MAKING EMMIE SMILE

A young child won’t smile, but her family is determined to change that in this picture book by Weisberg and Yoffe.

Aunt Jane offers little Emmie beautiful flowers, comedic Cousin Frank attempts funny faces, and Nana Sheila cooks beloved childhood recipes, but none of these attempts result in Emmie expressing joy. Undeterred, the whole family tries again, this time surprising Emmie with a gift-wrapped toy—but even that doesn’t bring forth a smile. Nana has one last idea: a loving hug, which works, and the rest of the family all joins the embrace. This picture book has a modest but appealing message: A person can bestow many lovely gifts, but sometimes what lightens a loved one’s heart is a simpler gesture. This second edition of Weisberg and Yoffe’s picture book is an adaptation of a CGI-animated short film by the same name, produced by Lonely Lane; the illustrations appear to be photographic stills from that film, with little adjustment to suit the new format. As a result, the images aren’t very crisp, and some details and facial expressions appear indistinct or murky. Some pages feature several frames clustered together, which makes the spreads look overly busy. Emmie and her family members are all portrayed with pale skin.

A heartfelt story that’s hampered by awkward and lackluster execution.