The illustrations are beautiful and the writing has a nice rhythm that makes it pleasant and easy to read - even if it is a little dry. This book celebrates the myriad ways one can be smart--knowing the right thing to say, being welcoming to a shy friend, using your imagination, taking chances.

Learning your alphabet has never been so much fun as with this brilliantly funny book from a favourite author and illustrator Quentin Blake.This paired perfectly with a lesson on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, and the 8 different modalities (art, music, word, people, self, math, body, and nature). Our book today is All The Ways To Be Smart, written by Davina Bell and illustrated by Allison Colpoys, a delightful ode to different types of intelligence.

After reading it with my 2nd graders, they were able to discuss all the wonderful ways they are smart, none of which had to do with the traditional definition. She was a Senior Editor at Penguin Books Australia, where she worked with some of our country’s most beloved children’s book creators.Fortunately now, there are many wonderful picture books for children that center around the idea of multiple intelligences, and today I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite— All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys. While All the Ways to Be Smart would be an amazing addition for preschool and elementary classrooms, especially in this school climate where children worry at younger and younger ages about their performances in reading, writing, and math, the way Bell wrote this book makes it perfect to read one on one with a child you love at home as well. This book celebrates the myriad ways one can be smart ― knowing the right thing to say, being welcoming to a shy friend, using your imagination, taking chances. This collaboration between Davina Bell and Alison Colpoys is a celebration of what makes us us , of the strengths that we all have within ourselves – whether we’re dreamers, adventurers, readers or artists … The illustrations are whimsical and fun, with a beautiful colour palette. I enjoyed the book, but do agree with other reviews that some of the ways to be smart were a little dubious.

This heartwarming rhyming read will have your kids celebrating all of the things -- from being athletic to artistic and even empathetic or curious--that make them unique. stars for the illustrations but no stars for the text I'm afraid, reading lists can be really boring!

I remember feeling so frustrated as a child because I wanted there to be more than one meaning of ‘smart’. Being smart is more than just one thing; it’s not just being good at taking tests or doing math or getting good grades in school.