Written by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie. Illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin.
A delightful picture book for adults and children, 3 to 8.
Layla’s Happiness is an ode to joy.
Layla is seven years old. Her name means night beauty and she loves the night.
Layla brings back fond memories of being little and carefree: Skipping down a sidewalk on a sunny day; playing jump rope with friends in the schoolyard and forming secret clubs to discuss nonsense.
At seven, I knew that I loved words and I divided my name into different words. I loved the library and choosing from the many books on the shelves on weekly visits.
As a child, like Layla, one of my favorite things involved closing my eyes to wish on a bit of dandelion fluff. Then I’d toss that spiky fluff into the air and watch it dance on the wind to the place where wishes go.
Layla delights in simple things. She enjoys climbing a tree, eating spaghetti without a fork and lying indoors, under a tent, reading poetry with her Mum.
I used to keep a scrapbook with cartoon strips that made me smile and later, in life, I made a list of joy-filled moments. Not achievements but gifts of pure, unplanned happiness.
That’s Layla’s wisdom. She intuitively recognizes the simple gifts a day can bring.
Copyright © 2015-2022 Words by HB