Pajama Press

“Mies van Hout’s Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express.”—New York Times Book Review

Who could have guessed that dazzlingly colored fish swimming in an ink-black sea would help hundreds of thousands of people around the world learn to recognize and name their emotions? In 2012, Mies van Hout’s Happy swept the scene as both a stunning art piece and a social-emotional learning book like no other. On each of its spreads swims a single fish, each scale and fin suffused with an emotion that the facing page names in similarly expressive letters: curious, nervous, loving, content…

Now, in this stunning edition of Happy, van Hout’s luminous fish swim across extra-heavy pages that will endure through countless readings.

Readers of all ages can benefit from expanding their emotional vocabulary. Use Happy during a story time full of energetic face-making, or emote with your whole bodies for a drama exercise. Share it one-on-one to help someone name what they’re feeling, or inspire budding artists to see what they can do with chalk pastels and black paper. Or simply page through the art and lose yourself in Mies van Hout’s ocean of extraordinary fish. Whatever makes you…happy.

Awards and Honours:

2023 Children’s Book Council “June Hot Off the Press” Feature
2023 Children’s Book Council “May Hot Off the Press” Feature

Reviews:

“It’s a delightful amuse-bouche of a book, and an aquatic introduction to everyday emotions. Ages 2– up!”—Publishers Weekly ★ Starred Review

“Mies van Hout’s Happy is a tour de force of underwater awesomeness and emotion, showcasing what an artist can do with a few pastels, black paper and something fundamental to express…simple books about feelings can exhibit complexity, ingenuity and passion.”—New York Times Book Review 

“The line, color, and texture make each page a pleasure to return to…at the end, readers will pronounce themselves…‘delighted.’”—Kirkus Reviews 

 “Happy takes the reader on a journey of emotional discovery…Happy provides ample opportunities for extensive discussion about the expression of emotions—a true, potentially interactive delight for young readers and their caregivers.”—New York Journal of Books 

 “This attractive book could be used one-on-one or in a small group to discuss what causes one to feel a particular way and to introduce the vocabulary of emotions.”—School Library Journal  

“This sweet book about recognizing emotions on the faces of others…will inspire thought and conversation about what it’s like to feel these often perplexing things.”—Foreword 

“Emotions can be so complex and a challenge to communicate…Happy makes this complicated subject more manageable and enjoyable with simplistic one-word text and stunningly beautiful pieces of art with fish. This book goes beyond the basics of happy, sad, and mad to incorporate an enriched emotional vocabulary such as startled, curious, and content. It makes a great gateway book to dive into complex conversations about our feelings, and the feelings of others, to help create a more empathetic child, classroom, and community.”—CLCD – Children’s Literature

“I laughed out loud…Of all the one-word books out there, this one might be one of my favourites.”—Book Time