What does happiness mean to you? There are many ways to define it. Here is a story about a girl named Layla and all the things that make her happy: dark purple plums, the full moon, and night’s darkness. She has an overflowing love for her family, her friends, her neighbourhood, and nature. You will soak up Layla's healthy sense of self and positive energy she exudes when seeking out the good in life.
Historically children of colour have mostly been portrayed in certain types of books -- books showing the hardships of life for a person of colour. Of course these stories are incredibly important for society to learn from the past, however when a child rarely sees themselves depicted as carefree, confident and comfortable in their own skin, this impacts their self-worth.
Equally as creative as the poetic text, the bold, textured illustrations beautifully capture Layla's spirit. This story of flourishing within family and community is also shown through the pictures which are bubbly, loud and proud. The warm, energized colours run right off the page as if they could not be contained -- much like Layla’s vivaciousness.
Layla’s Happiness is the first book for both the author and illustrator, winning the 2020 Ezra Jack Keats Award for illustration and the 2020 Ezra Jack Keats Honor for writing. Ages 4-8.
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