The Beautiful Layers of Me

By Sophia Payne

A young girl gains the confidence to participate in her family's tradition--and be fully herself--in a vibrant ode to difference and love from a new voice in picture books.

Ameena can't wait for her auntie's Nikah. She's never been to a wedding, and today there is one in her own garden After putting on the salwar kameez that Babu gave her, with its soft layers of floaty fabric, she feels like a princess, skipping down the garden path. "Oh wow " comes a friendly voice over the fence. "I wish I had pajamas like that " Suddenly Ameena, her cheeks hot, starts to wonder: should she wear something else? In a gentle text capturing all the nuances of a first cultural experience, Sophia Payne follows a child's passage from self-doubt to worry to pride, while Ruchi Mhasane's expressive illustrations render the wedding garb in glowing colors and patterns that will have young readers wanting to join in the celebration.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1536242896
• ISBN13: 9781536242898
• Release Date: June 2025
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2