The Smile Shop

The Smile Shop, by Satoshi Kitamura, is a wonderful book which will appeal to both young child and adult reader as they follow the boy around a bustling market, trying to decide how to spend his pocket money, before the eventual pay-off that kindness and connection are more important than cash.

 The boy’s internal monologue will be instantly familiar to children as he queries and wonders at the world around him, and worries what to do after his pennies are lost (“How would you feel? What will he do?).

Beyond the beautifully concise wording and enticing storyline, The Smile Shop is filled with detailed but deceptively simple images. The busy market, diverse characters, and expressive faces remind me of Quentin Blake in his ability to convey emotion and character with a few simple lines (the grumpy nun at the grocers stall a particular favourite). Muted colours rule throughout, including a switch to monochrome when the money is lost, with just the boy standing out in his bright red scarf and blue jumper, the centre of his own world, as children are.

Taken as a whole, this simple story with a big message will be a wonderful addition to any EYFS or KS1 bookshelf.