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eirenophile's review against another edition
3.0
It is rare that I read a picture book and have a clear vision for how I would improve it. But in this case, it was easy. The illustrator gave me the idea herself. But first, let me go over the rest.
The writing is short and very easy to read aloud and thus meets a very important criteria of mine for children's books that parents should actually own. I liked the cloth of the saris contrasted with the acrylics (and on some pages wished for a much stronger contrast).
But the illustrations were just random kids playing with random saris. And that didn't do it for me. Maybe if the writing was super compelling it would have been okay. And sure, it did evoke some feelings (as a grown up) of love for children's playfulness and that thing they do that makes you feel all lovey inside just watching them.
But I know how it could have been better. Instead, she could have made the illustrations a narrative of their own - a narrative of a little kid learning how to put on the sari her (or him) self. I thought of that, because that's JUST what the illustrator did on the front and back inside covers. (I mean, maybe if it were an actual book you could have a half seen mama or something to make it clear whose perspective this is from.) But it makes me feel bad when I like the inside covers better than the book.
So this is really a 2.5 star review. But it's rounded up because I did enjoy the book.
The writing is short and very easy to read aloud and thus meets a very important criteria of mine for children's books that parents should actually own. I liked the cloth of the saris contrasted with the acrylics (and on some pages wished for a much stronger contrast).
But the illustrations were just random kids playing with random saris. And that didn't do it for me. Maybe if the writing was super compelling it would have been okay. And sure, it did evoke some feelings (as a grown up) of love for children's playfulness and that thing they do that makes you feel all lovey inside just watching them.
But I know how it could have been better. Instead, she could have made the illustrations a narrative of their own - a narrative of a little kid learning how to put on the sari her (or him) self. I thought of that, because that's JUST what the illustrator did on the front and back inside covers. (I mean, maybe if it were an actual book you could have a half seen mama or something to make it clear whose perspective this is from.) But it makes me feel bad when I like the inside covers better than the book.
So this is really a 2.5 star review. But it's rounded up because I did enjoy the book.
cweichel's review against another edition
4.0
This is a beautifully illustrated book that tells the reader everything that makes a sari fabulous for children. I liked that the end papers have directions for how to wear one. What distracted me is that I anticipated the story would be from one child's perspective, but the images show different kids interacting with it in different ways. The problem with this kind of portrayal is that as a reader, there isn't one character to connect with.
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