A Black child in a yellow dress with binoculars around her neck hangs playfully from the branch of a tree.
Article Type Story Board Behind the Scenes Categories Books

Bookseller Spotlight: Layla's Happiness

Eliza Brown
The Carle’s Bookstore Manager shares her love for a new favorite picture book.
A Black child in a yellow dress is blowing on a dandelion with eyes closed.
When Layla’s Happiness first came across my desk at The Carle Bookshop, I immediately fell in love. The exuberant illustrations by Ashleigh Corrin with the pops of yellow throughout, capture the joy, the warmth, the love that emanates from this book. Mariahadessa Ekere’s text is simple, poetic and perfect. I remember reading this book out loud to my staff, slowly listing seven-year-old Layla’s favorite things with each turn of the page, noticing out of the corner of my eye, the nodding happening among us. Yes. We get it. We love those things too.
Illustration from Layla's Happiness shows a girl wearing a yellow draess and purple cape and purple mask like a superhero.
I think happiness is climbing a tree or wearing purple or eating spaghetti without a fork.
Mariahadessa Ekere
We learn so much about Layla solely from what she loves. We see her favorite times with her parents, friends and neighborhood, as well as her healthy sense of pride and self-awareness. Layla’s refreshingly positive focus on the good in life make her a positive model for all readers. The repeating moments of bright spots of yellow act as punctuation in both the illustrations and text. See me! Feel me! These are moments of joy.
Illustration shows a girl picking up a sand dollar off the beach with the text  "And when the sea reaches into her pocket to give me a sand dollar."
A celebration of community, but also individualism, what Layla loves and what makes her happy is so specific to her and her family’s experience. In uncertain or challenging times, books like Layla’s Happiness are bright spots of inspiration. They carry us through and remind us of the gifts we have. The gifts of people in our lives or small moments in nature or even a favorite color.
Illustration from Layla's Happiness shows two hands holding a pink heart with the text "That's what I think. Do You think so too? What is happiness to you?"

There are so many ways for us to define happiness. What is happiness to you?

Authors

Photograph of Carle Bookshop Manger Eliza Brown standing behind cash register and smiling.

Eliza Brown

Eliza Brown is the manager of The Carle Bookshop since 2012, a lifelong reader, and a children’s bookseller for over 15 years. Eliza has a Masters from Simmons University in children’s literature and is dedicated to connecting readers and art lovers with books they will love.