The Girl with the Lost Smile

by Miranda Hart

This is a story guaranteed to make you laugh and the first children's book from award-winning, bestselling author and comedian Miranda Hart. Chloe Long has lost her smile. She's looked everywhere for it. (Under her pillow. Under her bed. Under her nose. Obviously.) She's tried everything to bring it back. (Her favourite cake. Her favourite gran. Her favourite joke. Obviously.) But nothing seems to be working! Until one night, something utterly magical happens - and Chloe finds herself on an adventure that is out of this world ... With fabulous illustrations by Sainsbury's Book of the Year winner, Kate Hindley, THE GIRL WITH THE LOST SMILE takes you on an action-packed, magical journey that celebrates the power of the imagination, the wonder of true friendship and is guaranteed to make you smile. 'Is Miranda Hart a National Treasure yet? If not, it can only be a year or two before she joins Stephen Fry and Alan Bennett in the trophy cabinet of the country's affections ... That personality and voice belong to a uniquely cherished comedian ... there's nobody like Miranda.' Daily Mail

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Novels, Animals

368 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2017

About the author

Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke (born 14 December 1972), known professionally as Miranda Hart, is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda. She also appeared in French and Saunders, the BBC television series Hyperdrive and her semi-autobiographical sitcom Miranda Hart's Joke Shop on BBC Radio 2. In 2012, she began appearing in the BBC drama Call the Midwife as Camilla (Chummy) Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I even start reviewing this book, I would like to say that I have a real issue with celebrities writing children’s books. I am not saying that they are not written by the celebrity in question, but I find the whole idea a little frustrating in terms of how publishers obviously choose the easiest option. Far better to promote a book whose author will get air time on TV and radio, than possibly picking an unknown author and knowing their book may vanish. Not because it isn’t good, but just because there is no real platform for children’s literature on mainstream media now. Long gone are TV programmes that I recall as a child, like The Book Tower, so I do feel a little stressed for those who have great ideas and yet cannot get their story in print.

The reason I say this is because this is not a bad idea, but it is quite a weak one, so I can only assume it is the name that pushed this into print. Obviously, there is also a keenness to have books about issues, following on from authors such as Jacqueline Wilson, and our main character – Chloe Long - has an issue. Chloe is always a happy and cheerful child but it is her birthday and she fears her parents have forgotten, because they always seem to be unhappy and she thinks she may be the cause…

When things are not going as perfectly as Chloe hopes. When her parents are grumpy, and Gran Gran is not around, and things are difficult at school, she imagines herself in ‘Chloe’s Magic Land,’ where everything is perfect and wonderful. When she loses her smile and is unable to keep up the cheerful front that she always tries to maintain, she goes on an adventure to try to find it. This is a story about many of the difficulties that young children may face – school friendships, stressed parents, reading the people around you and feeling it is up to you to keep things happy. I do have to say though that my ten year old daughter found it a little repetitive and said she could see where the story was going. I have to say that I could too. However, this might be reassuring for children who are going through some of the issues that Chloe faces.

[bookish_emmxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit I did skip a few pages towards the end. A lovely story that I will probably try reading again another time. It is a Miranda Hart book after all.

I'm a big fan of Miranda Hart, lol.

Could probably say it was a bit childish for me.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A smile is important in life, but so is being honest about how you are feeling, so those who love you can help you when your smile is flagging. There will be difficult days and times in every person’s life. And that’s all right. All you have to do is share, and ask for what you need”

“You never know what goodness a smile can bring”

SYNOPSIS:
Chloe Long has the worlds biggest smile, but there’s only one problem, she’s lost it. She’s looked everywhere for it – under the pillow, with her friends, with her parents, and in the mirror – but she just can’t find it. The more her smile stays gone, the more Chloe finds her life falling apart. Until one night, a giant and a fairy arrive at Chloe’s window and tell her they know where her smile is, and they can help her get it back. Chloe finds herself on an adventure, but she soon learns not every adventure is a good one….

REVIEW:
I am a big fan of Miranda Hart as a Comedian – absolutely adored her show, and enjoyed reading her autobiography – Is It Just Me? It also helps that Miranda stars in one of my new favourite shows – Call the Midwife. So I was thrilled to discover that Miranda had written a book – albiet a children’s book 😅

What I absolutely love about this book is that it deals with real issues – Chloe’s parents are struggling in their relationship and on the verge of divorce, and unintentionally, this is causing them to neglect Chloe. Miranda didn’t hold back on the impact this behaviour has on children and the effects it can have on their emotional wellbeing – Chloe internalises their behaviour, and like most children, feels she is to blame for their unhappiness. I feel this book really drums home the message that children should’t feel responsible for adults emotions; such an important message but shared in such a good way.

