Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Available February 13, 2024

In 'The Happy Shop', we're introduced to Darcy, an eleven-year-old adjusting to life in a new country. Her discovery of a magical shop that sells happiness in jars leads her on an unexpected journey. As she assists the shopkeepers after a surprising mishap, Darcy learns about the complexity of emotions and the significance of empathy. This graphic novel, with its engaging story and delightful illustrations, beautifully unfolds a tale that goes beyond mere joy, offering a layered perspective on the importance of embracing the full spectrum of our emotions.

It's a heartwarming and insightful read for young audiences.

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel focussing on emotions and their positive manipulation through a “happy shop” selling feelings. A wholesome story but might be a bit too intense or deep for little minds.

Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Darcy isn’t happy about moving to a new town where the people and the weather both seem unfriendly. While running an errand for her mother, she discovers a quaint store named “The Happy Shop”, which sells happy feelings. When Darcy accidentally breaks one of the magical jars, she is allowed to make it up to the shopowners, sisters Frida and Flora, by working there after school to help with the cleaning and simple chores. Darcy soon discovers that the shop isn’t doing so well. Can she help Flora and Frida save the shop? Along the way, she also learns how happiness works.


In terms of concept, the book is fabulous. Understanding that happiness isn’t the only important emotion, and that there is “relative happiness” is an important life lesson for children, and this book presents it well.

That said, I feel that the complexities of emotions as explored in the book won’t be completely understood by younger middle graders. As the story comes from a middle grader’s perspective, the concept is put forth mainly through her eyes. But the philosophy of the book , though accurate, is deep, and thus, it might be better understood if read with adult guidance.

This might be one of the few times where I liked the morals more than the core story itself. The plot takes the title seriously and focusses mainly on “the happy shop”, with a minor focus on Darcy’s home life. As such, one crucial aspect of the child’s life – her experiences at her new school - is skipped out. Many minor elements are not included or quickly revealed within a single sentence, leaving much for the reader to gauge on their own.

The magical jars are an important conduit for the sale of emotions. I like how their functionality is depicted without going into technicalities. But there is a lot left to the imagination. Where do Flora and Frida get the jars? How do some of the more specific feelings provide happiness to their buyers? I wish there were a bit more detailing to this aspect.

The text is quite simple and at the level of the target age group. Many of the pages have only graphics and no text, thereby making this a quick read.

The illustrations were decent enough - not bad, but not excellent as well. They might work better for middle graders, but I have read far too many graphic novels by now to be mesmerised by a simplistic art style. Graphics are an important part of a graphic novel experience for me, and in this instance, I am somewhat disappointed. But the cover art does match what is inside, so at least it was not a case of false promises. What you see on the cover is what you get inside – I appreciate that.

I read this book with my younger daughter, who fits the target age group. She found the story “too simple and better for kids.” (Ahem!) However, I found the basic concept quite deep. So something clearly went awry between reading and processing in her mind. Or, it may just be, as I said earlier, that the philosophy of emotions is a bit too complex for children who haven’t experienced that many negative feelings yet.

All in all, a decent one-time read. But not too memorable for my middle-grader or me.

3.5 stars, rounding down because the in-house MG boss wasn’t impressed.

My thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Happy Shop”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Themes:
Fresh Start / New Town
Happiness
Loneliness
Memories
Magical Realism / Light Magic

Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent

Darcy and her mum have just moved to a new town. To get her out of the house, Darcy’s mum sends her out on an errand to get groceries and stumbles upon a magical little store called “The Happy Shop”. The shop collects and sells memories, and after an accident during her visit, Darcy has to help out the owners after school and learns more about their work.

This was a sweet little story that was easy to get through and full of heart. I teared up at multiple points within the story. The creator has such a talent for conveying emotion and furthering the story in such a small amount of pages. The artwork was simple and lovely, I think this could be a wonderful story for middle-grade age readers to pick up.

Highly recommend to readers of Ghoster Heights and Ghosts (both middle grade graphic novels with similar themes that I loved).

One word review: lovely

More detailed review: moving to a new place can be really scary, especially when you break something in a store in your first few days! Darcy has to help out at the Happy Shop to pay off her mistake, but can selling happy feelings bring her some comfort in a new town? Beautiful, simple, uncluttered art & a touching story about the complexity of emotion & memory.

