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Seven-year-old Layla loves life! So she keeps a happiness book. What is happiness for her? For you?
About the author
Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie was born in Queens, NY. Tallie has performed poetry & taught in the US, Namibia, The Netherlands, Belgium, & England. She has also authored several collections of poetry and is the mother of three galaxies who look like daughters.
Ashleigh Corrin is a graphic designer by day, illustrator by night, residing in Northern VA with her husband. Her talent comes from her late Grandmother who has inspired Ashleigh to serve people's unique stories with creativity. With her illustrations, Ashleigh hopes to contribute to good laughs, nostalgia, vulnerability, transparency, and seeing the light in ourselves and others.
Summary
★ 2020 Ezra Jack Keats Award Winner for Illustration
★ 2020 Ezra Jack Keats Honor for Writing
★ A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of 2020
"Affirmations of black childhood abound, and whimsical wishes float like dandelion fluff. Equally as imaginative as the lyrical text, Corrin’s boldly colored, textured illustrations beautifully capture the buoyant spirit of Layla, a brown girl exuding confidence, comfortable in her own skin—indoors and out. Well-illustrated poetry of the best kind that will leave sunshine in its wake." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus
Seven-year-old Layla loves life! So she keeps a happiness book. What is happiness for her? For you?
Spirited and observant, Layla is a child who’s been given room to grow, making happiness both thoughtful and intimate. It’s her dad talking about growing-up in South Carolina; her mom reading poetry; her best friend Juan, the community garden, and so much more. Written by poet Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin, this is a story of flourishing within family and community.
Additional text
“When you’re sadder than an Adele song, read Layla’s Happiness. Leave it to a seven year-old to teach you more about happiness than a Positive Psychology expert. Our protagonist, Layla, is all Good Vibes as she bestows the reader with the eyes of a precocious child, seeing the world with delight and wonder, emphasizing a love of family, friends, and nature. The full moon is one of Layla’s favorite things because ‘it sits in the sky like a wish flower’s sister.’ This incredibly swoony book teaches you to relook at your surroundings and appreciate life’s simple pleasures, ie. eating spaghetti sans fork.” —JM Farkas, LitHub
