Henna Is . . .

(Hardback)

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Description

A picture book that serves young readers as a lyrical love letter to henna, written by Muslim Book Reviewer Award winner Marzieh Abbas and brilliantly illustrated by Anu Chouhan. Henna is so much more than a form of temporary body art. Henna is nature-seeds sprouted into shrubs, leaves kissed by tropical rain. Henna is color-the orange of juicy mangoes, sun-kissed brown, or black as the feathers of crows. Henna is fragrance-earthy and nutty, lemony and clove-y. The intricate patterns of flowers, feathers, vines, and other symbols painted and stained onto skin has been a tradition in cultures all around the world for thousands of years. Beautiful and eye-catching, henna also carries the scents, textures, and colors of family and identity.

Reviews

Praise for Henna Is...:

"Writing in vivid, sensory language, [Abbas] offers an all-encompassing exploration of the topic, accompanied by Chouhan's enticing illustrations dominated by floral patterns and symbols from the various cultures where henna is popular. Nontraditional henna designs--smiley faces, ice cream cones, thunderbolts--appear, too, lending a playfulness to the art. A joyful look at an important cultural tradition." --Kirkus Reviews

"Colorful and affirming illustrations mirror each description, leaving cultural insiders warmly gratified and cultural outsiders with new knowledge. An author's note adds a little more context. ... Pair Henna Is . . . with Meera Sriram's A Garden in My Hands (2023) and Zain Bandali's Mehndi Boy (2023) for a cute text set all about henna." --Booklist

Praise for A Dupatta Is...:

"Abbas offers not just a story, but a poetic explanation of a traditional scarf worn by the people of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. ... From color to function, beauty to identity, the dupatta's significance is shown through vivid illustrations from -Chouhan. ... This book exquisitely represents the legacy that is the dupatta through imagery and descriptive text for a beautiful lesson in culture." --School Library Journal

"Similar in form to Kevin Noble Maillard's Fry Bread (2019), illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, this rhythmic description of a dupatta's importance in a South Asian Muslim family is an affectionate homage. ... The book's warm, well-chosen language depicts a joyful, accurate representation of a dupatta's multigenerational importance in family life. ... A lyrical, multisensory celebration of a South Asian garment." --Kirkus Reviews

"Noting in evocative, expansive terms what 'a dupatta is, ' Abbas's free-verse quatrains and Chouhan's jewel-toned digital images describe the traditional South Asian scarf. ... Vibrant patterned illustrations show individuals with a variety of skin tones in assorted scenarios. Additional information and a glossary conclude this look at a garment that is 'so much more' than mere apparel." --Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Raised between the bustling cities of Dubai, UAE and Karachi, Pakistan, Marzieh Abbas loves traveling, baking, reading and samosas. She is the author of A Dupatta Is... and Henna Is., a member of SCBWI, 12x12PB, and a life-long learner. authormarzieh.wordpress.com Anu Chouhan is a Punjabi-Canadian illustrator from Vancouver. She is the illustrator of picture books A Dupatta Is... and Henna Is. and the graphic novel Aru Shah and the End of Time. Growing up, she always knew she wanted to pursue an artistic career and spent a lot of time learning about animation, while drawing inspiration from video games, fashion, anime, bollywood movies, and nature. anumation.ca