An adorably fun book for kids. The graphics are clean and the words are well-placed. Definitely something the younger kids can get on board with.

Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley!

I absolutely loved The Happy Shop by Brittany Long Olsen. It's a wonderful graphic novel for MG readers that explores feelings, family, and fitting in in a new place. Darcy moved to a new place and is struggling to find herself. She's also worried about her mom who is overwhelmed and unhappy. When Darcy stumbles upon The Happy Shop, she learns that she can "borrow" feelings to help her mom feel better. Throughout the book she comes to realize that a temporary mood boost might not be the best idea, but learning to appreciate what you have and those around you will help your mood long-term. A great book, simple and wonderful illustrations, and so many positive messages for kids.

This one was cute, but overall didn't have much of an impact on me. I think it's worth the read though!

This beautiful book was the perfect heartwarming read for a cold winter day
A young girl newly relocated to a different country struggles to find a sense of belonging until she finds a unique little shop. In this shop she finds not only community but a sense of purpose and is able to grow and share her little with others around her.
I highly recommend this sweet little story centered around our emotions and how they can help others to readers of any age.

This graphic novel was so relaxing to read. As it's centered around a magic shop that sells happy feelings to people, it filled me with such a feeling of peace. It was really fun to see all the specific happy moments the shop was selling. I can personally confirm "A puppy falls asleep in your lap" is a GREAT feeling.

In the end, I loved the message of how it's not just happy feelings, but the full range of emotions, that matter. Happiness doesn't always last, and other feelings have their purpose too. This was a great journey to see the main character go on.

Darcy is not pleased that she's had to move to a new country after her mom gets a new job. In her grumpiness, she stumbles across a little shop called the Happy Shop, where two older women sell happiness in jars. After a little accident, Darcy ends up working at the shop and learning what it means to really be happy. Happiness can be fleeting, but so can money, and if Darcy and the ladies can't find a way to turn things around, there might be just a little less happiness in the world.

This is a fairly simple story, but it makes some good points. I love the full cast of characters and I'm charmed by the way that it introduces feelings and perspectives as something to be cherished, whether they're positive or negative. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my youngest students.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.25 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘

This simple, cute, deeply-meaningful, and light-hearted comic brought warmth to my heart. It was a very quick read, but the warm aftertaste lingered in my heart for quite some time after reading. You don't need to read a lot of self-help non-fiction books, you might just need to read this short comic to understand some crucial things about happiness that takes me years to really realize everything.
- "Happiness doesn't last forever" - Flora
- To understand happiness and be grateful for those happy moments, we might have to experience sadness
This book isn't pretentious; it just hits hard.

The only drawback I can think of is that it feels too simple to me. This story would be awesome if the author elaborates more.

"The Happy Shop" is a sweet middle grade graphic novel about a girl named Darcy who moves to a new place and has trouble fitting in. She stumbles into the Happy Shop, a shop that sells happy feelings, and accidentally breaks some expensive jars. In order to pay back her debt, she begins working at the shop, which is having trouble making enough money to stay open. After a failed attempt at collecting a happy feeling, Darcy comes up with a new idea that might just save the Happy Shop. The art is cute, and the story is a nice little slice of life with just a touch of magic thrown in.

Darcy and her mom have recently relocated to a brand new country, thanks to her mom's job. She's bummed about moving away from her friends and everything familiar, but when her mom sends her out to run an errand she stumbles across a little shop run by two sisters that sells happy feelings.

After she accidentally knocks over several jars, Darcy agrees to spend time after school working off her debt. While working for the sisters, she learns that the shop is struggling and that they might have to sell the store. Can Darcy and the sisters figure out a way to save the shop? Can Darcy and her mom figure out life in a new country even when things don't end up being as good as they first seemed?

Olsen's story is very cute and cozy. It's a great look at the importance and validity of all feelings, not just happy ones. I think younger middle grade readers and older juvenile readers will enjoy this one, especially if they enjoyed the movie Inside Out.

I did feel that the art was a little too simplistic and the plot sometimes seemed rushed. I also felt that there were a lot of grown-up problems that the 11-year old Darcy was being asked to deal with/figure out. However, I think this is a story that a lot of kids who are dealing with big emotions could enjoy and see themselves in Darcy's shoes.

