{"product_id":"the-beautiful-layers-of-me-9781536242898","title":"The Beautiful Layers of Me","description":"\u003cb\u003eA 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.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAmeena 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSophia Payne\u003c\/b\u003e writes picture books and young fiction and tries to stay away from broken computers. Her writing often reflects her Indo-Caribbean heritage as well as her motto in life: always be kind. She is also the author of \u003ci\u003eFaruq and the Wiri Wiri\u003c\/i\u003e, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. Half Guyanese and half British, Sophia Payne was raised in the UK and now lives in Germany with her husband and two children. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eRuchi Mhasane \u003c\/b\u003eis also the illustrator of \u003ci\u003eDadaji's Paintbrush\u003c\/i\u003e by Rashmi Sirdeshpande. She studied at the Cambridge School of Art and works mainly in pencil and watercolor. Ruchi Mhasane lives in India.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Candlewick Press (MA)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51384559599890,"sku":"9781536242898","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9ade55a9-b3d7-4081-b82b-c9f3a5542c2c.jpg?v=1750178529","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-beautiful-layers-of-me-9781536242898","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}