Ready to Smile Again

When the trauma of being uprooted from home causes a grieving chipmunk to stash his remaining possessions inside his cheeks, he soon realizes that holding on to too much for too long might result in losing what matters most.

When Dexter the chipmunk’s home is destroyed and his belongings scattered, he comes up with the perfect plan - stuff his most treasured possessions into his cheeks for safe-keeping. But his plan has one major flaw. Dexter can’t smile anymore . . . not with all the stuff in his mouth. He can’t thank any of his friends for their gifts, their help or their kindness either. One day, Dexter can’t take it anymore, and he finally tries to talk, with hilarious - but possibly disastrous - results.

Combining humor, charming illustrations, and SEL themes of grieving, overcoming loss and helping others, Katie Lee Reinert and Sara Aziz craft a timeless story about value, significance, and what is truly worth holding onto. It will be a welcome addition to library and classroom shelves, in counseling offices, and as a gentle story time read at home.

Katie Lee Reinert lives outside of Portland, Oregon with her husband and two daughters where she loves exploring new hiking trails in the summer and trying to stay dry in the winter. When she isn’t curled up with her dog and a good book or checking out the local farmer’s market, she likes to write stories for children about the magic of imagination, hoping to inspire and make them laugh.Sara Aziz is a Pakistani-Canadian Illustrator who loves capturing emotions in her work;especially the naive, unadulterated glee that children exude. Having lived in Pakistan, UK and now North America, Sara brings a soft, multicultural approach to her illustrations. She has worked on a number of books and her debut writer-illustrator book ’Laam se Limopani’ was published by Ferozsons Publishers in Pakistan. Currently, Sara lives in Ontario with her husband and two children where they can usually be found curled up with books and tea in their little backyard nook. Follow her on Instagram at https: //www.instagram.com/sara.aziz.limopani/.