Making Happy
Making Happy
PAPERBACK
ISBN: 9781646866236
Written by Sheetal Sheth
Illustrated by Khoa Le
When Leila's mother gets sick, lots of things change for her family. But one important thing stays the same: they still have each other, and they know how to find joy and laughter when they need it most! The poetic, uplifting story and hopeful ending are based on the author's own experience battling cancer as the parent of young children.
Key Points:
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Told through a child's point of view, models ways to talk about tough/sensitive topics as a family and support one another through hard times.
RESILIENCE: Introduces imaginative strategies for dealing with illness as well as other difficult situations.
ILLUSTRATIONS: Ethereal illustrations by award-winning Vietnamese artist Khoa Le bring the poetic text to life.
AUTHENTIC: Based on the author's personal experience battling cancer as the parent of young children.
HOPEFUL: In the hopeful ending, Leila's mom expresses how grateful she is that she has Leila to help her find joy and strength while battling this illness.
AUTHOR: Author is an actress, producer, writer and activist with 23k Twitter followers and her own Wikipedia page.
ACTIVITY GUIDE: A free, downloadable guide written by a child psychiatrist offers activity suggestions for helping children manage difficult emotions.
Discussion Guide and Colouring Sheet
Kid's Guide to Managing Big Feelings
Making Happy Trailer
MORE DETAILS
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 10.75 inches
Page Count: 32 pages
Age Range: Ages 6-10 years
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Hot Off the Press Reading List, Children’s Book Council, 2022
“A beautifully rendered story about courage in the face of turmoil” – Kirkus Reviews
“A sympathetic, supportive portrayal of coping with a parent’s illness, from how it can impact daily life and emotions to finding hope and resilience along the way” – Booklist
“There is something powerful about reading Making Happy with your child, a shared picture book experience that we think will remain in your memories for years and years to come” – Toka Box
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Written by - Sheetal Sheth
Sheetal Sheth is an award-winning actress, author, producer and activist. Sheetal focuses on traditionally marginalized communities in all of her work and is a fierce advocate for thoughtful representation. She has starred in over 20 feature films and is the author of the popular Anjali book series. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two young children. More info at SheetalSheth.com.
Illustrated by - Khoa Le
Khoa Le is a Vietnamese illustrator and author who has won awards and accolades for books published in her home country and around the world. She has a passion for travel, an eagerness to learn about different cultures and a desire to discover the beauty of the world, which she finds immensely inspiring. Khoa works and lives with her cats. Learn more at KhoaLeArtwork.com.