What if you could bottle happiness? Buy a pick-me-up off the shelf when you're having a bad day? That's what the titular Happy Shop provides. The story explores how emotions are more complicated than just positive vs negative. I teared up a couple times.

This isn't an art style that usually draws me but the story is well suited to the simplicity.

The Happy Shop is a very unique middle grade graphic novel! The idea of a shop that sells happy feelings in magic jars is so charming and the simplicity of the story and the drawings work so well together! Recommended purchase.

I read The Happy shop by @brytning, a graphic novel that I loved!

Mother-daughter relationship
🤍 Understanding feelings
🤝 Support and friendship
🏘️ Homesickness and adaptation
⭐ For young and old alike

I was immediately seduced by the colourful cover, which gives off a very gentle and serene atmosphere that's also magical!

This magic is very much in evidence in The Happy Shop, the shop run by Flora and Frida, two sisters who sell happy memories. They bottle happy moments in magical jars: the memory of a sunny day, the first bite of ice cream or coming home to your dog... I was immediately intrigued by the concept, which is as comforting as it is wonderful 🤍

The two sisters are merchants of happiness, but they themselves are trying to keep their heads above water as their shop attracts fewer and fewer customers. And yet there's no shortage of sad or depressed people. So when Darcy, who has just moved to the town, stumbles across the shop, she is irresistibly drawn in! The young girl is homesick and struggling to make new friends, so maybe a magic jar is just what she needs ✨

In no time at all, she finds herself helping out after school, finding a back-up solution to the business to attract new customers, cheering up her mum and making new friends! It's a lovely, heart-warming story, which gives pride of place to emotions, whatever they may be 🤍

The themes are approached in a very gentle way, and above all easily understandable for younger children. It's a good way of explaining feelings, the importance of recognising and accepting them, and also their roles. It's educational while remaining very light ✨

Thank you @netgalley @orionpress!

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

This is such a cute, heartbreaking, heartwarming read! Eleven year old Darcy recently moved to a new country, leaving behind her friends, her school, and her home. As Darcy is struggling to adjust to her new surroundings, she comes across a magic shop that sells and collects "happy feelings." However, when she accidently breaks one of the jars, she is asked to work there until she pays off her debt, while also discovering that happiness is not the only emotion you need and that all emotions are equally important.

This book has such a beautiful message for young readers. I had so much fun reading it, and fell in love with the cast of characters the moment they were introduced. The whimsical storyline combined with the magical focus was a joy to read. I was immersed in the story from page one. The illustrations were adorable, and the story was wholesome.

I loved that this story made me stop and think about emotions and gratitude. It was an excellent read!

Wholesome and heartwarming with clear panels and illustrations that make it approachable for lots of different readers. The touches of magical realism were handled well and I liked the overall message about feelings and allowing space for all the emotions. Cute and straightforward for elementary school readers.

I can always enjoy a nice slice of life book and this one hits the spot! Very interesting concept where one collects feelings of happiness so that people can experience them in different parts of their life, whenever and wherever they need it. You can never find a book like this where it depicts such an importance on feelings and it’s interesting to see that even though happy feelings may be an ideal feeling to have, sometimes going through sadness and finding value in one’s journey or reminding themselves that they’re doing an amazing job is part of experiencing life as well. You cannot appreciate the happy days without the sad and difficult days. And I find that beautiful that the author was able to deliver such a message in a children’s book??? I surely had a blast reading it and I hope all children who pick up this book would see this beauty as well, to value all of your feelings, because that will shape how we view our life.

Thank you to NetGallery for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book was so sweet and heartwarming and cozy, I loved it. The illustrations were adorable as well.

The Happy Shop is about a young girl named Darcy who has just moved to a new country with her mom. While she’s struggling to acclimate to her new surroundings, she comes across a shop that sells happy feelings. From there, we get to see how she and the shop help each other.

One thing I found really cool about The Happy Shop (the store in the book) is that it reminds me of a library or a bookstore. How? Well, customers can come in and shop for feelings. Isn’t that what we do with books? We look for books that will make us happy or sad or curious or excited. We’re searching for feelings. I think that’s going to resonate with everyone who reads this graphic novel.

I also loved that it made me stop and think about emotions, about gratitude, about community. Excellent read!

Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review!