When Zaytoon wakes up feeling sad, she goes on a search to find her smile. From the kitchen to the garden, Zaytoon searches high and low to eventually discover her smile - it's smiling at her from her reflection in the window!
The Lost Smile is a beautifully illustrated and colourful picture book demonstrating the importance of accepting our emotions. Zaytoon's journey shows children that it's okay to be sad and reassures young readers that sadness can be temporary. Themes include cultural diversity, emotional intelligence, family life and the importance of connecting with nature and animals.
About the Author
N L King was born in Dublin, Ireland and now calls Australia home. Nadia believes in the power of stories. She believes that stories can change the world for the better. When she was a little girl, Nadia rode an ostrich. When she was older, she rode a camel. One day she hopes to ride an elephant! The Lost Smile is Nadia's third book. Nadia also writes short stories for adults and is currently a postgraduate student in English and Creative Writing.
About the Illustrator
Nelli Aghekyan is an illustrator and a visual story-teller from Yerevan, Armenia. After completing her Masters in Architecture, she followed her dreams and focused on her drawing skills. Since getting her first digital tablet, she's been drawing nonstop. She believes that being a children's book illustrator is really fun and challenging at the same time. Being able to put your vision into a book and be a part of someone's childhood is really inspiring and motivating.
Industry Reviews
The Lost Smile is a charming picture book about a young girl Zaytoon learning to deal with feeling sad and blue. On first read, this story reminds me of Jedda Robaard's Little Creatures series. Robaard's series also touches on themes of identity but in this picture book for older readers, author Nadia King explores these issues with more nuance. The story has a gentle message - everyone feels sad sometimes, Zaytoon's ability to overcome her sadness is inside her as she turns to her family and her home for comfort.;The words are made richer by the gorgeous illustrations of artist Nelli Aghekyan. I liked the stylised character designs of Zaytoon's family, especially Dadi who looks like she belongs in a hand drawn animated film. The environment is filled with textural detail which you generally don't find in younger picture books.;This is an ideal picture book to snuggle up to with your kids (or if you're like me, just to enjoy on your own!); Marianna Shek, Writer, Reader, Ideal eater at www.rockonkitty.com.au; "A deeply important story for all children. The Lost Smile provides the perfect platform to explore the reality of emotions, build self-awareness, foster self-care and human connection."; -Sonia Bestulic, Author, Founder of Talking Heads Speech Pathology, Podcaster of Chatabout Children with Sonia Bestulic
