Children's Fiction Caribbean & Latin America
Malaika’s Costume
- Publisher
- Groundwood Books Ltd
- Initial publish date
- Mar 2016
- Category
- Caribbean & Latin America, General, Emigration & Immigration
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781554987542
- Publish Date
- Mar 2016
- List Price
- $19.99
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781773067889
- Publish Date
- Mar 2016
- List Price
- $8.99
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781773067452
- Publish Date
- May 2024
- List Price
- $14.99
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Where to buy it
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age: 3 to 6
- Grade: p to 1
- Reading age: 3 to 7
Description
Malaika’s mother can’t buy her a carnival costume — will she still be able to dance in the parade?
It’s carnival time — the first carnival since Malaika’s mother moved to Canada to find a good job and provide for Malaika and her grandmother. Her mother promised she would send money for a costume, and Malaika marks off the days on her calendar as she waits for Mummy’s letter to arrive. But when the letter finally comes, Malaika learns that there is no money for her costume.
Disappointed and upset at the thought of wearing her grandmother’s hand-me-down costume, Malaika leaves the house, running into Ms. Chin, the tailor, who offers Malaika a bag of scrap fabric. With her grandmother’s help, Malaika creates a patchwork rainbow peacock costume, and dances proudly in the parade.
This heartwarming story about family, community and the celebration of carnival is written in a blend of standard English and Caribbean patois. Nadia L. Hohn’s warm prose and Irene Luxbacher’s vibrant collage-style illustrations make this a strikingly original picture book.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
About the authors
NADIA L. HOHN is a writer and educator. Her first picture book, Malaika’s Costume, won the Helen Isobel Sissons Canadian Children’s Story Award and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Children’s Literature Award. She is also the author of Malaika’s Winter Carnival and Malaika’s Surprise, both illustrated by Irene Luxbacher; A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes; Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Gustavo Mazali; and two titles in the Sankofa series — Music and Media. Nadia’s writing is inspired by her childhood memories, Jamaican heritage, Black culture, world travels, and social issues. She lives in Toronto.
IRENE LUXBACHER est à la fois auteure, illustratrice et artiste. Elle a publié de nombreux livres d’activités artistiques et albums jeunesse dont Le jardin imaginaire de grand-papa, d’Andrew Larsen, mis en nomination pour le Prix du Gouverneur général dans la catégorie illustrations. Irene habite à Toronto où elle travaille actuellement à la création de nouveaux tableaux et albums.
IRENE LUXBACHER was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for her illustrations in Andrew Larsen’sThe Imaginary Garden (Le jardin imaginaire de grand-papa). She has illustrated several other picture books, including Mittens to Share (Une mitaine pour deux), The Heart’s Song (Le grand cœur de madame Lili), as well as her own picture books Once I Was a Bear (Lorsque j’étais un ours…) and Mattoo, Let’s Play! (Viens jouer, Matou!). She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and young son. You can learn more about her work at www.ireneluxbacher.com.
Awards
- Commended, Commended TD Grade One Book Giveaway Selection, 2021
- Commended, Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
- Runner-up, Américas Award Honorable Mention
- Commended, USBBY's Outstanding International Books List
- Commended, School Library Journal Best Books
- Winner, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario Children's Literature Award
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens, starred selection
- Commended, OLA Best Bets Honourable Mention
Editorial Reviews
The text is told in the colloquial voice of the little girl, and readers will quickly and easily feel a part of her circle. Carnival is an important holiday in many cultures, and it's good to have a picture book to celebrate it.
Horn Book
Malaika’s Costume is a highly recommended story that celebrates the different cultures of the world and the emotional journey of a young child.
CM Magazine
Hohn employs a unique style of voice that is both figuratively and literaly lyrical.
Canadian Children's Book News
Like a rainbow peacock itself, the illustrations in this book burst with a frenzy of colors and textures.
Booklist Online
A wholly earned celebration.
Kirkus
. . . an engaging, poignant story with exquisite taste and wonderful details.
Kinderlit
A fun choice for libraries seeking books about creativity in general or the Caribbean in particular.
School Library Journal
This is actually a realistic portrait of the consequences of global immigration and economics. But it’s also the story of how much little girls love their moms. Beautiful.
Globe and Mail
Librarian Reviews
Malaika's Costume
It’s Carnival time. The first Carnival since Malaika’s mother moved to Canada to find a good job and provide for Malaika and her grandmother. Her mother promised she would send money for a costume, but when the money doesn’t arrive, will Malaika still be able to dance in the parade?Indo-Caribbean students will connect to the story of the young girl who is waiting to be reunited with her mother who has moved to Canada. When teaching social studies, this book will help readers learn about Afrocentric identity, consider the diversity of families, the importance of carnival and cultural celebrations, and the specific bond between grandparent and grandchild. The idea of creating a costume is central to this story, thus inspiring students to share stories of costumes in their own lives.
Also available: Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance
Author available for school visits @Nadialhohn
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Top Grade Selection 2016.
Other titles by
Patty Dreams
Getting Us to Grandma’s
The Antiracist Kitchen
21 Stories (and Recipes)
Malaika, Carnival Queen
La surprise de Malaika
Malaika’s Surprise
A Likkle Miss Lou
How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice
Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter
Le carnaval de Malaika
Malaika’s Winter Carnival
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