"In every smile,
blessed is the light.
In every hope,
blessed is the doing."
It's been a very long time since Marla Frazee imagined writing this book. 25 years, to be exact. It is a book filled with wonder and beauty. It is a book that should be shared with all ages. It will go straight to my 'keeper' shelf as soon as I am finished this post. I can't wait to share it with my granddaughters, when they are here in the summer, to see what stories it inspires.
It's larger size offers plentiful space for the seemingly limitless vignettes it presents to all who will take the time to share it. Be prepared to stop, talk, engage, and listen. The two-page spread for birth offers ten comforting, heartfelt scenes of families as they welcome new family members. The wordless spread that follows is a gorgeous look at a cloud-filled pink sunrise being admired by a family and their dog.
Ms. Frazee then looks at smiles and those times that make all of us smile ... reading together, hugging a pet, eating ice cream, talking on the phone to a friend ... the full wordless spread that divides it from the next concept is pure delight. She goes on to show hope, sadness, mystery, tears, and love.
There are no borders, nor any captioning for the scenes created in pencil and gouache. They are filled with joy, wonder, and kindness. The colors chosen for each concept are in keeping with the theme, and add another dimesion. Eighty illustrations invite readers and listeners to imagine their own stories for each. The next time it is shared, the stories can be interpreted differently, many times over.
I think we all need this book. What a blessning it is.
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