Aya and Papaya find Happiness is a heart-warming new book for young readers by MQ who shares a beautiful message about the true meaning of happiness. In the book, the sun rises and Aya knows it is time for her to wake up. But this morning something feels different – Aya has lost her happiness.
Aya and her best friend, Papaya search high and low. They look inside the wardrobe, under her bed, in the bathtub and even in the garden. But Aya’s happiness is nowhere to be found. Even though they have checked all her favorite places, Aya and Papaya simply cannot find her happiness. It is lost.
Lost, that is, until she looks inside and realizes it was within her all along.
What a delightful book! How can one not love Aya (and Papaya)? This simple and adorable book brings an important and profound life-lesson: that there’s no need to go looking for happiness everywhere–it is within us. The book sweetly describes how Aya thinks she has lost her happiness and how she discovers that she hasn’t lost it but had it right inside her, all the time. We hold the key to our happiness and this book brings home that point through a child. It also shows how there is magic in routine!
Aya is an exuberant little girl who wakes up one morning as usual, but finds that something feels different.
Grabbing her best friend, Papaya, she decides to find out what’s different. She has breakfast as usual. Her sister Lilo invites her to sing and brother Faz suggests football, but Aya doesn’t want to do either – because something feels different.
Everything seems as usual – sun shining, birds singing, flowers dancing in the wind. It is a lovely day but yet, Aya feels dull.
Then she looks in the mirror and realizes why things feel different.
She has lost her happiness!
The reason things felt different was because she wasn’t happy.
So she decides to go looking for her happiness.
Together with Papaya, Aya searches everywhere.
High on the shelf
Low on the floor
In all her favorite hiding places
In her wardrobe
Under her bed
In the bathtub
In the garden
But she can’t find it anywhere.
She starts to cry, wailing “where has my happiness gone?”
Aya’s parents are worried. Aya tells them about how she has been looking for her lost happiness.
The wise parents take her hand and gently ask her if she remembers when she last felt happy.
Aya recalls that she had been happy the day before.
So she goes back to her room, climbs into bed with Papaya, gazes up at the stars on her ceiling and tries to recall what made her happy yesterday.
Her day had begun much like today, except she had woken up with the sun, stretched, then bounced on her parents’ bed, enjoyed her breakfast, sang with her sister and played football with her brother. Then she had played in the garden.
As she recalls everything, she begins to smile, saying she knows where her happiness is!
She runs to the mirror and says, “My happiness is inside me. I didn’t lose it. I just forgot to wake it up”.
She realizes that she is the one who makes her own happiness.
And so, she rewinds, getting back into her pajamas and climbing back into bed, pretending to sleep. Then she pretends to wake up, stretch and start the day afresh!
She hops out of bed, bounces on her parents’ bed and shouts out all the things she is thankful for. She has a second breakfast and lists all the things that she would do – things that made her happy.
And so, from that day on, whenever Aya felt sad, she sat with Papaya and remember all the things that make her happy, because Aya now knew to look for happiness inside herself.
Did you enjoy the story?
Brilliant book for a child to read over and over–and for adults too!
What a delightful way to explain to a child that we don’t have to go chasing happiness – because we each have it in ourselves! Especially good for kids who have a tough time focusing on the positive and struggle with anxiety or negativity. The book highlights how it is okay to feel sad and grumpy and teaches how to comfort oneself.
Beautifully illustrated and a pleasure to read, this book is not just for kids, but also for adults who forget that they alone can control their happiness.
Buy the book (Amazon affiliate links)
Disclosure: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
22 comments
What a delightful little book and such lovely illustrations. Will look out for this book for gifting to kids. Thanks for your recommendation, Vidya!
Shilpa Garg #AtoZChallenge
Shilpa Garg recently posted…The Power of Aroma #AtoZChallenge
This is so cute
A for Alvin
What an adorable story! Loved it and the message it sends out to kids as well as adults who keep looking for happiness high and low, but seldom remember to look for it within themselves!
Aya is amazing! Thank you Shilpa! I loved your post, too!
The story is beautiful and so simple yet profound. Loved reading your review. Definitely a perfect book for kids.
Rachna Parmar recently posted…Avocado Paratha Recipe | Avocado Flatbread
Thank you Rachna! My little friends enjoyed the book very much!
Really good illustrations, Vidya! Did you scan them for this post?
Good message too, for kids and adults alike!
Kaddu recently posted…Acceptance Is The Key to Happiness ~ #MindfulMonday #atozchallenge @AprilA2Z
Hi Chicky, thanks! Yes. Such a treasure. There’s another book in the series, too! Happy AtoZing!
Thanks for introducing me this wonderful book. Will add it to my kids TBR for summer
You are welcome, Suhasini. How old are your kids?
what an interesting book with a profound message for both kids and adults. I feel the message should be aimed for the adults as in the daily grind , adult lose track of themselves and happiness. kids ‘s mood can change faster than the English weather. I am suggesting this book to my friend. she has 2 little nieces.
Kalpana Solsi recently posted…Arms : Parts of the body
A great story! I’ll have to get this one for my niece. Thanks for the recommendation 🙂
Ronel Janse van Vuuren recently posted…All the A’s #AtoZChallenge
Aww..this is such a cute little book. I’m surely going to get this fir my niece.Happy A to Z 🙂
I am sure she will love it, Shalini! Happy A to Z right back at you!
Awww aww awwwwwwwwwwwwww is all I can say!
Soumya recently posted…A: Amal Clooney #AToZChallenge
Delightful book with an important message !
Namratha recently posted…A for A.K.Ramanujan, my poem: Phantom, me – #AtoZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z
This is so cute <3 Keeps the child inside us alive.
I could see taking this book out of the library when I was a kid. A very good message
Birgit recently posted…Skipping Thursday Movie Picks-Have Nuttin!
So cute 🙂
This looks like a great book for kids. I’ll definitely keep it in mind for my two grandsons.
Thanks, Vidya! 🙂
This is such an important message for children to learn early. Love the illustrations too! 🙂
Debbie Hampton recently posted…8 Vitamins and Minerals that Can Ease Depression and Anxiety
What a sweet story! Made me smile. I loved it! Thank you, Vidya!