awards include the Astrid Lindgren Prize and the August Award and she is consistently nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Editorial Reviews

…one of those joyous rarities: a book about girls who are neither infallible nor pratfall-prone, but who are instead very real—both admirable and relatable…My Happy Life…[is] about how children process negative experiences, whether it's a friend moving away or a classroom spat…It's about children's natural and learned resilience, the incredible bouncing back that never ceases to surprise their worn-down parents. The book's intended readers may not realize they are reading about anything unusually prized, but they will recognize they're on to something quite splendid. If only all early chapter books were this beautifully conceived.

The New York Times - Pamela Paul

To understand the true meaning and value of resilience, look no further than the 20 brief chapters of this early reader, created by two longtime Swedish collaborators and beautifully translated into spare, lyrical prose. Even at a young age, Dani has seen more than her share of heartache: the best friend she meets in chapter four moves away by chapter eight (“ wished she could move, too. But she had to stay behind”), a departure that prompts the sad revelation that Dani’s mother died sometime earlier. “They said she had passed away,” writes Lagercrantz, “but how could a dead person pass anything? And away to where?” But as Eriksson’s emotionally astute and often endearingly funny pencil drawings show, Dani does indeed have much to be happy about. She has a loving father and extended family, an unflappable teacher whose lesson plans form a wry running joke (“They had a fruit week and a vegetable week. They learned all about fruit and vegetables”), and—above all—an openness to reflection and new possibilities, big and small. Ages 6–up. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"This simply written chapter book tenderly portrays the happiness of a child whose life is in balance, as well as the colossal, unremitting, inconsolable sorrow of one who is suffering loss. . . . The clarity and simplicity of the writing are balanced by the verve and finesse of Eriksson's captivating illustrations. . . . A quietly compelling book for young readers."—starred, Booklist

From the Publisher

Gr 1–3—Young Dani has what she considers a happy life, but she wonders if she will still be happy once she starts school. The butterflies subside when she meets Ella, and they are soon fast friends. When Ella moves away, Dani doesn't think she'll find happiness again, and she reflects on how unhappy she was when her mother died. The story unfolds in short chapters, with just a few sentences per page and large, plentiful, black-and-white drawings. The illustrations complement the narrative well, and will enable younger readers to feel a sense of accomplishment for tackling a lengthy chapter book. The few characters are well developed and the everyday happenings in Dani's life feel genuine, such as friendship woes and childhood fears. The difficult subjects are handled gracefully, allowing children to realize that happiness comes and goes, and that everyone has hardships to face.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

School Library Journal

A chapter book about childhood depression paradoxically delivers a very happy reading experience. Dani can't sleep the night before school starts, and with good reason. Will she like it? Will she be forced to spend all her time learning? Luckily, she makes a new best friend on Day 2. Dani and Ella sit together at lunchtime, choose each other for partners, establish the Night Club (an ambitious name for sleepovers) and even wear two halves of one heart necklace. Nothing can come between them, except, all of a sudden, "thousands of streets and roads" between Dani's town and Ella's new house, where she has to move with her family. Dani is no stranger to loss; her mother died when she was younger, but when she loses Ella, her happy mood succumbs to depression. New hamsters help. New friends help. But what really helps is the promise of a visit. Acclaimed Swedish writer Lagercrantz applies exactly the right amount of whimsical childhood observation and attitude to a serious exploration of a very young, broken heart. Eriksson's pen-and-ink illustrations supply a simple yet wholly engaged context for these small, brave characters. A sweet read for both children and their parents, who may be grateful at the reminder of the emotional complexity lurking behind their children's smiles. (Fiction. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews