Thank you for considering my picture book biography, SMILE! THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO CREATED THE SMILEY FACE, for your contest.

Harvey Ross Ball was just doing his job when, in 1963, he put two black dots and a radiant grin on a yellow circle to cheer up a company’s workers. His design became a global symbol of happiness and could have made him millions, but instead, Harvey was grateful for making the world a brighter place. SMILE! THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO CREATED THE SMILEY FACE is a picture book biography for ages 4-8 about the power of creativity and the thing money can’t buy—happiness.

With a Master’s degree in children’s writing from Emerson College, I was a finalist in Pitch Wars 2016. I also received a Brant Point Literary Prize for one of my picture books, and am a member of SCBWI. In addition to SMILE! THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO CREATED THE SMILEY FACE, I have written four other picture book manuscripts and three middle grade novels.

Thank you for your consideration.

Long before emojis winked and wore sunglasses, someone created the image that started it all—the original Smiley Face.

That someone was Harvey Ross Ball.

Growing up, Harvey filled his world with drawings and paintings. He used pens, pastels, brushes.

Anything Harvey touched turned to art.

When something bothered him, he drew.