AMMA'S SARI

A child of South Asian descent has conflicting feelings about a parent’s sari.

Every morning, the young narrator delights in the “rustle” of Amma’s sari. Although at home, Amma’s sari seems like “a magic carpet,” out in the world, it feels like a liability. Strangers stare with confusion or curiosity at Amma’s outfit, and the protagonist, unnerved, asks if Amma would ever consider wearing something different. Amma responds by relating a series of memories: loving aunts clad in colorful saris and feelings of safety beneath the skirt of her own mother’s sari. Though Amma’s sari makes the protagonist feel “calm as a fish in water,” the child still frets about the attention the outfit draws from the people they pass. When the two go shopping, the child feels embarrassed and attempts to disappear into the crowd. But when the protagonist gets lost, the sari’s visibility becomes priceless. The author masterfully honors the protagonist’s complex emotional reaction to Amma’s sartorial choices. The first-person narration not only results in a beautifully layered character, but also imbues the mother-child relationship with nuanced affection. Pereira’s shimmering, pastel palette gives the book a magical feel. The protagonist's community is racially diverse.

A tender, lovingly rendered tribute to the joys and complexities of the parent-child bond.