CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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My Heart Is Laughing

by Rose Lagercrantz

CCBC Review:

Dani thinks of herself as someone “who’s always happy.” But she isn’t this particular day, because she misses her best friend, Ella, who moved away, and two girls in her class, Vicky and Mickey, are being horrible to her. When Dani angrily throws food at them after they pinch her during lunch, it lands on her teacher by mistake. The teacher doesn’t know about the pinching and thinks Dani was misbehaving. Dani ends up running home in tears. Her dad is at first upset with Dani, but when he finds out what happened he drives her back to school, tells the teacher what was going on, and justice is served as Vicky and Mickey must apologize — a deeply satisfying moment for Dani and readers alike. A few elements of this child-centered book translated from the Swedish feel foreign, but the feelings are universal and spot on. Despite the kids who are picking on Dani, there is a brightness and lightness to the storytelling, with the girls’ mean behavior treated as a unique incident — it happens, it’s dealt with, and Dani is ready to move on. ©2014 Cooperative Children's Book Center

Illustrated by Eva Eriksson
Translated by Julia Marshall. Translated from the Swedish

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-9
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Bullying and Teasing Fathers Feelings/Emotions School Translated Books

On CCBC Booklist: Bullying, Teasing, Relational Aggression and School Violence

Publisher: Gecko
Publish Year: 2014
Pages: 119
ISBN: 9781877579523
CCBC Location: Fiction, Lagercrantz

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.

Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.