Acclaimed author-illustrator Satoshi Kitamura (Hat Tricks) celebrates human connection and community in this hopeful story about a boy, a benevolent shopkeeper, and a shared smile.
A small boy has saved all his pocket money, and today's the day he'll buy something special just for himself!
There's lots to see and smell at the market, from tasty pies to colorful toys and noisy instruments. But before he can even make up his mind, disaster strikes, and he loses his money down a drain. Oh no! But wait, what's this? A store called the Smile Shop? Could he buy a smile? A small one, perhaps, to cheer himself?
Featuring charming, classic illustrations reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Tomie dePaola, Satoshi Kitamura's The Smile Shop is an absorbing story of community, self-worth, and the effect of a smile shared between two people. An apt parable for a time when smiles and expressions of warmth are in high demand.
★ "Told in the first person, the boy's narrative features evocative language that conveys his experiences as he takes in the sights, smells, and temptations of the shops. . . . Simple illustrations brimming with eye-catching details are stylistically reminiscent of Uri Shulevitz with a dash of Tomie dePaola. The classic, subdued palette perfectly complements the boy's journey. . . A satisfyingly—and deceptively—simple tale about sincere pleasures in hectic times."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"[A] wonderful story. . . The busy illustrations. . . feature fine but imprecise line work that give a childlike quality to scenes sure to resonate with young readers. . . . A lovely reflection on happiness." —Booklist
"Kitamura 's art warms us like the red scarf on a cheerful boy, a smile stretching ear to ear." —The New York Times
Satoshi Kitamura is an award-winning children's picture book author and illustrator. As a child, he drew constantly and devoured comics. A self-taught artist, his career began in advertising and magazines before he moved to London, where he debuted as a picture book illustrator with Hiawyn Oram's Angry Arthur, a 1983 Mother Goose Award-winner for the Most Exciting Newcomer to British Illustration. Since then, he has illustrated over twenty of his own books, plus collaborated on many others.
Acclaimed author-illustrator Satoshi Kitamura (Hat Tricks) celebrates human connection and community in this hopeful story about a boy, a benevolent shopkeeper, and a shared smile.
A small boy has saved all his pocket money, and today's the day he'll buy something special just for himself!
There's lots to see and smell at the market, from tasty pies to colorful toys and noisy instruments. But before he can even make up his mind, disaster strikes, and he loses his money down a drain. Oh no! But wait, what's this? A store called the Smile Shop? Could he buy a smile? A small one, perhaps, to cheer himself?
Featuring charming, classic illustrations reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Tomie dePaola, Satoshi Kitamura's The Smile Shop is an absorbing story of community, self-worth, and the effect of a smile shared between two people. An apt parable for a time when smiles and expressions of warmth are in high demand.
Praise
★ "Told in the first person, the boy's narrative features evocative language that conveys his experiences as he takes in the sights, smells, and temptations of the shops. . . . Simple illustrations brimming with eye-catching details are stylistically reminiscent of Uri Shulevitz with a dash of Tomie dePaola. The classic, subdued palette perfectly complements the boy's journey. . . A satisfyingly—and deceptively—simple tale about sincere pleasures in hectic times."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"[A] wonderful story. . . The busy illustrations. . . feature fine but imprecise line work that give a childlike quality to scenes sure to resonate with young readers. . . . A lovely reflection on happiness." —Booklist
"Kitamura 's art warms us like the red scarf on a cheerful boy, a smile stretching ear to ear." —The New York Times
Author
Satoshi Kitamura is an award-winning children's picture book author and illustrator. As a child, he drew constantly and devoured comics. A self-taught artist, his career began in advertising and magazines before he moved to London, where he debuted as a picture book illustrator with Hiawyn Oram's Angry Arthur, a 1983 Mother Goose Award-winner for the Most Exciting Newcomer to British Illustration. Since then, he has illustrated over twenty of his own books, plus collaborated on many others.
