About the Holiday

Happiness Happens Month reminds us that happiness can happen anywhere and at any time. In fact paying attention to all of the little moments during each day, going on spontaneous outings with friends or family, or taking time to do a favorite activity may be all you need to feel happier every day! Spending time reading with your kids is one of those activities that’s sure to bring a smile and comforting a sense of “ahhhh!” With school starting again soon, it’s a great time to reflect on the fun you’ve had over the past months and as well as the memories and learning to come. Today’s book combines fun and learning in a way that’s sure to make happiness happen every time you read it!

Thank you to Abrams Appleseed for sending me this book for review!

Charts for Babies

By Michelle Rial

Little ones may not know about all the visual tools people use to corral the data that that keeps the world working and connected, but knowing how to read these helpful graphics is a crucial skill as children climb higher and higher in math and science classes at school. So, is there a way for even the youngest children to begin learning these important concepts? Michelle Rial says wholeheartedly, “Yes!” But is there a way to make it relatable and exciting and—dare I ask?—fun? Like really fun?

Michelle Rial has all that covered in Charts for Babies, a bright and bubbly jaunt through ideas big and small that encompass the building blocks of math and vocabulary (including visual representations of nouns, verbs, adjectives, those beguiling prepositions, and opposites) as well as cuddly emotions adults and kids love to share. And Rial does all of this with adorable graphics and rhymes that will make your heart sing.

With her trademark wit, Rial presents 16 types of charts and graphs—including a Venn diagram, column chart, scatter plot, timelines, bar chart, and decision tree. She also introduces kids to concepts such as “snug” and “loose,” the difference between a circle and a dot, a single object and a pair, how manipulating shapes can create new shapes, and many others. A few random visitors, like a duck and a sneeze, pull double duty—making little ones giggle while completing a rhyme.

Along the way, Rial also invites kids to count, name colors, find components of five kinds of charts in the midst of a “mess,” and discover other ways to connect with and talk about the text. I can guarantee that both adults and kids will embrace the book’s sweet ending.

A book that will immediately bring smiles to every reader, Charts for Babies is really a love letter to, yes, mathematical and scientific organization but also to sharing concepts, ideas, and humor that unite us all in a way that will have kids and adults excited for repeat reading. Older children will also enjoy the cleverness and cadence of this story and will eagerly chime in on read alouds or read it independently themselves. Charts for Babies is a must for any library or home collection and makes a wonderful gift.

Ages 2 – 5+

Harry N. Abrams, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419785184

About the Author

Michelle Rial is a graphic designer who makes charts. Named by Vulture as one of “9 of the Funniest Cartoonists and Illustrators on Instagram,” she is the author and illustrator of the books Am I Overthinking This? and Maybe This Will Help. Her work has been featured by The New Yorker, Oprah Daily, USA Today, Wired, and more. She lives in the redwoods of California with Lenny, Jude, and Einstein. You can visit her at michellerial.com. Follow her on Instagram.

Happiness Happens Month Activity

Happiness Is… Game

Happiness is all around you! Grab one or more friends to play this game that reveals what things make you happy. 

Similar to the “Geography” game, the first player names something that makes them happy. The second player must think of something that makes them happy and starts with the last letter of the word the previous player said. The game continues with each player continuing the pattern. To finish the game, set a time limit or have players drop out if they can’t think of a word. The last player left is the winner!

You can purchase Charts for Babies from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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