Just to See You Smile
Written by Dolly Venables & Illustrated by Stephen Riggins
Mark your calendars! Just to See You Smile arrives March 25th, 2026.
Filled with playful tongue twisters and laugh-out-loud moments, this book is designed to be read aloud. There’s no limit to what this playful mom will do to hear her daughter’s sweet laughter and see the sparkle of excitement in her big brown eyes.
Whether it’s going bumpety, bumpety bump on a camel with just one hump or dancing with a bear wearing pink polka-dotted underwear, each wacky adventure ends with the refrain “Just to see you smile,” inviting young readers to join in and anticipate every silly surprise.
This wonderfully whimsical story is an invitation to slow down, laugh together, and build joyful memories through shared reading. Perfect for families, classrooms, libraries, and anyone who believes a little silliness goes a long way.
A Special Mother-Daughter Bond
Best selling author and illustrator duo Dolly Venables and Stephen Riggins have come together once more for their third book, Just to See You Smile. Following This Thing Called Kindergarten and Pester Lester the Mischievous Moose, this joyful story was inspired by Venables’ own efforts to make her daughter Chelsea laugh as a child.
Just to See You Smile celebrates the lengths a loving mom will go just to see her baby girl smile.
Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, Librarians, and Teachers:
Just to see YOU smile, we have FREE coloring pages straight from the book. This is a fun activity while you wait for Dolly’s new book and the illustrations are sure to make smile!
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Free Gift
Have you met the cast of characters from other books written by Dolly Venables & illustrated by Stephen Riggins?
Pester Lester the Mischievous Moose
Meet Margaret, Brennie Lou, Robert, Samantha, Ms. Lucy, Pester Lester, Mama, and Murphy Moose
This Thing Called Kindergarten
Meet Annie, Mama, Mrs. Swisher, Debbie from the school office, and Annie’s friend Betsy
The Author
Dolly Venables became a children’s author to celebrate important life lessons and special connections with loved ones that have brought laughter, imagination, and magic to her life.
Raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota, she now lives in Huron with her husband, Gary. When she’s not writing, Dolly is active in her church community and enjoys art, photography, birding, and traveling with family and friends.
The Illustrator
Stephen Riggins brings a dynamic creative background to his illustrations, shaped by years in global development, graphic design, and experiential marketing.
He now draws and creates things on his family farm in the American Midwest, where big ideas and playful characters roam in his head long before they appear on the page.
More of his work can be found at www.ideafarmstudios.com
Contact us
Interested in having Dolly Venables read to your class or at a speaking event?
Please provide details and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you.
What Readers Are Saying
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“This book is so FUN! Reading it with my grandchildren will make us smile, giggle, and want to read it again and again. Thank you for writing and illustrating a book that will be passed down for generations. It is the cutest book - Bravo!” - LE
“Just to See You Smile is a cleverly written story filled with lots of funny rhymes. I enjoyed the pictures depicting the lengths a mom will go to for her child. This book will be perfect as an Easter gift for my three granddaughters!” - LS
“How fun is this book! The illustrations are so adorable and the adventures are playful and mischievous. Makes me want to try a few! I can’t wait to share it with my niece, she’ll love to sing along. Just to See You Smile is perfect for anyone that needs sunshine in their day!” - SL
“I just finished reading Dolly’s third book, Just to See You Smile. Each of her books tells an amazing story, and they keep getting better and better.
I am an eighty-eight year old great-grandmother and I truly loved reading this book. It reminded me of the joy I felt raising my daughter and three sons, and of all the silly, playful, and imaginative things we did just to see their smiles and hear their giggles.
When is a good time to buy this book? Whenever you want to see your special someone smile and hear their laughter.
Just to See You Smile is a wonderful book for day-cares and a perfect bedtime story to share with someone you love. They’ll fall asleep with a smile on their face and kindness in their heart.” - MT
“As a mom of two girls, Just to See You Smile by Dolly Venables truly touched my heart. The book beautifully captures the deep love a mother has for her children and how much they mean to her. It reflects all the little and big things we do as parents to help our children grow up with happy memories and a joyful childhood.
The illustrations are fun, cheerful, and full of personality. The soft pastel colors create a warm, comforting feeling that makes the story even more enjoyable. The silly and adventurous imagination of the author shines through the playful pictures, making you smile and even laugh along the way.
The story also includes rhyming words, which make it fun and engaging for young readers. The rhythm of the text adds to the lighthearted and loving tone of the book.
This book would be a wonderful pick-me-up for a child who is feeling sad, but it is also perfect for any occasion. It’s a sweet way for a mother to express just how much she loves her child and how far she would go just to see them smile.
Super fun, cute book!” - AS
“I just read Just to See You Smile to my little granddaughters, and they could not stop giggling! They loved the silly rhymes and the cute illustrations – so colorful and fun! This is a book we’ll go back to again and again. It would be a great Mother’s Day gift for moms to share with their children.” - TP
“Just to See You Smile by Dolly Venables is such a cute and heartwarming book. The rhymes and silly adventures with animals perfectly capture the joy of a mom who will do anything just to see her baby girl smile. The story is full of sweetness, laughter, and love, and the rhyming makes it especially fun to read out loud! It truly reminds me how magical those little moments with young children can be. Reading it made me wish my kids were still small so I could share this sweet story with them and see their smiles too. Great book and great author!” - AB
DEDICATION
Dolly lovingly dedicates her third book Just to See You Smile to her daughter Chelsea:
“From a sweet, funny, giggly little girl to a beautiful and accomplished young woman, you have filled my life with endless love and joy.
My wish is that you cherish this book as much as I cherish you.
Now that you are a parent yourself, you understand the lengths we’ll go to just to see our little angels smile — no matter how silly we may look doing it!
Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing our children truly happy and fulfilled.
I sincerely hope this work brings a smile to your face and fills your heart with laughter.”
