Amma's Sari: A Picture Book

by Sandhya Parappukkaran, Michelle Pereira (Illustrator)

Overview

From author Sandhya Parappukkaran and illustrator Michelle Pereira—the creators of The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name—comes Amma’s Sari, a tender and endearing picture book about family history, culture, and enduring love

My sari is a memory of love.

Shreya admires her mother’s saris, whose silky swirls embrace her every morning. But her spirits plummet at the stares and whispers that the sari attracts. When Sherya asks her mother why she wears a sari, Amma answers the question with family stories brimming with generations of love.

In this gentle and empowering picture book with vibrant full-color art, Shreya moves from embarrassment to pride as she learns that Amma’s sari is much more than a beautiful piece of clothing. It is also a connection to their shared past and the love and care woven into their family history and heritage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419767685
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sandhya Parappukkaran is the author of books like The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name. She left her job as a food technologist so she could put her feet up and read. Then she rediscovered her passion for children’s books. Her stories are inspired by her multicultural experience and include scrumptious food from her South Indian heritage. She resides in Brisbane with her family. Michelle Pereira, who is the illustrator of The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name, spent her childhood in Nairobi, Kenya, and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from Monash University with a bachelor’s degree in communication design. She has worked with a range of clients such as Penguin UK, Netflix, the New York Times, and Marie Claire.

Editorial Reviews

"A tender, lovingly rendered tribute to the joys and complexities of the parent-child bond."—Kirkus

From the Publisher

"A tender, lovingly rendered tribute to the joys and complexities of the parent-child bond."

Kirkus

2024-01-20
A child of South Asian descent has conflicting feelings about a parent’s sari.

Every morning, the young narrator delights in the “rustle” of Amma’s sari. Although at home, Amma’s sari seems like “a magic carpet,” out in the world, it feels like a liability. Strangers stare with confusion or curiosity at Amma’s outfit, and the protagonist, unnerved, asks if Amma would ever consider wearing something different. Amma responds by relating a series of memories: loving aunts clad in colorful saris and feelings of safety beneath the skirt of her own mother’s sari. Though Amma’s sari makes the protagonist feel “calm as a fish in water,” the child still frets about the attention the outfit draws from the people they pass. When the two go shopping, the child feels embarrassed and attempts to disappear into the crowd. But when the protagonist gets lost, the sari’s visibility becomes priceless. The author masterfully honors the protagonist’s complex emotional reaction to Amma’s sartorial choices. The first-person narration not only results in a beautifully layered character, but also imbues the mother-child relationship with nuanced affection. Pereira’s shimmering, pastel palette gives the book a magical feel. The protagonist's community is racially diverse.

A tender, lovingly rendered tribute to the joys and complexities of the parent-child bond. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews