connections | Islamic School Librarian

The Katha Chest by Radhiah Chowdhury illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

This 40 page picture book for preschoolers and up shows connection to family, memories, and Bangladeshi culture as a little girl explores the quilts made from her Maa and aunts’ worn out saris. This book has been on my radar for a while and while there is nothing wrong with the slow and thoughtful story, it didn’t sweep me up in a hug and wow me, as I had hoped it would. The illustrations are as critical as the words in conveying the message, and the illustrations are indeed beautiful, I guess I just needed more. More connection to the emotion the little girl was feeling recalling the strong women in her life, more impact to the fact that her Nanu is no longer with them, and more understanding about the history of Bangladesh that seems to shape the memories. I worry that most readers simply won’t get anything other than the surface level of the book, which is ok, the memories woven through generations manifesting in quilts, is tangible and perhaps enough. I feel like, however, the framing of the story and the textless illustration pages attempted to add more layers to the story, and I think to anyone not Bangladeshi, those layers might not be understood. I wish their was an afterward with notes about the pictured references, inclusion of such backmatter would really open the book up to a wider audience, and give the book discussion and staying power in my opinion. If you are Bangladeshi this book will be a treasure I’m sure, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.

Asiya loves going to her Nanu’s house, there are treasures there. Her favorite treasure is the katha chest. An old trunk full of the quilts made from the old worn out saris of her Nanu, Maa, and khalas. She snuggles in their warmth and listens to the stories they tell. Stories of hardship, joy, skills learned, moves made, loss, death, love and family.

Boro Khala’s looks like Khalu’s medal, from a sad time when he was away. Mejo Khala bright oranges and yellow like her fingers. Shejo Khala’s is stiff and neat, she is never messy. Choto Khala’s has a white streak like the white saris she wears since Khalu died. Maa’s katha is patchworked and different than the others, and Nanu’s is paper thin and smells of tea, old books, porcelain and wood.

There is an author’s note and illustrator’s note detailing the construction and value of kathas, but nothing about Bangladeshi wars, wearing white after a husband’s death, or the textile skills and artistry shown. The book would read well with context or activities about family heirlooms, connections, and traditions.

Red Shoes by Karen English illustrated by Ebony Glenn

This delightful 32 page picture book links two girls, two ends of the world, two cultures and two stories together with a pair of red shoes. The short sentences pop with action and the perfectly illustrated two-page spreads convey relatable emotion and joy. The beloved shoes travel on the feet of one character to a wedding, Christmas dinner, and birthdays, they are then are donated and journey to West Africa to be given as a gift for a little girl who fasted half of Ramadan. The message I hope children ages three and up will get from the story, is that we are more alike than different, that we should take care of our things (amazingly the shoes weren’t worn out), and that we should donate things of good quality that we ourselves value. I hope it doesn’t lend itself to perpetuate the stereotype that we can send our castaway items to Africa, being the author comments in her bio on the back flap that her husband is from West Africa and that she frequently visits there, I’m hoping that this is just me being overly cautious in the messaging, and nothing is being implied or negatively taken from a casual reader.

Malika and her Nana see a pair of dazzling shoes perched in the window, and Malika is enamored. Her grandma later surprises Malika with the shoes. She quickly tries them on and tests them out. She keeps them safe from the rain and dances with them on at her Auntie’s wedding. She kicks her cousin Jamal with them on, under the table at Christmas when he tries to steal her biscuit.

She stomps away from her best friend in her red shoes, and jumps double Dutch with them on when she makes up with her friend at her birthday party. But at Nana’s birthday, “the shoes don’t let her forget that her feet have grown.” Nana and Malika take the shoes to the thrift store to be resold. A sad Malika says goodbye to them, they were her favorite shoes ever.

Inna Ziya sees the shoes in the window and knows just the little girl who will love them. She squeezes them in to her suitcase and they are off to Africa. They wait under a table selling claypots in a market waiting for the girl who fasted half the month of Ramadan.

When Amina comes holding her mother’s hand, Auntie Inna Ziya delivers the promised gift. Amina thinks they are beautiful and lovingly carries them in the box on her lap as they fide the tro-tro home. Amina’s little sister Halima, can’t wait to see the gift as she too hopes to one day fast in Ramadan.

Amina lets her try them on and when she outgrows them she plans to pass them on to her. Meanwhile, Malika is wondering whatever happened to her beautiful red shoes, and if someone else is wearing them.

There is no mention of Islam nor is Ramadan explained. There are women in hijab in America and in Africa, even in the books in a shop window there is representation. I particularly love the shout-out in the illustrations to “Mommy’s Khimar.”

The front of the book has Malika, and the back, Amira.

Islamic School Librarian

Reviewing Children & YA Islamic Fiction, Books by Muslim Authors, & Books Featuring Muslim Characters

Tag Archives: connections

The Katha Chest by Radhiah Chowdhury illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

Red Shoes by Karen English illustrated by Ebony Glenn