Happiness is a Watermelon on Your Head - Softcover

Daniel Hahn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1907912053 ISBN 13: 9781907912054

Publisher: Phoenix Yard Books, 2013

Synopsis

A cauliflower hat, a fish bonnet, a few large animals, a flying boar called Melvin, and a whole lot of watermelons come together in this wacky tale told in rhyme

 

To the villagers who watch her going about her day, it is clear that Miss Jolly is irritatingly happy. Her never-ending cheerfulness leaves three of her neighbors highly confused and jealous, driving them to ridiculous and hilarious measures in an attempt to compete with Miss Jolly in the happiness—and headgear—stakes. Beautiful and insane in equal measure, this wacky book follows three local busybodies on their journey to discover the secret of true happiness.

About this title

About the Author:

Daniel Hahn is a writer, editor, and translator. He has translated fiction by novelists including José Eduardo Agualusa, José Luís Peixoto and María Dueñas; and non-fiction by writers ranging from Portuguese Nobel laureate José Saramago to Brazilian soccer player Pelé. He is also one of the editors of the Ultimate Book Guides, an award-winning series of reading guides for children and teenagers, and is currently assembling a new Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. Stella Dreis is a children's book illustrator. Her previous titles include The City that Went Off and The Princess and the Pea. 

From School Library Journal:

K-Gr 2-Dreis combines opulent color, comical poses, and a novel composition to create this luscious picture book. Miserable Miss Whimper, Miss Grouch, and Miss Stern mimic details of their neighbor Miss Jolly's lifestyle in an effort to capture her joie de vivre. "Maybe being happy is having a pet!/Miss Jolly has Melvin, you know. What a boar!" But they learn that it's not Miss J.'s fruit hat, or exotic pet, or playing cello in a tree that makes the difference. Their exhausted defeat in a watermelon attack finally becomes the sought-after glee when they learn to laugh at the aftermath of the battle. Hahn's rhymes are fresh, sprinkled with rich vocabulary. This feast for the eyes and ears should be on everyone's menu.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VAα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Phoenix Yard Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1907912053
• ISBN 13: 9781907912054
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Stella Dreis