It was alright, not too cute as "guess how much I love you", but was okay. Perhaps adding more content might have given the writer an opportunity to get more emotive.

This book is so adorable. It feels like Dr. Seuss meets Puff the Magic Dragon. It teaches the child that everyone has strength even if they don't at first believe it. After a whirlwind adventure and a new dragon friend, all that's left is to say hi and see where it ends. Very very cute.

What a great book to help kids overcome their fears and shyness! It's done in a fun engaging manner with beautiful illustrations. Plus what kid doesn't love a good dragon story?!

Very adorable. SO cute. Loved the illustrations, they made the story. And the message of the book was nice. Great to read to kids.

A sweet little tale about a boy who uses fantasy as a way to give him the courage to make some friends at school. I mean if you can fly a dragon race, why can't you say hi to another kid? I do feel like this isn't a story that could easily be read over and over to a kid, boring both the parent and the child because it's just a little too straightforward both in its storytelling and its illustrations, but otherwise a lovely read.

This wasn't a great read aloud with my kids. It's a clunky story, heavy handed message that isn't very clear. This isn't the kind of book I want on my bookshelves. Thanks Netgalley and Mascot Books for a copy to review.

This book is absolutely adorable! It is sure to delight young audiences with it's fun illustrations and the message about overcoming shyness to go on adventures and make new friends is conveyed in a perfect way.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This rhyming picture book is about a young shy boy who is afraid to go to school because he doesn't want to have to meet new people. The advise from his parents to just smile and say hi is not something he finds useful until during some adventures with dragons the night before school he gives the same advise to a small frightened dragon. Helping the little dragon gives the boy the courage to face school and meeting new people.

The rhyming and the dragons are appealing to young readers. But for very young toddlers the dragon adventures go a little longer than their patience may last. I would recommend this for age 4 and up.

4 1/2 stars

Smile and Say Hi is a brand new release from Mary Jo Hazard featuring a little boy who is painfully shy. His parents encourage him to go to school and “smile and say hi” to his peers but this seems to be a daunting task. Alone in his bedroom, our hero imagines befriending a dragon who helps him fly though the air and gain confidence. The dragon follows him to school the next day, nudging him to continue being courageous when with his peers.

This precious book is set to rhyme and full of colorful dragons. I believe this book would be a spectacular book to use within a session focused on bravery and using one’s voice. Paired with a dragon craft, there are many possibilities for memorable role plays, skill rehearsals, and positive self talk strategies! Wouldn’t it be fun to follow the book and interventions with a “dragon stone” craft for the client to keep in their pocket to help them remember to be brave when making friends or using their voice!?

I appreciate that the boy doesn’t overcome https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsNPNwATTz/?utm_medium=copy_link all of his anxieties or suddenly find it easy to communicate with peers, but instead, finds the courage to simply “smile and say hi.” This is a great first step!

I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ecopy in exchange for an honest review. The words and opinions are my own

I have read this author's previous book P is for Palos Verdes and I can tell you this is just as good. Great story and illustration. Highly recommend.

Smile and Say Hi was a fun book with highly engaging pictures and an important social emotional premise. The rhyme scheme made it a pleasure to read. I loved the early pictures of Mike’s bedroom—so cool!

I just wish there was more of a transition between the initial storyline and the introductions of the dragons to make it feel more cohesive.

Still, I think young readers will definitely enjoy it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Mascot Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is such a wonderful read for those that don't feel comfortable. Sometimes it is hard to be around people. Sometimes you are not able to speak because you are too nervous and then you feel alone. This book shares the story of a boy who finally is able to "Smile and Say Hi" to someone outside his comfort zone.

This was a great story about a boy who is too shy to make friends at school until a dragon helps him find his courage. It was very sweet and would make a great gift for any shy school-aged child.

A book filled with dragons and a child who was shy and wanted to make friends so with a bit of bravery he managed to overcome his fear and just say Hi. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The illustrations in this children’s book are stunning! It’s a simple message, but important for young readers. This would make a great gift for kiddos who are nervous about new experiences.

Review to come August 3rd.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I am shy myself so when I saw this book on Netgalley I knew I had to give it a shot. Also, dragons. I just cannot resist a book with dragons!

In this book we meet Mike, a boy who loves dragons, knights, and adventure.. but making friends.. not so much. Mike is supershy and I recognised a lot of me in him. I was curious how this book would go, which direction.

There is a ton of imagination in this book with dragons who help out this shy boy by doing a fun competition that brings him over his hometown including his school. I really loved seeing the dragons help out, though I also feel like, given how scared he constantly was, how he kept hiding, that it was a bit fast how he just went up to someone in the end. I am mostly speaking from my own experience here, but I don't think my imagination would have turned me 180 degrees to go for it. It may have helped a bit, but not instantly POOF I can do it. It would have taken many travels with my imagination and many more dragon adventures before I could go to someone.

I do agree with some other reviewers as to how the parents acted. That definitely wouldn't have helped me either and just would have made things worse as I would feel like I am overreacting. Mom is like: "Smile and say hi" and dad is like: "I know you're shy. But tomorrow in school, Mike, please give this a try. Just smile and say 'hi'. There's no reason to run. You'll make many friends. You'll have lots of fun." Really, dad and mom, if it was that easy I wouldn't have problem. I would have definitely gone another route if I had a child who was afraid/shy.

The art was definitely a lot of fun, the style was just so great and I love how the dragons were drawn (oh and I love that little dragon that Mike plays with in one of the illustrations and that turned out to be the big dragon in his imagination).

The book is also in rhyme and I loved that. It made the book a bit more playful, it is still about a serious subject, but made it, for me at least, a bit less OMG serious. I hope that makes sense. Haha, in my head it does. Maybe in Dutch it would work better. XD

All in all, despite some issues I had (the sudden turn, the parents) I still had fun reading this one and I would give it 3 stars.

Very cute children’s book for the shy little one in your life. I loved the bright drawings. I’d buy it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.

This one is so freaking cute!

The story is about a small boy who's quite shy when he meets strangers.

But he tries his best and in the end he gets enough courage to be with kids his age at his new school. And yes, the dragon in his imagination helped!

I just love the illustrations.

The story is a good representation of kids who are shy (damn relatable).

Thank you, author/artist and the publisher, for the advance reading copy.

Michael Joe Bob is remarkably shy. But can an encounter with a dragon encourage him to Smile and Say Hi? An adventure awaits him if he takes a gamble, and children can learn from his brave example.

My son is very into dragons right now and this was just a lovely book to look at and to read. We appreciated the topic, getting beyond shyness, without being too over bearing on the person experiencing it!