Review by Booklist Review
Readers might be familiar with "henna tattoos" as decorative patterns that temporarily stain skin. A Garden in My Hands is a tribute to this ancient tradition as well as an explication of its significance. A mother is carefully inscribing the delicate filigree of henna on her child's hands in preparation for a wedding. As she does so, she tells the child of their ancestors, the monsoon rain, and love. The wet henna is easily smudged, so the child must be careful while it dries, for these patterns are now weighted with cultural significance. Anyone who has waited for henna to dry can appreciate the worry and impatience associated with those seemingly endless hours, but it proves well worth the wait when in the morning the dried henna flakes off and leaves a deep-red stain and an earthy scent that lingers for days. Vibrant colors and traditional South Asian motifs complement the narrative. Informative back matter adds context.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Greens, magentas, and purples dominate this vibrantly rendered picture book, which follows a Southeast Asian--cued family applying henna ahead of a special occasion. "Stories and seeds/ Mama plants in my palm/ for a wedding tomorrow" begins the child narrator as Mama squeezes henna paste on their hands. Each motif has meaning: "pearls on a string, petals on a vine" prompt Mama's wedding story, and other designs represent "ancestors long gone." As the paste dries, the child--careful not to "smudge a story"--has parental help with nighttime ablutions. Wearing cotton gloves at bedtime, "I tuck my henna in/ and snuggle with my stories." Via saturated digital images that incorporate peacocks and paisley patterns alongside familial scenes, Prabhat's art juxtaposes fantasy, memory, and reality as Sriram details how "The sweet smell of henna,/ and stories we carry,/ fill us with pride/ of a faraway home." Back matter includes an author's note and additional henna facts and designs. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child of South Asian descent describes what henna means to them. The night before a wedding, the young narrator stretches out on the floor while their mother applies henna designs to their hands. With each design, Mama shares memories and speaks of "ancestors long gone." After Mama finishes, the protagonist must be careful to protect the still-wet ink. The child goes to bed in a pair of gloves and wakes up in the morning, worried about how the now dry designs fared overnight. To their delight, the pictures remain intact even after the child scrubs and chips off the dry flakes on top. The narrator arrives at the wedding ready to celebrate and to show off their hands to their grandparents. The text reads like free-verse poetry, skillfully weaving simple, child-friendly language into vivid, multisensory imagery; the child calls the henna "A garden in my hands, / I will tend for days." Dominated by intricate patterns and hues of purple and green, the digital art positively sings. Many readers of South Asian heritage will smile with recognition at Mama and the narrator's attempts to avoid smudging the designs; we see Mama help the little one sip through a straw and brush the child's teeth. Those less familiar with the tradition can learn more from the informative, deeply personal author's note. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An intimate, lyrical story about an ancient artistic tradition. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
