My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz (review)

In this short novel, young Dani recounts some of the happy (and unhappy) times of her life, beginning with her starting school, where she makes a firm friend in Ella. When Ella moves away midyear, Dani is devastated, particularly as this loss reminds Dani of her grief over her deceased mother, and a banged-up knee at school finally triggers a flood of cathartic tears: "Dani kept on crying. She cried because it hurt. She cried because Ella had moved." The purchase of some long longed-for hamsters helps, as does making some more friends in her class; finally, a letter from Ella and the promise of a trip to visit her genuinely cheer her up. The concise and observant writing makes this a pleasure to read aloud, and its concerns will be readily recognizable by young primary-graders; older kids and advanced readers may be able to tackle this thoughtful Swedish import on their own. The breadth of Dani's experiences (the remembered death of a family member, friendship issues, starting school, pet ownership) allow the story to resonate with a broad spectrum of children, and the insightful text is both moving and humorous: "When [hamsters are] scared, they squeak. And poop. Actually, they poop the whole time, whether they're scared or not." Eriksson's plentiful black and white line drawings are simple and warmhearted, and Dani and her friends and family are a cozy and realistic group. This would be a satisfying class or family readaloud or a fine first chapter book for a strong primary grade reader.