The story itself is so magical and heart-warming; I did find myself feeling sad throughout this book, and my heart just wrenched for Chloe. She is a character who has such an enormous heart and just wants the best for everyone, and I found myself getting so furious with her parents – just buy her a bloody duvet!!! Things aren’t all gloomy for Chloe though – she has a tiny rocket of a Gran who uplifts her life and her new friends Godfrey and Hoppy – I loved these characters, especially Godfrey’s powers to change size and shape – just magical. Chloe has such a wonderful imagination, that leads to her developing this Magic Land full of giant snakes and ladders, Sand King and Queen, and a wonderful land called Snuffledom – I would love to go to Snuffledom – fluffy baby animals of all kinds just waiting to be played with – sign me up 😍. Chloe has to deal with Magic Land slowly being taken over by some dark shadows – and finds that she is the only one that can save it.

I honestly just loved this story. It was sweet, but sad, and heart-warming all wrapped into one. There are also fabulous illustrations throughout by Kate Hindley which are so delightful. There are lovely (and corny) jokes and it really has Miranda’s style of writing stamped all over it. This story was a delight for me; it wasn’t just a random story it had a proper thought out message, and deals with some pretty hard hitting stuff that children do actually deal with. The only reason I gave it four stars because it is clearly written for an audience much younger than me – I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more stories from Miranda.

[Evelyn Evertsen-Romp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wat een prachtige manier om aan kinderen uit te leggen wat een depressie is.
Vol fantasie, humor en Britishness, echt een lief, spannend, mooi verhaal.

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adored this book. I could hear Miranda Hart while reading it and I love the message about kids putting too much pressure and responsibility on themselves. Its so sad but also funny and heartwarming.

[gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable and laugh out loud read.
It’s great for fans of David Williams and Jacqueline Wilson.
The book actually covers some pretty big topics, and it’s all dealt with in a way that makes them seem less overwhelming by adding a touch of fantasy & humour into the mix.
I’d be interested to read Miranda’s next book to see what she comes up with next.

[Yaseira Jayaseelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I 💛🧡 the book 📕. It was very interesting. I think I like the adventure part…but the way that she got back her smile was so……suddenly.But it was a good book. The joke l liked was this:why does the sea roar….so would YOU if you had crabs on your bottom….🥹🥹🥹🥹. I think the 🐍 were a scary 😦 part the the baby animals 🦭🐖🦙🦮🐕‍🦺🐐🦌🐑🐩🐕🐈‍⬛🐈🐇🦦🦫🐿️🦔🦨🦝🐀🦥🦩 were so cute…….. By :Yaseira Jayaseelan 🐻

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ p149
+ last 2 chapters

This book just left me feeling very meh. It's not bad but there isn't anything that makes it stand out in anyway. The characters are flat, the story is pedestrian and the messing around with fonts is really annoying.

1.5Stars

[Leti Hawthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Read a proof copy from work. I would certainly recommend it to 8-12+ children. Reminded me of "Marianne Dreams" and I also felt that there must be aspects of Miranda's own childhood.

[Emily Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the novel is clearly not great children’s literary fiction there are still messages which can be taken from the story.

In my opinion the main character in the book ‘Chloe’, is actually struggling with some kind of mental illness and she enters into her imaginary ‘magic land’ where she escapes the monotonous everyday life. In her ‘magic land’ Chloe fights off creatures called ‘Shadow Bandits’ which could be seen as her inner demons and worries which are preoccupying her thoughts and stopping her from smiling. Some children could really relate to this idea and using their imagination to help overcome their worries.

[Mairéad · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 good idea poorly executed. A very heavy handed story designed to teach children it's OK not to be happy all the time and that they are not responsible for adults' bad moods. Suitable for confident readers aged 7+, I'm sure some children will relate to Chloe and enjoy her adventures in MagicLand but I struggled to get through this myself, finding it overly verbose and irritatingly formatted, though I did like some of the illustration pages dotted throughout the text.

[Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh what a delight! For many reasons this book hit all the right points for me and I am going to write an inscription in the front cover and leave it for my daughter and I to read together in about 6 years!! It was lovely.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh Miranda, so near and yet so far.
There were things that I so loved about this book. Things that I think children's literature (and even adult literature) really needs. So let me start there....

the good
This book tackles depression and anxiety in a way that is both delightfully real and yet light with humour. I love the way young Chloe Long doesn't every realise she's experiencing depression or anxiety, because let's face it... we never know. It takes someone else to tell us that what we're feeling might mean we need to have a big chat or a hug or some time out.
The way Chloe feels isolated and blames everything on herself, so typical and so realistic.
The way her friends assume that something is wrong with them when Chloe doesn't tell them what's wrong is just like all of us.

Also, while the parents are deliberately over the top (at least in most cases, perhaps not all) it hits close to home. Because every parent, when consumed with their own problems, so often without realising it takes it out on their kid. Maybe by ignoring them. Maybe by yelling over spilled juice on the rug. Miranda holds up a mirror to parents and says, 'Is this you? No? Not even a little bit?'

Now here's where things get a bit stickier.

the bad
Miranda holds up two competing themes in a way that's tricky to navigate for young minds. 1) It's not your fault (great theme, love it) 2) Even you young child can make a difference in brightening adults hearts by showing them a little compassion even though they sometimes suck and giving them a smile (also, love the theme, super empowering).

The problem is Chloe appears to have fixed her parents marriage/fighting problem by smiling at them. It terms of investment in the story I'm super delighted for Chloe that her parents seem to be working things out and it is true and amazing that kids can make positive impacts on adults. But in a book that's clearly trying to teach kids something, to show that finally being okay and able to smile again fixes everything... that's a big weight of pressure on a kid's heart that desperately wants to see their parents reunited. I feel like those two themes needed to be separated and theme 2 could have been in another book unrelated to divorce.

My other big issue is with the "school-mentary" game that Chloe plays with her friends where they "commentate" on people who can't hear them look ridiculous or are doing something funny. Miranda as the narrator makes sure she tells us that their not being mean, just funny. But I think Miranda has been doing comedy so long she has forgotten what mean is to a kid. Mean is saying anything that would be hurtful if that person heard it, even if they can't hear you. Mean is laughing when someone does something embarrassing instead of being compassionate and thinking about how you would feel if it was you. Her heart may be in the right place, but these "good kids" are being mean and the fact that it's not highlighted like that in the book is concerning.

the interesting
So, I'm a Christian with a Christian world view so I couldn't help but notice a sort of "theological theme" that was there I think perhaps by accident. Chloe is stuck, she needs a "saviour" but she won't ask for help so someone else has to "initiate" this help, someone who knows her heart and can see that she needs help. so along come these two-in-one best pal saviors that seem to be all knowing and very powerful. They have wisdom and they have a plan. They comfort Chloe when she needs it, they're always there for her even when she doesn't know it. She calls out to them and feels like they're not listening, but they just have a plan for her to wait and learn patience. They have a wise plan for her life, she thinks she knows better. She hurls insults at them and tries to cut them out of her life, but they stay there for her and ultimately have all the answers.

It seems Chloe has found God. But there's something lacking in this god that's not quite as good as the real one. This god is not fully in control. There is real danger. There is the real unknown. Chloe may be learning to trust them but as faithful as they are they could let her down. The dream world is in their control to a large degree, but the real world isn't.

The real God beats Godfrey and Hoppy out of the water, but the similarities that are there I think speaks into the God-shaped hole in all our hearts. We need a creator-father, and loving and all powerful saviour. Chloe need's him. Miranda needs him. I so need him.


the conclusion
I really love the potential here and I really hope Miranda keeps going. I wouldn't let my daughter read it on her own though. I'd want to be there to talk through the issues.

[Jaynie.Hufflepuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just finished reading Miranda Hart’s ‘The Girl with the Lost Smile’ and I bloomin’ loved it. A truly lovely, funny, heart-warming tale full of magic and adventure that I know I’d have loved to have read as a child.

