Coming in October: A Smile in your Pocket by Jarrod Zayas

It’s the morning walk to school and it doesn’t feel right. The day has started gloomy, when it’s normally bright. And, so begins a series of change that turns young Miles’ day upside down. Once friendly and familiar, everything on that school walk now seems distant, sad, or stressed. The weather. The community workers. Even the neighbor’s dog, Daisy. At school, things don’t lighten up for Miles. There, he’s introduced to a series of new rules meant to help prevent the spread of germs, and all the change overwhelms him, translating into major anxiety and sadness of his own. But, with the help of his patient teacher, Ms. Franklin, Miles learns the value of embracing change and remaining positive. And, he also learns how sharing one little smile, even one you can keep in your pocket, can bring perspective and happiness to yourself and those around you.

More relevant than ever before in our current “pandemic era,” A Smile in Your Pocket provides caregivers with a fun story time read that provides a conversation primer about good hygiene, social distancing, and coping with emotions.

Written in partnership with an accomplished child therapist, A Smile in Your Pocket combines sweet art and rhythmic text to tell a charming story that focuses on CASEL standards of social emotional development, and more specifically about combating negative emotions and the power of positivity.


This title is leveled using both the Lexile and Fountas & Pinnell reading level standards. Includes backmatter that cover tips for helping children manage stress and anxiety.

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paw Prints (October 4, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1223183173
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1223183176
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 – 7 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 4106L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 1 – 2

Visit this book’s Goodreads page for more information and links to order from your favorite online retailer!

Questions About Characters’ Futures on Anne with an E

Anne with an E ended two seasons early. As a result, some storylines were never fully tied up. I talk about some of those today at The Book Connection. Click here to read my ramblings.

From the Family Bookshelf

Where has this month gone? I can’t believe July is almost here. The girls have been out of school since Monday. The Lil Princess joined our library’s “Go Green” summer reading program. The Lil Diva has officially declared she hates reading. When I suggested she join the summer reading program, not only did I get the eyes rolling up into her eyelids, I also received the lovely hand on the hip deal. How did I manage to end up with a kid who doesn’t enjoy reading?

In this issue of From the Family Bookshelf, you’ll once again get a glimpse into what our family has been reading lately. I, as usual, have read more books than anyone else; but that should change a bit with the Lil Princess participating in the summer reading program.

I really thought Dad would move right from Prayers for the Assassin  by Robert Ferrigno to the next book in this series, Sins of the Assassin, but he didn’t. After a short reading break, he moved onto the third book in The Zion Chronicles, The Return to Zion, by Bodie and Brock Thoene. This series is Christian historical fiction set aroung WWII. He has already read the first two books in this series, The Gates of Zion and A Daughter of Zion.

May 27th was the last time I updated this column. Sorry about that. With the wedding, the end of the school year, and preparing to leave for North Carolina on July 2nd, I haven’t been blogging as much as I usually do.

During that time I’ve read Ebeneezer’s Cousin, In My Bath, Sully’s Topsy Tale, Grin’s Message, Little Big Wolf, and Glamour Girl, all children’s books.  You can find those reviews on this site. I’ve also read Caves, Cannons and Crinolines, which is YA historical fiction from Beverly Stowe McClure. That review is also posted at this site.

At The Book Connection, I recently posted reviews of: The Wildcat’s Burden (sci-fi/alternative world) by Christopher Hoare, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner (historical fiction), At Home with Laurie Ann by Laurie Ann McMillin Ray (home decorating), and Why God Matters by Karina Lumbert Fabian and Deacon Steven Lumbert (Catholic nonfiction). I also read The Lightkeeper’s Daughter by Colleen Coble as part of the Amazon Vine program. I am currently reading The Last Operative by Jerry Jenkins. If you want to know my Jerry Jenkins story, just ask!

The Lil Diva moved right from her Katie & Kimble books into reading Junie B. Jones.  I’ll have a separate post coming up about this book soon, but I thought kids were supposed to enjoy reading about those older than them. Junie B. Jones is a few years younger than her, so I wasn’t expecting that one. She read

The Lil Princess has been reading to herself, so I haven’t been privy to what she’s been reading lately. She hides in her room, shuts the door, and wanders off for a while. I know that she recently picked up a copy of The Raindrop by Brian McClure that I had in my office. She always asks before taking off with anything from here, since she never knows if it belongs in the TBR pile, the giveaway pile, or somewhere in between. 🙂

That’s about it for From the Family Bookshelf. I hope you enjoyed reading along. Until next time, keep reading!