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There is something powerful about reading Making Happy with your child, a shared picture book experience that we think will remain in your memories for years and years to come. The book is about a little girl named Leila whose mother battles cancer. Leila struggles to understand or accept why her mother is so sick all the time. She doesn't understand why her mum has to wear wigs and is upset when she doesn't because of the way people look at her. Leila tries her best to 'make the sick go away.' One day when she eats dinner with dad, she spills her glass in anger and immediately regrets it. Her father then comforts her and then tells her that they will spend the rest of their day 'making happy.' The three of them then tear up newspapers, make a mess, and have a grand time, and they talk long into the night, huddled together as a family. Khoa Le's illustrations work magic here. The picture of Leila, her mom and her dad in bed spending time together will remain in our hearts for a lifetime. The book is based on the author Sheetal Sheth's own experience battling cancer as the parent of young kids. The book helps us find light in the darkest of moments. We read it together as a family and we sensed a connection so close and timeless that it felt as all-encompassing as the quilt that Leila and her classmates make for her mother.
