You Can Say Hi With Only a Smile

• Child Mind Institute Best Kids’ Books About Mental Health

Can a smile say just as much as words? Absolutely—and it might be someone's favorite way to say hello.

You Can Say Hi with Only a Smile is a warm and inclusive picture book that celebrates all the different ways people communicate. Whether it's speaking, signing, waving, using a device, or simply smiling, every style is valid and beautiful. This gentle story helps children understand that communication looks different for everyone—and that's perfectly okay.

• encourages kids to embrace different communication styles with empathy and confidence.
• supports social-emotional learning and neurodiversity awareness
• perfect for ages 4-8—great for classrooms, therapists, and family reading
• created by Magination Press, the children's imprint of the APA—trusted experts in children's emotional development

Merriam Sarcia Saunders, LMFT, is a licensed family therapist and child custody mediator specializing in helping neurodivergent families and children, specifically with ADHD, Autism, anxiety, and learning disorders. She is the author of My Whirling Twirling Motor and My Wandering Dreaming Mind. She lives in Northern California. Visit her onlineopens in new window and on Facebookopens in new window and Instagramopens in new window.

Tracy Nishimura Bishop is a full-time illustrator with a passion for children’s books. She has a degree in graphic design with a focus on animation and illustration. She lives in California. Visit her website.opens in new window

Watch the author read You Can Say Hi With Only a Smileopens in new window. Interested in this book? Purchase a copy to continue (or start) the conversation with the children in your life.