All the Ways to be Smart - Hardcover

Bell, Davina

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1947534963 ISBN 13: 9781947534964

Publisher: Scribble US, 2019

Synopsis

A tender, funny, and exquisitely illustrated picture book celebrating all the unique and wonderful qualities that make children who they are.

With heartwarming rhyming text all about knowing what makes you special, All the Ways to Be Smart is a wonderful introduction to conversations about self-esteem.

About this title

About the Author:

Davina Bell is a writer from Western Australia. She is the author of the award-winning picture book The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, which won the 2016 Australian Book Industry Award for Best Children’s Book from a Small Publisher, and Under the Love Umbrella, which was shortlisted for the same award in 2018 (both illustrated by Allison Colpoys). She is also author of the ‘Alice' books in the bestselling Our Australian Girl series. For six years she was a Senior Editor at Penguin Books in the Young Readers Division, where she worked with some of our country’s most beloved children’s book creators. Davina lives and works in Melbourne, where she still dreams about the Western Australian beaches while drinking a lot of very good Melbourne coffee.

Allison Colpoys is an award-winning designer and illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia.

Review:

“Simple, flowing words coupled with fluorescent illustrations give young readers a book brimming with examples of how they are smart all day, every day... Realistic illustrations show children of varying racial presentations joining sentient animals and benign, hairy monsters to confidently explore their world, real and imagined.”
―Kirkus Reviews

“In this cheerful exploration of all the nonstandard ways a person can be smart, the creators paint an expansive picture of intelligence that goes well beyond “being best/at spelling bees,/a tricky test.”...Colpoys’s ink, charcoal, and pencil drawings burst with a profusion of neon orange and green, literally highlighting each scene with an incandescence that more than matches the rhyming couplets’ jauntiness. A feel-good paean to individuality.”
―Publishers Weekly

“A joyous picture book that enthusiastically celebrates the power of the imagination while challenging stereotypes about what it means to be clever. With its flawless rhymes and winning illustrations, this book has all the makings of a classic.”
―Sydney Morning Herald

“[A] parade of beauty that will give children of all backgrounds and interests confidence in their own uniqueness.”
―The Irish Times

“A celebration of creativity and emotional intelligence featuring a diverse cast of kids. A reassuring read for primary-aged children who feel like a round peg in a square, academic hole.”
―The Guardian

“If you need a reminder that there is no single yardstick that can ever measure a person’s worth, look no further than this wonderful #picturebook...”
―@picturethisbook, 23.5k followers

“After a colorful, rollicking, joyful, rhyming read there is only one word for this book: wise. Good scores in a test are great but the importance of celebrating the creative, collaborative and just plain quirky things that make us emotionally intelligent and well-rounded could not have been better portrayed.”
―Readings bookstore, “Best Picture Books of 2018”

“This book is funny and tender, exuberant and whimsical, and an absolute joy to pore over...Colpoys’ distinctive illustrations fizz with her trademark charm and vivacity; the colours burst out of the page with wild abandonment.”
―Bronte Coates, Readings Bookstore

“Published only back in mid-October, All the Ways to be Smart has soared not only to the top of our bestseller list (it is THE bestseller for 2018) but also into the hearts and minds of all those who have read it.”
―The Younger Sun Bookstore, 2018 Book of the Year

“Joyful and vibrant...Allison Colpoys' illustrations shimmer with movement and vivacity, with her loose-line illustrations and selective color palette exuding a nostalgic retro charm. Children will want to pore over each page, while the seamless read-out-loud rhyming pattern will ensure this is a favorite for years to come.”
―Kids’ Book Review

“All The Ways to be Smart is the most beautiful, brilliant new picture book. Full stop. Charming illustrations in pretty, appealing colors? Check. Great rhyming text that is super fun to read aloud? Check. A wonderful message conveyed in a beautiful non-judgey way? Check. The book is a joyful celebration of childhood and all the different, unique ways to be smart.”
―Courtney Adamo, Babyccino

“This book needs to be in the hands of every policy-maker in the sphere of Education, in every classroom, in every library, and in every home...This book is an utterly glorious call to celebrate your strengths and your own unique smarts.”
―Oh Creative Day

“From the dynamic partnership of Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys comes a tender, funny, and exquisitely illustrated picture book celebrating the myriad talents that each child brings to the world, from being able to read or tell the time to being good at blowing bubbles.”
―Good Reading

“All the Ways to be Smart is a brilliant, gorgeous book bursting with unconventional magic spells that prove science is so much more than mere logic, and that being smart is above all about being happy. A feast for the eyes and heart, full of foolproof methods to enchant and inspire young minds.”
―Mika Provata-Carlone, Bookanista

“This book teaches children that intelligence is so much more than being book-smart. Intelligence can also mean being empathetic, artistic, athletic, and inquisitive. It places value in every kind of talent, from ‘building boats from boxes’ to ‘kindness when there’s crying’. All the Ways to Be Smart is the perfect feel-good bedtime story that I can’t wait to gift this Christmas.”
―Sherry Landow, Writing NSW

“It’s highly likely every child who reads this book will find something in it that shows they too are smart.”
―School Reading List

“I think this unique book with colorful illustrations by Allison Colpoys can help children feel proud of what makes them special.”
―Mummy in the City

“Vibrant, fun and empowering...it should be on everyone's bookshelf!”
―The Book Nook bookshop

“A wonderful book about all the different ways to be smart.”
―A Bundle of Books bookshop

‘A joyous, life-affirming, imaginative celebration!’
―Crediton Community Bookshop

“All The Ways to be Smart is an earnest and charming book celebrating the joys of all the wonderful qualities that make children who they are. The subtle and unique message is that getting excellent grades is not what makes you smart. Rather, it’s the value of learning through play which is beautifully illustrated and will captivate children’s imagination throughout the book.”
―Book Trust

“What makes you smart? Is it making things, having a good imagination, being kind? This book lets every small person know they have something special.”
―Owl and Pyramid bookshop

“A wonderful book for children. [There are] more ways than one to be smart.”
―Urmston bookshop

“A wonderful book, teaching children about their own qualities and personalities.”
―Dartmouth bookseller

“This picture book from Australia has glowing colours that seem to leap off the page and rhyming text that children will very much enjoy chanting...The book is a jumbly rumble of busy, bright colours and kids doing fun things―along with dinosaurs, birds and flowers and all kinds of creatures. It will appeal and help children who feel less than academically inclined to realise their own potential and do their best with their own talents and abilities.”
―Elizabeth Schlenther, Books for Keeps

“The perfect book for children suffering from anxiety about SATs and other school tests.”
―Parent Talk

Praise for Captain Starfish (by the same team)

“The unconditional acceptance of Alfie’s parents makes this book unique and may prove assuring to children of similar character. An excellent choice for one-on-one sharing.”
―School Library Journal

“Learning to be brave can take time, and readers will empathize with Alfie’s slow progress toward that goal.”
―Booklist

“Colpoys’s stylish, silkscreen-style illustrations use contrasting shades of sea green, deep blue, and bright pink to represent both the real world and Alfie’s rich interior life.”
―Publishers Weekly

“Alfie's success, aided by loving and patient parents, provides a model for children struggling with anxiety and assures them of their ultimate worth and capability. This gentle story ably helps fill a need in children's literature and will help comfort small audiences with their own big fears.”
―Kirkus Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Scribble US
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1947534963
• ISBN 13: 9781947534964
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Colpoys Allison