My Saree
Gita Varadarajan
Illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
Orchard Books
Ages 4-8
Available August 6, 2024

Young Divya admires her Amma’s exquisite sarees, and she cannot wait for the day she is old enough to wear one. Each saree is intricately designed with soft silky fabrics and some sparkle with gold and silver accents. “[I] think of the beautiful saree…I see it tumble like waves in the sea, and shimmer in the light, the green peeking out from behind the blue. I see golden peacocks spread their wings and dance along the border” (p. 20). She is ecstatic about the upcoming Heritage Night at her school when every student will share something from their culture. Divya hopes and dreams this will be her first opportunity to wear a saree, illuminating her Indian ancestry at her school’s cultural event.

Varadarajan expertly weaves the messages of self-discovery and embracing your identity through Divya’s story. The author’s melodic words are accompanied by vibrant fuchsia, dark turquoise, and shimmery gold illustrations. Both the words and the images evoke a sense of warmth, love, and appreciation for one’s family and heritage. “I see Amma in the audience, her face beaming with pride. I bring my hands together and smile. Namaste” (p. 29-30). Sreenivasan created the vivid illustrations for this picture book with pencil on paper and digital coloring. Backmatter includes author’s and illustrator’s notes, which explain that there are over 100 ways to fold a saree, and sarees celebrate connections between the generations.