Sharing a Smile
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
In the spirit of Come With Me, this timely and charming tale about mask-wearing follows a little girl and her generous plan to find her own courage by helping those in her neighborhood find theirs.
In a changing world, little Sophie is feeling a bit worried. She loves being outside and playing with her friends in her neighborhood. But going outside lately means wearing a mask—something Sophie is still trying to understand. It makes her nervous when she wants to be brave. And after taking a closer look outside her window, watching her neighbors adjusting to this new normal, she realizes she isn’t the only one who feels a little scared.
Which gives Sophie an idea. With her grandpa’s help, she does something special for the people in her neighborhood. When Sophie sees her small acts of kindness spread, she realizes that with the help of friends in our communities, anyone can find their courage—and their smile.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dressed in a lavender T-shirt and overalls, Sophie, a Black girl with two dark braids, peers from the window beside her grandfather, also Black, who points out each of their neighbors wearing masks "to help keep everyone safe." When Sophie notices that their white across-the-street neighbor, Jenny, looks scared, Grandpa's words ("It can be hard to be brave when things change. That's why we need our friends") spur an idea to cheer the neighborhood, and the duo spend hours sewing custom fabric masks for their block. Evans uses a gentle color palette to depict an inclusive neighborhood, with a Black mail carrier and an older Latinx butterfly watcher, among others. Readers won't come away with context for why the masks are being used, but this sweetly creative, community-focused look at the contemporary landscape is likely to inspire similar projects. Ages 4–up.
