Things That Make Me Happy

This simple board book pairs rhyming items on each spread: ‘red socks – building blocks’. Illustrations are clearly presented on a clean white page for even the youngest readers to see. Older readers might enjoy making their own pairs of rhyming things that make them happy, too.

Although the text is brief, it does manage to include some surprises – ‘something sweet’ is paired with ‘parakeet’, ‘grandma’s lap’ with a ‘ginger snap’.

Some Americanisms are included; for example, the use of ‘bugs’ for insects, ‘cookie dough’ and ‘bucket trucks’ (for cherry picker). The text ends with a point towards the reader, with the final spread pairing ‘peekaboo’ and ‘time with you!’.