Not a Smiley Guy by Polly Horvath (review)

Reviewed by: Not a Smiley Guy by Polly Horvath Amanda Toledo Horvath, Polly Not a Smiley Guy; illus. by Boris Kulikov. Ferguson, 2024 32p Trade ed. ISBN 9780823449873 18. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780823457533 11. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 5-8 yrs Newborn Ernest has a pretty sweet life—nice parents, nice extended family members, even the mailman and the neighbors are great, so he doesn't really have any complaints, except that it might be fun if there were elephants around. Still, all these lovely people around him grow more concerned as Ernest gets older: despite hitting all the milestones, he simply will not smile. Adoring parents take him for ice cream, to a fair, to the park, all to try to summon a smile from their son; they go so far as acquiring Marcia the elephant for him, but even that won't draw a grin from Ernest. Horvath's whimsical writing style gives the quirky tale her hallmark blend of absurdism and wholeheartedness when Ernest and his family work to find a happy medium that conveys joy without necessitating a smile. Kulikov's entertaining art heightens the silliness, with figures and faces slightly off-kilter and muted colors that contrast the ordinariness of the family with the increasingly humorous situations they get in—the illustration of Ernest and Marcia dancing a jig on a set of stairs is certain to draw giggles. Each of the busy watercolor-like scenes will have eagle-eyed readers spotting the hidden elephants a wistful Ernest imagines. This is a subtle but reassuring tale for disabled children or kids who may not emote in ways that concerned grown-ups feel necessary, but it's the silliness that will have kids asking for another read. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois