My Happy Life
By Rose Lagercrantz and Eva Eriksson
4/5
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About this ebook
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
Rose Lagercrantz
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.
Related to My Happy Life
Titles in the series (7)
My Happy Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Heart is Laughing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When I Am Happiest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life According to Dani Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5See You When I See You Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Where Dani Goes, Happy Follows Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAll's Happy That Ends Happy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for My Happy Life
35 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a happy matchup between writer and illustrator! And it is so refreshingly lovely to read a story about a happy child, Dani. Yes, she suffers a setback in her happiness when her best friend moves away, but we know that will only be a small setback somehow. Yes, a refreshingly lovely book. A genuinely lovely book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Formatting: The formatting in this e-book was generally fine. Content: I liked this book. It was cute. I think it was a realistic portrayal of a child having to grow up and realize that not everything in life is going to make you happy and then trying to cope with that fact.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary: Dani is so excited to start school. She loves learning, and becomes quick friends with Ella. They have their first sleepover and create the Night Club (NC for short). Everything is perfect until Ella moves away. Dani cries often. School is not longer fun, macaroni and tomato sauce, her favorite food, and Dani is left floundering in life. Dani learns to dwell on her happy life, and ford the difficult currents in her young life. Personal response and Curriculum Connection: It is difficult to really engage in such a simplistically written book. The story is sweet and definitely fits the target age group, it just lacks depth. What I did appreciate however was the fact that it addressed the issue of friends that are separated by moves in a realistic yet sweet and gentle way. This book addresses the "hard" issues that students have to deal with in life. The fact that outward appearances are not always the best indicators of what our young readers have to deal with in their lives, makes this book a winner. Many families in my town have recently had to manage moves and job changes in the family. This book would best be suited for a quick (2-3 day) read aloud in the classroom. It is one that would benefit the students by creating a lively discussion surrounding our "feelings" in school and how each of us has to navigate change in our lives. The text complexity matches that of a second or third grader, but the content is more engaging for a Kindergarten or first grade audience.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A sweet and simple book, with darling illustrations to match. A story that reflects the both complexity and clarity to be found in the lives of elementary school children. Teaches values of compassion, dedication to friends, resilience and the joy found in simple things. A really nice option for children who are ready for a chapter book, but require minimal text per page. I read it to my daughters and they gave it a thumbs up!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dani learns it's possible to be a happy person without every moment in life being a happy one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book opens as Dani tries to fall asleep by counting all the times in her life she has been happy. Along with those happy times, she remembers some not so happy. Her mother died when she was very young and she lives with her father. Then, in her first year of school, her best friend moves away! But Dani stays positive. Lagercrantz excellently captures the buoyancy and optimism of childhood through the story of Dani’s life.
The text is suitable for a first or second grade reading level. Rarely is such emotion packed into so few and simple words! The illustrations flow smoothly with the text and are just as important in telling the story. It was surprising to me how exactly Eriksson could capture movement and expressions in her drawings.
Be sure to check out the other books in this series as well, My Heart is Laughing, When I Am Happiest, and Life According to Dani, to continue reading the tale of Dani’s happy life. Parents will want to read these charming books when their children have finished!
Reviewed by
Elizabeth L. / Branch Assistant