The Happiness Box
Illustrator: Andrew McLean
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 2018
Genre: Children's
A beautiful tale about the power of words, The Happiness Box is the inspirational true story of a book that survived the ravages of WWII to become a National Treasure. Mark Greenwood’s sparse, eloquent text is accompanied by detailed pen and watercolour images from Andrew McLean outlining the treatment of the prisoners of war and their determination to improve the lives of the children interned in Changi prison in Singapore. It is a story of courage and hope versus adversity. After the plethora of books published for the centenary of the First World War, this uplifting tale is a welcome change. Biographical information about the original author and illustrator (Sir David Griffin CBE and Captain (Herbert) Leslie Greener) plus a list of sources will be much appreciated by history teachers and this book will be a useful addition to school and public libraries.