This was such a cute and cozy graphic novel that is perfect for younger readers dealing with difficult emotions or changes in their homelife. I loved the drawings and overall storyline of this book.

This is a fun, cute easy read.
Really easy to get through and was a nice break from what I usually pick up. So wholesome and adorable!!!
If you're looking for a nice middle grade graphic novel that pulls at your heartstrings then I highly recommend picking this one up.

Review to come January 2024 on blog/goodreads/other places.

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

<!--more-->

Meet a girl named Darcy, she has just moved and IS NOT AMUSED by it. When her mom tells her to go exploring she encounters a quaint little shop that apparently sells feelings. Yes, feelings. When something happens she has to work there and that is the start of a really fun story! With magic. Acceptance. Feelings. Family. And more. And I can say that I enjoyed it all!

Meet Darcy, a girl who has moved to a whole new town, a whole new place, and she is not amused with it all. She misses her friends. Her mom is also not always very happy and we see that affecting her. But then she discovers a shop of feelings. And she gets curious. And as the story continues we see her get quite invested in this shop. About what it does. About how it works. About the people who come to visit and the people who search for feelings. I really loved seeing Darcy change and find her place. And I loved seeing her work hard at the store. Think of new ideas + more.

The store? I would definitely love to visit it. It sounds like such a wonderful place and I could use some happy feelings at times. They got quite a few different ones (like eating that first bite of ice cream or a puppy falling asleep on your lap (which my dear Coco is currently doing)) and I am curious if I would find the one perfect for me!

Flora was just so sweet and wonderful and I loved how she took Darcy under her wings. Talked to her. Told her to always come to her when she needed. Allowed Darcy to bring in ideas and taught Darcy how to do the whole feelings in a jar thing. She was just like a grandma. Cosy, warm, hospitable. I loved seeing Darcy and her getting closer and closer.

But the reason why I wouldn't rate this 4.5 or 5 stars if Frida. She was a horrible character. She does get a bit better by the end, but for most she is a grumpy old bitch. It was due to YOU that she smashed those bottles. She is just curious no need to be a rotten old hag about it. She is trying, no need to put her down. And there are more instances that I just wanted to stop reading because of Frida. Later on something big happens and seriously, that was just uncalled for.

The art was really pretty. I loved the way the characters were drawn. But the town they live in? Boy, I just wanted to step in the book and pop by some stores. Walk through the streets. Love it!

All in all, a beautiful book about finding a place to belong, about feelings, about magic, and more! I would recommend it.

The Happy Shop

I was a little skeptical due to the art style not being something I usually am a fan of. But the story honestly made me like the art style by the end. The story’s concept is so cute and heartwarming.

They collect happy feelings in jars and sell them, but their store isn’t doing great. Darcy comes in an accidently breaks a jar, so she has to somehow pay for it. They two sisters that own the shop come up with the idea to have her work after school to pay it off. In this time Darcy learns about the feelings and how to collect feelings. They come up with a plan to collect not just happy feelings to help the store. I think this might be a series and I am very excited to read the next book.

This book is very cute and gives such a warming feeling that made me very happy by the end of the book. I was lowkey in a not great mood but it is a well written pick me up.

I will definitely be adding to our class library. This was such a sweet and short graphic novel. I really enjoyed the illustrations. This will be a hit with my middle grade students.

What's happiness? Would you by shots of happiness? This place's made for it !

This book is really cute and peacefull. Happiness is not always what you think it is, maybe it's right in front of you and you're not looking at it correctly to see it. You probably have everithing you need to be happy you just not see it. Maybe that's enough.

The Happy Shop was a short and cute read, perfect for when you’re in the mood for something wholesome.

Eleven-year-old Darcy thinks she’s found the answer to her problems when she discovers a store selling happy feelings. But is happiness really the only emotion people need?

