Malaika's Costume

December 15, 2015
Hohn's debut children's book explores Caribbean culture as it follows Malaika on her determined path to creating her dream carnival costume. Malaika fills with excitement when she thinks about her carnival costume and dancing with the other children. If only Mummy could fly home from Canada to witness it. With no money sent from the north, Malaika begins to lose hope that her costume will be made at all. Luckily Granny's resourcefulness and Malaika's quick thinking bring a beautiful costume to life. Highly saturated folk-art imagery captures the warmth and vibrancy of the islands. Luxbacher's collage style lends itself to a child's perspective, depicting only what is relevant to Malaika. Doodles on lined paper in the corners and outer edges of the pages suggest that Malaika writes to her mother constantly and serve as indicators of Malaika's moods. The Caribbean dialect rhythmically carries the story forward without losing readers not familiar with it. Hohn's story teaches readers a bit of Caribbean culture while focusing on the emotional turmoil of a child separated from her parent; the juxtaposition of a heavy, serious topic with a lighthearted, joyous cultural activity balances the mood. The story ends on a high note, with a bonus panel on the final page that parents will enjoy. A wholly earned celebration. (glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)

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March 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Lacking money for a new costume, a girl and her grandmother must use their ingenuity to repurpose and repair an old outfit and make it extra special for the Kiddie Carnival Parade. The first-person text is printed against a background of lined paper, and the wordless last page shows Malaika's mother-away working in Canada-thoroughly enjoying the letter and pictures she has received. Malaika and those in her Caribbean community speak a lightly lilting patois, and terms like kaiso and cassava are defined in a small glossary on the copyright page. Bright, stylized mixed-media illustrations burst with colors, patterns, and layers and hew closely to the lively text. Occasional highly pixelated areas slightly distract from otherwise vibrant scenes of Carnival costumes and multicultural rural life. VERDICT A fun choice for libraries seeking books about creativity in general or the Caribbean in particular.-Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library

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