In it we meet 11-year-old optimist Chloe who has a big heart and even bigger smile, although times are proving tough recently – her mum and dad won’t stop arguing, her best friends aren’t talking to her after a misunderstanding and all on top of loosing her smile. But things aren’t all doom and gloom, she has her quirky and fabulous Gran coming to stay soon and she always has her magic land to keep her buoyant, but sometimes even imagination can lag when your smile is lost, so Chloe is taken aback when one night she finds herself in the real magic land of her dreams where trumpet playing badgers, cloud jumping and toffee apple trees are in abundance! However, it seems some of the darkness has followed poor Chloe here and before long she is having to defend magic land with her new friends from the horrible shadow bandits who are set to take over magic land for good! It’s not an easy job trying to save magic land, going to school, trying to keep her family together AND search for her lost smile, but if anyone can do it Chloe can! With a good helping of hope, a dollop of courage and love and a sprinkling of imagination, anything is possible!

I loved the illustrations throughout and the array of characters from the embarrassing head teacher to the magical Hoppy and Godfrey. The setting of magic land is pure escapism and full of everything that every kid (and hopefully most adults) would love to experience – who wouldn’t want to be able to ice skate with penguins then swim in a summertime lake with a snack of ice-cream the size of a beach ball then draw in the sand and imagine your drawings real?!

It has Miranda’s hallmark quirk and humour to it scattered throughout mixed with her excellent children’s storytelling! The book deals with lots of things kids have to deal with like the bumps of friendships when growing up; living with arguing parents; learning the importance of talking about things instead of bottling things up; the trials of school life and how to deal with the feeling of being lost and sad in a world that you only want to make happy. She deals with these subjects with kindness and sensitivity and a comforting feeling of fun, adventure and optimism throughout. I’m sure this book will help lots of kids feel less alone and will certainly put a smile on their faces (and a few belly chuckles too!)

This book is a delight to read and I hope there will be more to come! I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on the lookout for magic land from now on!

[Pop Bop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither This Nor That

You can write a fine book about the emotional problems a child faces when her parents are headed for divorce, and depression and guilt are certainly going to be an important part of that story. You can also, obviously, write an engaging and entertaining tale about adventures in an imaginary magical wonderland. This book tries to mix the two, and as much as I admire Miranda Hart, I don't think she pulled it off.

The resolution of Chloe's depression is too easy, pat and unrealistic. The imaginary land is filled with repetitive escapades and weighed down by the need to mix in the depression angle. The conclusion of the book goes for happy and upbeat without explanation or plausibility. The upshot for me was that I didn't think this would be especially helpful or likely to offer insight to a kid struggling with depression, and wouldn't be particularly entertaining for a kid looking for an escapist lark.

The message I took from the book is that if you're depressed you need to get into your own head, buck up, fix yourself, and then come back out and cheer everyone else up. This puts all of the burden on the poor kid, who after all feels responsible for a divorce even if that's totally wrong, and seems like exactly the wrong message. You can dress things up with imaginary playmates and the like, and even with some gentle, funny, or touching scenes, but that doesn't make the book any more palatable. After a fair amount of consideration, I decided to pass on gifting this book to my granddaughter. I just didn't see any upside.

[Hazel Went · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book following the story of a girl who, like so many, held things together with a smile; she felt she carried responsibility for keeping others happy, too. When her world starts falling apart, she loses her smile and is taken on an adventure to reclaim it. The story was an excellent metaphor for those children and grown ups who do lose their smile, and contains a little magic along the way. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jolly and lovely, co taky jiného říct o úsměvném příběhu z pera Mirandy. A je v něm i galloping!

[RachyLou · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, permit me a quick foray into the raging debate about celebrity children's authors and their books. As an aspiring author myself, I know that I am going to have to fight to get my book read by the right people (assuming I EVER manage to finish it, of course!), and a long and difficult road to publication. If I'm lucky. So, yes, it does seem unfair that in the meantime, people who are already household names can waltz into publishers with no more than a mediocre idea and receive a large amount of support and money to turn it into a book BUT:

That doesn't mean that they don't work hard (if not at the book, at the very least at whatever is was that got them to their position of privilege). I'm not talking about the people who don't actually write their books, obviously. That's just WRONG and just a little dishonest
Sometimes they are actually pretty good
Anything that gets children reading is a good thing in my books (no pun intended!)
I don't have an issue with celebrity-written children's books. That doesn't mean that I don't find it heart breaking that truly fantastic work loses out on window displays, marketing and recognition to the more profit-friendly celebrity work but it's nobody's fault that bookselling is a business. And, to be fair, the not so good ones fade away just as quickly as any other below par book.

Right, now that that's over. Let's turn to The Girl with the Lost Smile! Chloe has been having a pretty hard time of it at home lately; her parents always seem to be arguing and they have little to no time for her. To help her cope, she retreats into an imaginary MAGIC LAND where she can skate with penguins and pick barbequed sausages straight from a bush, but soon even this doesn't make Chloe happy anymore. As things start to fall apart even more at school and at home, Chloe must fight to save the real MAGIC LAND and find her smile again.

I love Miranda Hart. She is lovely and hilarious. I went to a launch event for this book at Bath Children's Literature Festival this year and she was her usual, galloping self. I couldn't wait to get home and read the book.

It was…fine.

I won’t lie, I was disappointed. I was hoping for something unique and funny. What I actually got was a predictable but slightly confusing story line with fairly one dimensional characters and lacking in Miranda-ly hilarity; it feels unfinished, like this is a pre-edited version that could do with some finessing (it is not easy to read aloud!).

It's not all bad though, the message is clear and it's a good one: "It's okay to be sad. Tell someone if you're sad"

The book touches on young children dealing with depression, as well as divorce and unhappy homes. It's also a fairly classic rite of passage tale and the finishes with Chloe essentially outgrowing the need for her imaginary MAGIC LAND.

I'm sure kids (I think it's fairly gender neutral) between 8 and 12 years old will enjoy  more than I did, but I don't see it becoming a cherished favourite.

[Sudakshina Bhattacharjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am rather fond of Miranda Hart's writing and have enjoyed her semi-autobiographical works both in book and televisual format.
I can understand why she would want to foray into the world of children's literature, because she's young at heart and likes to see things from a child's point of view.
However, writing for children isn't easy and requires a certain technique, stance and nuances that appeal to children of all genders.
I think this book is aimed at a narrow audience, i.e. young girls who are engaging with their emotions or have emotional issues, e.g. "tweens" and teenagers rather than 10-11 year olds, like Chloe - the girl who has lost her smile.
Hart tackles poignant issues that young girls can face: growing up pangs, depression, neglect, familial instability. She also touches upon childhood innocence and how children find much joy in mundane things, e.g. a comfy duvet, a cheese and tomato sandwich, etc.
What I do find insightful in this book is how Hart has subtly personified philosophical and psychological constructs. For example:
- Are the characters Godfrey (not dissimilar to Roald Dahl's BFG) and Hoppy, King Sandy, Queen Sandra and Prince Barnie real or imaginary in Chloe's world? If they are not real, then how does that explain the existence of Trevor - her grandmother's love interest?
- Does Godfrey represent "God" or an absent father figure for Chloe?
- Does Hoppy represent Hope?
- Do the Shadow Bandits personify depression? (not unlike the Dementors in Harry Potter)
These pointers could be up for interpretation for parents and teachers.
In terms of writing quality, Hart has clearly poured her heart into this story and what it could do with is a bit more structure and read less like a stream-of-consciousness piece, unlike her other books.
On a different point, which I have seen appear in other reviews for this book, do I think it's fair that celebrities writing fiction get more press? No, actually. I don't think it is about who writes the book as much as whether the book will sell. Does the book - and the story within it - have commercial value? Often, it is assumed that books will sell because of "celebrity authors". But then, there are countless writers who went on to become celebrities because of their books; because the stories they tell, sell.

[Roubeeni Mohan (bookish_owl06) · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILER FREE REVIEW
_______________________
Book: The Girl With The Lost Smile
Author: Miranda Hart

DISCLAIMER: I received this ARC from Pansing Distribution in return for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the beginning like the first 50 pages or so. The illustrations were really cute and adorable. I liked how the story started off but the build up was rather tideous to read.

I expected it to be an easy and engaging read since it is a book meant for children, but it was rather draggy and some what boring. As the title suggests, the books is about a girl who loses her smile and goes on a quest with two magical friends to find her lost smile.

What was supposed to be a magical journey was tiresome to read. And with the word "she lost her smile" being repetitive, made the book dry. It is supposed to captivate children and also parents (if they were to read this book to their children), but honestly it was a difficult read.

I was only captivated for the first 50 pages of the book, and had to force myself to finish rest of the book.

I can't recommend this book for children, but I always believe one man's meat could be another man's poison. Therefore, if you were to get this book it's already out in stores.

My rating for this book is 2/5 stars.

