- Picture Books
- Ages 3–7
- Everyday Life
Where Happiness Begins
Book 2 of 2 in Big EmotionsView the full series
The companion to When Sadness Comes to Call turns to happiness - an elusive feeling that can seem far away or arrive so full you have to share it. With the same spare text and gentle art, Eva Eland gently reassures children that happiness is never really lost, and that it begins within.
- Best for3–7
- FormatPicture
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Lyrical
- Conversational
Tone
- Gentle
- Warm
- Heartwarming
- Inspirational
- Thought provoking
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Are you looking for happiness? Sometimes it can feel really far away; sometimes you have so much you can't help but share it. In this companion to her acclaimed When Sadness Comes to Call, Eva Eland turns her calm, clear-eyed attention to happiness - an emotion just as slippery as sadness. You can try to chase it, capture it or hold on to it, but the book gently suggests that happiness can't be forced, and that even when it seems to have gone for a while, it's never really far away. Through spare, thoughtful text and simple, warm illustrations, it gives this elusive feeling a shape and reassures readers that happiness often begins from within - and grows when it's shared with a friend or offered to someone who needs it. Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, it's a mindful, uplifting introduction to emotional literacy that never tips into instruction, trusting young children to feel their way to its meaning. A gentle, giftable picture book for bedtime and beyond, and a natural next step for readers who loved the first Big Emotions book.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A gentle emotional-literacy picture book for 3-7s to share at bedtime or any calm moment, with minimal text and soft imagery. As a companion to When Sadness Comes to Call it works alone but is especially satisfying read alongside it.
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- Best fit · 3–7
- Read aloud · 3–7
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Minimal
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Emotional literacy
- Gentle bedtime
- Mindfulness
- Feel good read
- Gift book
Avoid if
No common reasons to avoid this one — a rare clean sweep on the sensitivity flags.
Particularly good for children who are…
- Anxiety and worry
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Happiness gets a shape you can picture, and the gentle idea that it's never truly lost - and grows when you share it - leaves children with a warm, reassuring feeling. A calm, comforting read for quiet moments.
- Being understood finally
- Cosy safety
Why parents love it
The same spare beauty as its predecessor, turned to happiness: it reassures children that good feelings begin within and grow through kindness and sharing, without ever preaching. A lovely bedtime read and gentle prompt for talking about emotions.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Conversation starter
In the series
Big Emotions.
2 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Eva Eland.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
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