Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The night before a wedding, a child describes how their mother decorates their hands and arms with henna, telling them stories from the past as she weaves them into her designs.  There’s an anxious evening as the henna dries and the narrator tries not to smear the designs.  Gloves are worn to bed, and in the morning the dry henna flakes off, leaving a beautiful design to wear to the wedding.  Everyone dances and celebrates together, the henna reminding them of their faraway home and the pride they have in their heritage.  Includes additional information about henna and an author’s note describing her own memories of henna from her childhood in India.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This beautiful book with its brilliant illustrations will introduce the art of henna to some readers and be appreciated by others for its celebration of a familiar art form. 

Cons:  It was touch and go there for a while waiting to see how the henna would turn out.