It’s the second-to-last day of school and Dani’s so happy she could write a book about it! In fact, that’s exactly what she’s done, although it’s not quite finished yet. Now the book is in her backpack with all the other things she has to take home before the summer break. But then Dani gets some bad news. How will she ever be happy again? Sometimes a good friend is all you need to make your heart start laughing.
I’m liking
When I am Happiest is a new book by Rose Lagercrantz in the ‘Dani’ series. My 6 year old has been a big fan of Dani since the first book – My Happy Life. Lagercrantz writes thoughtful, complex stories that are perfect for children reading early chapter books. There’s nothing condescending or patronising about these books and they’re a great way to engage children in difficult issues like life, death and friendship.
My daughter really enjoyed finding out more about Dani’s story. She’s a real and authentic character and she’s the kind of character that children can relate to.
Eva Eriksson’s images also add a lovely dimension to the story. They’re gorgeous pencil sketches and my daughter spends a lot of time considering them. There are many pictures in the story which also means that my 4 year old enjoys me reading this book to her.
Things that made me go hmmmm
My daughter had mixed feelings about When I am Happiest and it’s probably worth knowing that this book doesn’t have a strictly happy ending. This doesn’t detract from the book but may need some careful debriefing for some children.
The conclusion
Another lovely book from Rose Lagercrantz and Gecko Press. We love, love, love the Dani books here and will certainly be keeping our eyes out for more in the future.
When I am Happiest is published by Gecko Press and has a RRP of $19.99
