Review Detail

My Paati's Saris

Kids Fiction 484

Grandmother's Closets Are Always Interesting!

June 06, 2023

Overall rating

3.8

Plot

3.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

A young Tamil boy enjoyes spending time with his grandmother, and is enthralled by her saris. He enjoys seeing her pick out one to wear each day, and revels in the colors, patterns, and fabrics. Their days are filled with household tasks, like making garlands for the morning puja, cooking, and going to the market. Their community is filled with celebrations, sounds, and smells, and these all become entwined with his memories of Paati's saris, especially since he clings to her skirts when everything becomes overwhelming. The saris make him feel safe, loved, and happy, and he enjoys seeing the role that saris have played in his community and family history, and tries on some of the saris himself.

Good Points

Illustrated in bold and vibrant colors, this book is a celebration of culture as well as the bonds between a grandparent and grandchild. This takes place in an area where the signs are in English but also in the Tamil language, so I wish there were more information on exactly where this was, since it is such an interesting place.

I love fabric, so I enjoyed seeing all of the difference colors and patterns. Since I sew clothing as well as quilts, I definitely understand the power of a garment to invoke an entire history. The family pictures of people in a wide array of clothing clearly showed the little boy's connection to his past in a powerful way.

Picture books about grandparents are a great way to showcase a lot of different cultures, activities and practices that tie children to older adults. This is a great book to add to a collection of multicultural books about grandmothers that includes Toht's Every Day with You, Rahman's If You See a Bluebird, Ferneyhough's Nana, Nenek & Nina, Walker's Nana Akua Goes to School, Medina's Mango, Abuela, and Me and Liu's A Gift for Popo.