The children’s picture book Joy by Corrinne Averiss, illustrated by Isabelle Follath is delightful both in its story line and in its illustrations.

“Fern loved Nanna,” the book begins, on a lovely page of pink and lavender, butterflies swirling across the page. Fern stands at her Nanna’s feet and hugs her as Nanna, Fern, and the cat all smile. The sentiment of love is highlighted through Follath’s use of soft colored pencil and watercolor spatters. Nanna’s cheeks are rosy, she wears red pumps, the room is bright and cheery, and the table is heaped with sweet cupcakes. It is a picture of abundant joy.

The next page is a stark contrast as the color scheme shifts to gray, slate blue, and beige, accompanying the words, “But recently…Nanna hardly ever smiled.” The cat wears a grim expression, cobwebs grow next to wilting plants on the mantle, and the pictures on the wall are askew. Nanna herself appears unkempt, her hair untidy and her feet in house slippers, and the only hint as to why she has stopped smiling is the appearance of a black wheelchair.

Fern’s mother explains to Fern that Nanna has lost her joy, so Fern decides to go find joy and bring it back to her grandmother. Off she goes on her quest, and she sees many joyful sights at the park—but she can’t catch the joy and box it up for her Nanna. As Fern witnesses puppies, balloons, and chuckling babies, the illustrations sparkle and dance across the page, but the background again goes dark as she drags her empty joy-catching bag home.

Sad to return empty-handed, Fern lays her head on her grandmother’s arm and tells her that she is sad that she couldn’t capture joy for her. But then she tells her Nanna all that she saw that made her feel joy, and Nanna’s face lights up. Her grandmother tells Fern, “You bring me all the joy in the world just by being you.” The book ends with Fern happily pushing Nanna through the park and butterflies once again fluttering across the page.

The illustrations in this book beautifully enhancing the story line. And the story, for the most part, is on target.

First, it shows that you can’t give someone else joy. Joy is something that is influenced by external events, but it must come from within. I’ll be expounding on this more in my next article, “What is Joy?” However, being joyful can have a profound effect on those around us, as if they “catch” our joy. Fern didn’t bring the puppy home, but she brought her own joy at seeing the puppy and shared that. Nanna felt Fern’s joy because of their connection. Being deeply connected to others allows us to experience their joy.

Next, the book empowers children to be themselves—and that’s enough. In a time when children often feel pressured to be more and do more at an ever-decreasing age, this book reassures them that they make a powerful difference in the world just by being themselves. They don’t have to do anything else. They are enough.

Finally, I find the relationship between the girl and her grandmother to be quite sweet. The love between the child and the woman is evident through the dialogue as well as the illustrations. When they gaze at one another, the reader can see that they have the same soft, loving eyes. Fern’s quest to capture Joy in a fishing net attests to the bond between Fern and Nanna.

The part of the story that gives me pause is the idea that Joy is a “whoosh.” Fern’s mother teaches her that joy is a “whoosh”—a big, sudden feeling—and Fern feels that “whoosh” when her grandmother smiles again. I think that Joy can be a gush of positive emotion, but it can also be quiet and understated—a feeling of peace that is larger than contentment. Just because you aren’t feeling an intense rush doesn’t mean that you lack joy.

And about that lacking of joy… why does Fern’s Nanna lose her sense of joy? We are left to wonder just how a person can decline from a state of abundant joy into a lackluster, joyless existence. It’s true that we can lose our sense of joy and wonder, especially when illness or infirmity change the way we are able to interact with the world and our loved ones. That the child can help the old woman gives us hope. But the book shifts so quickly from joy to despair, it leaves me wondering whether Nanna will fall back into her dark state as soon as Fern goes home. 

Averiss and Follath’s book is a lovely and joyful exploration of Joy. Adding it to any child’s library could help to begin a conversation about this often-overlooked emotion. And talking with children about their feelings and giving them an expansive emotional vocabulary is a life-long gift.

I ask you, Dear Reader: how do you experience joy? What does it feel like in your body? Let’s talk about Joy! Comment below…

Until next time,