Parents' Guide to We Are All So Good at Smiling

Book Amber McBride Contemporary Fiction 2023
We Are All So Good at Smiling cover image -- black teenage girl eyes, closed surrounded by flowers and butterflies.

Common Sense Media Review

Mandie Caroll By Mandie Caroll , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Stunning fairy tale in verse tackles mental illness.

Parents Need to Know

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

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What's the Story?

In WE ARE ALL SO GOOD AT SMILING, Whimsy, a Hoodoo conjurer and Faerry, a Fae witch, meet while hospitalized for depression. Then, Faerry's family moves in across the street and he enrolls at Whimsy's high school. With their magic pulling them together, they realize that their pasts, and the forest at the end of their street, are all somehow connected. The two set out to unravel the truth of their shared trauma at the heart of the woods, traveling through well-known and lesser-known fairy tales as they find a way out of their sorrow. The end pages include resources for help with mental illness, a detailed author's note, and a playlist of songs.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This powerful novel in verse enchants at every turn. Even when hope is nearly lost and the characters' pain is raw, McBride's verse in We Are All So Good at Smiling is lovely and compelling. The author artfully balances the intensity of severe depression with a clear will to live and heal. McBride's use of fairy tales to explore Black identity, trauma, and depression is so effective, it will be hard to see fairy tales as the simple, wish-fulfillment fantasies we so routinely dismiss. Readers will come away with an appreciation for fairy tales as a way to resist social inequality and as a source of inspiration for healing and joy. Teens who've struggled with depression will find solace and hope in this book, but this a great pick for any reader in search of a tale they won't soon forget.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the mental health challenges Whimsy and Faerry face in We Are All So Good at Smiling. What symptoms of depression do they experience? What strategies do Whimsy and Faerry use to try to manage their depression? When you're feeling down, what do you do to feel better?

  • The author draws from fairy tales to tell this story. Which fairy tales stood out to you? Why? Was this an effective way to explore mental illness? Why or why not?

  • The main characters are Black. How did their experiences as Black kids relate to their trauma and depression? How did it relate to their healing and recovery?

Book Details

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We Are All So Good at Smiling cover image -- black teenage girl eyes, closed surrounded by flowers and butterflies.

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