You make me happy by Smriti Prasadam-Halls

Ill. by Alison Brown. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN 9781408878958.
(Age: 3-5) Themes: Happiness. Wellbeing. Friendship.
You make me happy, you make me new.
Together there's NOTHING that we cannot do.
Fox and Porcupine celebrate their friendship and happiness in this joyful rhyming picture book. They love dancing and singing in the grassy forest meadow, splashing in the cool stream watching the blue birds in flight. Fox surprises his friend with a birthday cake on a sunshiny day. Finding fun in the simple things, Porcupine decorates his quills with leaves and flowers while his buddy wears twig and flower antlers. As the seasons pass, as night-time turns to day, we see the friends exploring their environment and sharing in simple pleasures.
Smriti Prasadam-Halls' simple rhymes capture the fun and joy, the simple pleasures these two friends experience. 'You make me happy' is the echoing refrain, she uses relatable settings, and upbeat phrases to describe Fox and Porcupine's experiences.
Alison Brown's whimsical pictures are filled with colour and light. She captures the characters' feelings, and their joy dancing, climbing trees, holding hands, hugging and playing in autumn leaves.
The author promotes emotional wellbeing and encourages healthy minds and bodies in this gentle picture book, just right for sharing with a young family or kindergarten children.
Rhyllis Bignell