[Sally Flint · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't have read it if this hadn't been written by Miranda Hart of whom I am a huge fan, and I doubt if she wasn't a celebrity it would have been published. It wasn't that well written, though did get better, and it felt like she hadn't read that many children's books herself- there were parts where the sentence structure was so disjointed it really jarred. The book did deal with important issues though - divorce, friendship and depression, so as such it is worth reading, and if being written by a popular celebrity encourages children to pick it up then so be it. I don't think it is in the same league as David Walliams, (it certainly wasn't funny and the 'magic' sections were perhaps a bit unimaginative) though like him, I suspect Miranda Hart would have largely written it by herself.

[Patrick Scattergood · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my point of view, the book was a lot better than I was thinking it would be. One of the first things I noticed was the fact that the book seemed to be written in the same way as she talks when performing on television. I thought that was a nice touch. Another thing I really liked was the fact that the story had an actual message to it. Throughout the story, you are wondering why Chloe is so adamant to smile at absolutely everything and why her smile actually disappears and when you find out, although it is rather telegraphed, it's still a lovely touch. Pacing wise, there were a few issues throughout the story but it flowed well otherwise.

Read the whole review at

https://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blog...

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a difficult one to review. I read it out loud to my 8 and 10-year-old girls, and all three of us laughed and cried. It also prompted us to discuss depression, resilience, marriage, friendships and how people treat each other. Anything that encourages, and prompts, those conversations deserves the five-star rating. I would recommend to anyone with children age 8 - 12yrs regardless of whether homelife is going through a tough period or not. I am glad I read it to them, and not sure I would have felt comfortable either of them reading it alone as it does address mental health issues for both adults and children, and I feel how that is understood needs support and guidance from parents.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was interesting and the characters were great but I just felt that it was a bit too long for what it was. Maybe it could’ve been better as a picture book, or a series of shorter books.

It reminded me of those Rainbow Magic fairy books that kids really seem obsessed with these days.

I did lose interest early on and so I really had to push myself to finish this one, which isn’t a good sign but maybe younger readers will enjoy this book more. Like I said the idea was interesting and good concepts, I liked the issues it touched on and reminders that it’s not good to keep things bottled up.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as we’d love our lives to be one big festival of happiness, the reality is that we all have periods of sadness. UK comedian, Miranda Hart certainly knows this. She has used her own depressive episode as the inspiration for her debut children’s book, The Girl with the Lost Smile. The story is a brave and fantastical adventure that isn’t afraid to venture into some difficult places in order to make a great point or two.

To read the rest of this review please visit: https://100percentrock.com/book-revie...

[Izzy Dorrance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally got round to reading this book. It has been siting on my shelf for over a year now. I found this book hard to get into to. However, once I got to around half way round it started to pick up. The book is about a girl called Chloe, who loses her smile. This effects her life at home and school, as well as her imaginary land. Chloe spends the book trying to get her smile back. I liked the concept of the book because it covers some important themes for children, for example, mental health, the importance of family and imagination.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Hart's books for adults especially because she makes me laugh.

Despite many attempts throughout this approximately 350 page book I didn't laugh. At first I found it cute, engaging and entertaining. As the book dragged by I felt restless with the same story retold over and over again. I honestly couldn't wait to be done with it.

Here's what I think - Hart had a cute idea. It either should have been very heavily edited or made in to three separate volumes. Kids who will be interested in the story won't have the tenacity to read such a long book.

[Holly is Happy Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe Long lives with her mum and dad but they seem to have lost their smiling spirit and just argue all the time and don’t pay her attention. Her Gran always has great things to say but isn’t there on her birthday so Chloe has a terrible day except her friends give her presents. When she falls asleep she wakes up to creatures called Godfrey and Hoppy taking her to her imaginary Magic Land. This book teaches you all about how to smile and I loved how her parents make it up to her in the end and she gets her duvet and an adventure.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging story about a girl who loses her smile, but really the book is about a little girl who learns to be brave, flexible, and loving through times of change.
I enjoyed the story but found the main character, Chole, annoying and ungrateful to the people around her. Her personality and attitude toward the mythical people of Magic Land left me not liking her and not caring if she found her smile.
Additionally, I think the book could have been a lot shorter because the way she found her smile was so simple and could have happened much soon er in the book.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this isn’t the best written book, it certainly touches on some important topics. With a bit of book talk it allows children to understand depression in a way that is aimed at them. Not only does it have some incredible metaphors for depression and show what it is like to live with a mental illness, it also touches on parents divorcing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will certainly have it on my radar for children who’s parents are separating or if depression is relevant.