Happy and You Know It!

Happy and You Know It!, an INDESTRUCTIBLES® title, is just that: indestructible. Meant to engage our youngest readers as they use their whole bodies to experience a book, the INDESTRUCTIBLES® titles are “chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic and 100% washable”. Unlike paper books which might easily tear or degrade, these books hold up to baby’s love. Because the material they are made of (high density polyethylene) is recyclable only in certain specialized locations, it might be best when your child outgrows Happy and You Know It! to wash this one off and pass it on to a friend. With these books, reuse is particularly important.

This title in the series features a cheery, diverse classroom in which five young children are singing the song “If you’re happy and you know it” alongside their guitar-strumming teacher. The reader who knows this song will be able to fill in the requisite number of verses, though prior knowledge of the song and its pattern are not necessary to enjoy this title. Indeed, it is entirely possible that shortening the song was done with the young child’s attention span in mind. Illustrator Vanja Kragulj has created a believable mini-world with saturated hues and geometric shapes where all children are invited to sing, stomp and shout. My own daughter particularly enjoyed pointing and naming each of the familiar items included by Kragulj (a ball, a toy car, a sock).

The series would do well to note that the books’ titles being written in all capital letters somewhat undermines their early literacy mission. Text, even for our youngest citizens, should obey usage and style rules unless a clear purpose or culture is being referenced. Nevertheless, a cheerful addition to the nursery bookshelf.