A Dupatta Is . . .
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A Dupatta Is..., written by Marzieh Abbas and vividly brought to life by the artwork of Anu Chouhan, is a loving and lyrical ode to the dupatta.
A dupatta is so much more than a beautiful piece of fabric.
A dupatta is sound—swooshing and swashing like a superhero cape.
A dupatta is scent—cinnamon and cardamom, crushed coriander and peppermint oil.
A dupatta is fun—playing peekaboo and building cushion forts with dupatta canopies.
Dupattas—shawls traditionally worn by women in various cultures of South Asia—are beautiful and colorful of course, but they're also fun, functional, and carry the sounds and smells of family and identity.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Noting in evocative, expansive terms what "a dupatta is," Abbas's free-verse quatrains and Chouhan's jewel-toned digital images describe the traditional South Asian scarf. First defining the garment as "fabric," lines start by contextualizing the dupatta's beginnings as "cotton balls or silkworm cocoons." Next, the garment is "sound" ("flitting, flapping"), "scent" ("cinnamon and cardamom"), and "art" ("motifs, block prints"). Moving from the sensorial to the functional, the text notes various ways of styling a dupatta, arrayed uses ("protecting/ shielding/ sheltering... playing peekaboo"), and its symbolism as part of faith, identity, and legacy. Vibrant patterned illustrations show individuals with a variety of skin tones in assorted scenarios. Additional information and a glossary conclude this look at a garment that is "so much more" than mere apparel. Ages 3–6.
