HOW TO FIND YOUR RAINBOW

A youngster shares his advice for being happier in Bradley’s picture book.

Kenny always has a rainbow hovering over him, while Aly has a storm cloud that rains on her constantly. (Aly is depicted with pale skin, and Kenny with brown skin.) His rainbow may sometimes dim but never leaves him. Aly thinks this is unfair and wants to know how she can have a rainbow. Kenny recites a list of things Aly should try, including “lots of sleep and water, sunshine, fresh air, [and] healthy food,” as well as meditation, creative activities, journaling about emotions, and practicing gratitude, yoga, and tai chi. He concludes by insisting that Aly must love herself, so that she can love others. Following Kenny’s advice, Aly “loved and thanked and loved and gave and loved and helped and loved” until her cloud was replaced by a rainbow. Trazsi’s textured illustrations are colorful and consistently evocative throughout. However, a child who’s chronically sad and grumpy, even while doing activities or celebrating holidays with loved ones, surely needs more than the facile advice Kenny provides. He sometimes comes across as smug, telling Aly, “You could have a rainbow, but you choose a cloud instead”: an overly simplistic view of the experience of unhappiness, and not useful advice for kids—or anyone else.

A well-meaning and vividly illustrated tale that misses the mark.