Amma's Sari by Sandhya Parappukkaran illustrated by Michelle Pereira

 

This book is a glorious celebration of cultural heritage, family connection and learning to 

appreciate the strengths and beauty in difference.

Mum (Amma) puts on her sari each morning and this is a very special ritual which her daughter enjoys but out in the world people stare. Amma is not concerned about this, but her daughter Shreya notices the way others look at her mum.

"Eyebrows arch into curious mountains when we step out Amma boldly marches on."

Her daughter can hear the comments and see the faces and it makes her feel uncomfortable in way that is confusing and perhaps even disloyal.

"My feet drag. Whispers make me feel anxious."

While they are shopping the little girl finds she is lost. Her mum is not nearby. How can she find her? The crowds of tall shoppers are noisy and rushing everywhere. 

"The crowd tosses me adrift. I frantically search for a stretch of shimmering silk. I wipe my eyes and breathe a wish - to feel soft silk, warmth and love. Then a glint of sunshine catches my eye."

The little girl has found her mum, and she has also found a new way to appreciate her mother's beautiful clothing and the way is now open to embrace all the wonderful cultural and family things her mother has to share.

The sari itself, in this book, is almost a character in its own right – it shimmers with confidence. Every child has had the experience of feeling embarrassed by their parents, but this book adds a cultural layer which will directly mirror the experience of some readers and hopefully inform other children and build empathy and understanding. 

The layering of the illustrations on the third double spread is especially effective and innovative as a way to show the past and the present. On some pages the illustrations seem to swish with the fabric of her sari. Michelle Pereira allows us to really feel the fear of Shreya when she is surrounded by the enormous legs and shoes of the crowd outside when she has lost her mum. The final words of the text are glorious – ‘I beam through the stares and whispers. Walking in the light of Amma’s sari'.

A truly wonderful celebration of diverse cultures. This book helps us to recognise and appreciate these different experiences and perspectives – and makes us challenge and think critically about the way we might react to the ‘otherness’ in the world around us.  Amma is so proud of her sari – which is a representation of herself, her identity, her culture – and how this is represented visually through the sheer size and vibrancy of it. I love the way the sari fills every page. 

Now take a look at end papers - talk to your young reading companion about the significance of the clothesline and peg basket. Link this to the story (that's easy) then try to link this to the wider themes in this book. 

The layout of the pages is so creative with the text intertwining with the illustrations in varied ways adding interest and meaning to the narrative. The illustrations are a feast for the reader’s senses as you are transported back to Amma’s childhood. The details stimulate your taste buds and you also feel like you can hear the hearty laughter ringing from the pages as Shreya and her mother enjoy such quality time together. There are a cast of culturally and racially diverse characters included in the illustrations which adds to the richness of the story and the celebration of difference and diversity. Reading Opens Doors

Amma’s Sari has one of the pinkest covers I’ve seen and it is absolutely gorgeous. The colours are  delicate and attractive, perfectly complementing this sensitively told tale of love and acceptance, the whole notable for its careful nuance and delicacy of feeling. Storylinks

Here is an ABC video of this book. Here are some useful teaching notes linked from Pegi Wiliams. And there are more ideas on Sandhya's own page. 

Michelle Pereira won the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) New Illustrator award in 2022 with her book and Amma's Sari was a 2023 Notable Picture book:

The judges said: An excellent production with high-quality, very appealing retro illustrations which have been created with a limited colour palette using bold strokes and ‘splattered’ detail. The illustrations and text are fully entwined conveying the difficult balance between being ‘different’ and celebrating cultural heritage. The elegant endpapers echo this heritage while the kookaburra outside the window gives an Australian flavour to the setting. The illustrations also appeal to our senses. There is skilled use of ‘white’ space and the night time page made with the green hues is a very effective contrast against the orange of Zimdalamashkermishkada’s name.

Sandhya Parappukkaran 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. She writes stories with themes of ‘embracing your cultural identity’ inspired by her South Indian heritage. Sandhya resides in Brisbane with her husband. Michelle Pereira is an illustrator who spent her childhood in Nairobi, Kenya and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Communication Design and became a professional illustrator after a somewhat extended, but enjoyable, stint of bar work. She has worked with a range of clients such as Penguin UK, Netflix, the New York Times and Marie Claire. She uses bright colours and textural elements.  Hardie Grant