GRATITUDE
WHAT MADE YOU SMILE TODAY? (Lou Peacock, Raquel Catalina)
Every day, when Mama collects me from school, she says, "What made you smile today?" And, every day, I tell her all the things that made me smile. Sometimes, there's only one, but, like Mama says . . . sometimes, one smile is all we need.
What Made You Smile Today? (Nosy Crow, 2026) tells the story of a little girl who has moved into a new apartment and started at a new school. Her mum suggests starting a smile jar to collect the moments that made her smile throughout each day. It takes time, but soon the jar is filled with colourful paper scraps as each happy moment is recorded—until one day, the jar breaks.
I appreciated that this wasn’t a neat, linear story where the smile jar magically solved everything. There are setbacks and difficult days along the way. Yet, by intentionally noticing the joyful moments, her perspective gradually begins to shift.
A wonderful picture book for encouraging gratitude, supporting a growth mindset, and helping children who may be navigating change, whether that’s moving house, starting a new school or adjusting to life’s ups and downs.
(Reviewed by Lucy at @lovefourreading)
GOBLIN (Frances Stickley, Stefano Marinuz)
Deep in the bog, in a thicket of thorns,
where shadows would linger long after the dawn,
in twists of old iron, with fists full of rubbish...
Goblin was searching for gadgets and rubbish.
Meet Goblin! A creature who appears to have everything. Piles of trinkets, treasures and trash… and yet, it's never enough. Until some unlikely companions turn up and Goblin feels something start to shift. Could it be that friendship is what Goblin really needs to fill the emptiness inside him?
A follow-up to Troll (2025), this book has been made with the same warmth and heart. Beneath the strong plot, the fun rhyme and the fantastical swampy setting, is the thoughtful reminder that it’s connection - not possessions - makes us feel whole.
SUNNY SIDE UP (Clare Helen Welsh, Ana Sanfelippo)
Sunny Side Up (Little Tiger, 2024) is a book which will empower children to choose how they see the world.
This is a CBT inspired book which has positivity and resilience at the centre of its message. We all have bad days and some days are harder than others; this uplifting book aims to develop children’s understanding that difficult moments will pass. This book gives hope to children and adults alike, reminding us that joy can be found even on the hardest days if we look in the right places and try to see things through our sunny-side specs. Through words and images, the message of the impact of a positive mindset is shared in a gentle tone.
This is such an accessible book with joyful artwork, peep through pages as well as cut out and fold out sections. Peep-through and cut out pages in paper-back picture books always bring such joy. This book gives hope in several examples of challenging experiences, drawing upon feeling frightened, facing the unknown and saying goodbye. Definitely a book for my mindfulness and emotional literacy collection.
(Reviewed by Gemma @themindfulbookshelf)
THE REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING (Frances Tosdevin, Ali Pye)
The Really Beautiful Thing (Andersen, 2025) is a captivating cautionary tale that warns of greed, consumerism and failing to appreciate the beauty all around… until it is too late.
Squirrel becomes enamoured with a Really Beautiful Thing and despite not knowing much about it, he sacrifices his comfortable sofa, his well-stocked fridge and even the home he shares with his friends. However, Squirrel soon realises the Really Beautiful Thing is actually rather useless. The narrative is a poignant reminder of the pitfalls of materialism and the importance of appreciating what we have - happiness isn't found in possessions but in meaningful connections.
The vibrant and engaging illustrations complement the word-perfect storytelling, bringing the characters and their emotions to life in an accessible and enjoyable way for young readers.
THANK YOU FOR THE LITTLE THINGS (Caryl Hart, Emily Hamilton)
Whenever I am feeling sad
or life feels hard or wrong or bad,
I focus for a little while
on little things that make me smile.
In this reassuring and uplifting story, we follow a main character who discovers the things that make them happy - whether that’s swinging high on the swings or licking ice cream, there are lots of small things that bring them joy and cheer up a grey day.
The takeaway, that everyone has bad and sad days from time time, is a soothing antidote to worries big and small, reminding anxious little ones (and big ones) that it’s often the smallest things that make us smile!
THANK YOU (Jarvis)
I thank the moon for the night time. I thank the sun for the day. I thank my boots for knowing the way…
There is so much to be thankful for! In this happy and hopeful picture book for the very young, we see the world through a child’s eyes as he thanks all of the things that give him joy – the sun, his bicycle, the jelly in his bowl, and so much more.
In Thank You (Walker, 2024), Jarvis’ beautiful collaged artwork inspires young children to think about what they might like to say ‘thank you’ to - a great ‘first book’ of gratitude.
NOT ANOTHER UNICORN BOOK! (Laura Baker, Chris Jevons)
Not Another Unicorn Book! (Scholastic, 2024) is a delightful picture book that offers a fresh twist on the ubiquitous unicorn theme and gently explores contentment and appreciating what you have.
The main character is a unicorn who is exasperated by the number of unicorn books and so, is deeply unhappy about being in one! They embark on a series of comedic attempts to escape the narrative, before realising maybe the grass isn’t greener after all.
The bright and lively illustrations complement the witty plot that subtly explores themes of gratitude.