LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
March 2025 Debut of the Month
Saturdays are really busy in Meena’s house. It’s the day when all their friends and family visit. Almost from the moment she gets up, Meena and her sisters are busy helping their mum, cleaning the house, doing the shopping, making chai for all their visitors, helping her aunties cooking in the kitchen. She gets to sit down and watch Indian films with her cousins before it’s time to help make dinner for everyone.
Yasmeen Ismail’s wonderful illustrations, full of detail, movement and characters, make sure we feel all the busyness and the fun, but there’s one thing that Meena doesn’t like: the girls do all the work, the boys don’t have to help at all. Her mum says that when she grew up in Gujarat, that’s just the way it worked. Meena decides things need to change, and makes sure they do.
There’s so much to enjoy in this picture book, not least the way it immerses readers in Meena’s world, with all its chaos and happy chatter. It’s also a lovely insight into Meena’s community and traditions, a celebration of family, and of young people’s ability to change things.
Andrea Reece
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About
Meena's Saturday Synopsis
A slice-of-life story with a feminist message about a young Indian girl and her sisters managing a bustling house full of boisterous guests on a busy Saturday.
Saturday mornings start early for Meena. She and her sisters watch the sun rise while drinking chai before they clean the house and then head to the grocery store . . . while their brother gets to stay in bed. As the guests arrive, including Meena's favorite cousins, the women crowd into the kitchen to cook. The doorbell rings nonstop as family, neighbors, and friends fill the bustling house. Once fresh chapatis are made, dinner begins-for the men. But Meena spots an empty seat at the table and decides today is the day she makes an important change.
Meena's Saturday by Kusum Mepani, with exuberant illustrations by Yasmeen Ismail, is the charming story of a family's weekend ritual, a love letter to the gatherings of community and family, and an example of how changing long-standing traditions can start with you.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780241739877 |
| Publication date: |
6th March 2025 |
| Author: |
Kusum Mepani |
| Illustrator: |
Yasmeen Ismail |
| Publisher: |
Puffin an imprint of Penguin Random House Children's UK |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
40 pages |
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Press Reviews
Kusum Mepani Press Reviews
‘This captivating ode to weekly gatherings of friends and extended family brims with affection...An excellent pick for any day of the week.’ - The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
‘Beautiful...Mepani's writing flows...and is layered with nuance through Meena's keen observations about the immigrant experience, the power of community, gender roles, and her own aspirations. Ismail's mixed-media illustrations reflect these layers through vibrant images. An important book for every growing library collection.’ - School Library Journal, starred review
‘Mirrors the realities of many immigrant communities...Told in a realistically childlike voice, the narrative also highlights the gender disparity that many children encounter from a very young age. The bright watercolor illustrations are bursting with life. A lively look at community, connections, and ways to foster change.’ - Kirkus Reviews
‘Ismail's energetic watercolor illustrations are a visual feast. This slice-of-life conversation starter both appreciates and questions long-standing traditions.’ - Booklist
Author
About Kusum Mepani
Kusum Mepani has been migrating her entire life. She was born in Kenya but moved to England, where she grew up in the crowded, chaotic, loving house seen in this book, surrounded by so many cousins, uncles, and aunts that she can't even remember all their names. As an adult, she moved to New York and finally California, where she now lives with her husband, two sons, and a dog.
More About Kusum Mepani
