Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A child struggles to find a fitting Mother's Day card as Fraser's lines rhythmically describe the way none of the cards resemble the child protagonist's parent: "If there was just one card to show/ Mom with her gold necklace, bangles/ and earrings." As the narrator expresses a bespoke vision for an ideal card, Mom comes further into focus via energetic scenes of her selling pakoras at the mela, dancing the bhangra, and more. Yellow highlighting lends Kapur's digitally painted pencil drawings a sunny look that suits the child's bright-eyed appreciations. Though a store-bought card with Mom's "happy brown face smiling sweetly at me" never materializes, a DIY alternative results in an affirming ending. Protagonists cue as South Asian; background characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4--9. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--A lovely story about a young girl struggling to find the perfect Mother's Day gift. Due to her limited budget, she is looking for a special card to give her mom. The struggle continues as she looks through card upon card to no avail. None of the card moms look like her beautiful mother--they don't capture the essence of her jingling gold jewelry, big brown eyes, and happy brown face. The card options lack images the young girl has of her mom doing things indicative of her culture, such as mixing dough for rotis and naans, selling pakoras at the mela, or dancing the bhangra. How the young girl solves this problem is brilliant on many levels. Kapur illustrates the festive shops, gift options, and typical cards cleverly. This is a great book for companion lessons on social-emotional learning: how are we the same and how are we different. VERDICT An excellent addition to diversify literature collections, highly recommended for libraries with high Indian student populations.--Darla Kaminsky
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child of South Asian descent seeks the perfect card for Mom. It's almost Mother's Day, and the stores are full of gifts, from teddy bears to picture frames to orchids. But the young narrator has only enough money for a card. The child finds cards depicting mothers "with red and gold hair and deep blue eyes." None of these offerings properly represent Mom, with her gold jewelry, flowing kameez, and "happy brown face." None of them reflect Mom's love of bhangra or her talent for making pakoras, curry, rotis, and naan. So the protagonist decides to "make my own"; the result is a loving, handmade creation sure to delight Mom. The characterization of the protagonist's mother is a bit flat; Mom is primarily described through her physical appearance, the clothes she wears, and the dishes she prepares. Though these details offer insights into South Asian culture, they're also rooted in traditional gender norms. Still, on the whole it's a well-told, thoughtfully constructed story with an important takeaway. Brimming with warmth, Kapur's detailed illustrations combine with tender, alliterative text for a vital narrative about the need for representation for all mothers. Bouncy verse ("flicking fingers, tapping feet, swaying to the dholki's beat") sets an upbeat tone. Background characters are racially diverse. A gentle Mother's Day tale with a message of inclusion.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