This is a heart-warming middle-grade graphic novel that is so important. It's easy to teach kids to hide their "bad" emotions but so important to show them that all emotions are valid and deserve to be processed in a safe environment. An important read that every parent should have in their arsenal.

such a cute little read!

some days a little jar of happiness sounds like the most perfect thing.

It's a cute and such a wholesome story, the art is really cute!

Thank you Netgalley, Brittany Long Olsen and Oni Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Happy Shop is a really wholesome read. I thought it was a nice light read that was perfect for a cozy afternoon.

I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the ideas presented in this book. I think this would lead to some great discussions. I will be adding it to our library.

This book had me crying my eyes out. It made me feel all the feels. I love it so much!! The idea of catching emotions in jars is really sweet and the whole story is just so heartwarming. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Loved the story of this book. It was very endearing and had a wholesome message. I thought the artwork perfectly matched the story. Very nice read.

This would be a wonderful read a loud book for a classroom, or just have in your home library. It's all about feelings! If you have someone who struggles with their feelings, then this book would be great for them. The illustrations are wonderful.

This graphic novel is the perfect uplift to someone's day. It does a phenomenal job showing both kids and adults how important it is to remember the little things in life that make you happy!

The Happy Shop follows Darcy, an 11-year-old girl who has moved to a new country and is struggling to adjust. While exploring her new neighbourhood, she comes into a shop named the Happy Shop. After inadvertently shattering a bottle, she is invited to work at the shop to repay them.
This is a blessing in disguise, as she begins to like her work at the shop, with the two elderly ladies who operate it, who appear to have their own troubles.
Exploring the world is a delight, and it deals with many difficult problems that the main characters face, such as feeling alone, loss, and yet, despite the hardship, you leave the book feeling happier.
It is appropriate for both younger and older readers, and it is a terrific approach to learn how to adjust to something new.

4 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital arc of this.

The Happy Shop was a really short and sweet graphic novel about a shop that sells happy memories, and a young girl's idea to revitalize the store before it closes. I really liked the emotional component of this book!

When Darcy discovers a story that sells the feelings of captured moments, she thinks she has found the most wonderful place in the world. After breaking one of these jarred moments though, she ends up working around the shop and learning about what it takes to capture these moments, what they can mean to people, and how they can help, even if only temporarily.
.
The story is sweet and wholesome, and I think does an excellent job of describing how to enjoy the brief moments of joy in our lives - because their temporary nature makes them all the more special.

My only hesitation about this graphic novel is that the main character is brown and from what I can tell the author is white. For the most part, the character’s ethnicity doesn’t affect the story, except it does appear in the form of their meal times and Darcy’s mother mentioning how she is having trouble getting the ingredients she is familiar with to make proper curry. I am white, so I have no idea if this representation is done well, and that will be the call of own voice reviewers and readers. I can only point it out.

*I received an eARC from Oni Press & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

This was a very enjoyable children's graphic novel. The themes explored include how good and bad feelings can both be important in our lives and how hard it can be to be in a new and different place away from all that is familiar. I enjoyed both the story and the illustrations, and I think that the theme of bad feelings being important as they can help us appreciate the good more, and also help us learn, is one that is important for everyone, and especially kids. I think kids will enjoy this book and learn a little too.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was the most adorable and dually heart-breaking and heart-warming middle grade graphic novel and the most perfect way to start off a month of reading.

Eleven-year-old Darcy isn't too happy to have moved away from her friends, her school, and her home but her woes pale when confronted with her mother's. Determined to save her mother any more worries, and to distract herself from her new and lonely existence, she takes on a part-time job at The Happy Shop. This is a place where jars line every wall and, for a small price, customers can take home the different happy feelings and memories that reside inside of them.

This had such a beautiful message for younger readers and I think most who are suffering with feelings of displacement will find some of their troubles alleviated here. I had much fun reading it and fell in love with the entire cast of characters the moment they were introduced. Both this, the whimsical storyline, and the magical focus were a joy to read about and I really hope we get more adventures, in the future. There is much scope for new creations with this author's inventions here.