I’m Glad That You’re Happy

I’m Glad That You’re Happy is a picture book by award-winning artist and illustrator Nahid Kazemi. It’s a story about two plants placed in the same rosy-coloured pot by a florist.

I was bigger and stronger, so he told me, “You have to take care of your little friend. It is smaller and weaker than you.”

One day a kind man buys the plants, and together they begin a new life in his beautiful home. They share in the joys and sorrows of their adopted family and, in turn, grow up themselves. But, when the pot can no longer hold both plants comfortably, the kind man is forced to make a difficult decision. And the smaller plant is placed in a new pot. The separation is hard for the bigger plant, but it’s the right move because now the smaller plant has all the space it needs to grow bigger and more beautiful.

You have your own pot — a bigger house — and you can breathe more easily. You have more leaves, and you’ve become greener too.

Kazemi’s prowess as an accomplished artist is abundantly clear with mixed media illustrations that feature a combination of pastels, coloured pencils and collage. Young readers will have fun trying to spot the cut and paste portions on each spread. They’ll also find the primarily green colour palette of each spread quite soothing.

I’m Glad That You’re Happy is a story of friendship, change and growth. Each is a universal theme that touches the lives of both the young and the old. Though the bond between the plants reads like that of siblings rather than parent-child, which is its intention, it still clearly shows that letting go allows both parties to grow, find happiness and dream bigger.