Henna Is . . .
Feiwel & Friends, 2024
Agent: Thao Le
A picture book that serves young readers as a lyrical love letter to henna, written by Muslim Book Reviewer Award winner Marzieh Abbas and brilliantly illustrated by Anu Chouhan.
Henna is so much more than a form of temporary body art.
Henna is nature—seeds sprouted into shrubs, leaves kissed by tropical rain.
Henna is color—the orange of juicy mangoes, sun-kissed brown, or black as the feathers of crows.
Henna is fragrance—earthy and nutty, lemony and clove-y.
The intricate patterns of flowers, feathers, vines, and other symbols painted and stained onto skin has been a tradition in cultures all around the world for thousands of years. Beautiful and eye-catching, henna also carries the scents, textures, and colors of family and identity.
Reviews:
"Writing in vivid, sensory language, [Abbas] offers an all-encompassing exploration of the topic, accompanied by Chouhan’s enticing illustrations dominated by floral patterns and symbols from the various cultures where henna is popular. Nontraditional henna designs—smiley faces, ice cream cones, thunderbolts—appear, too, lending a playfulness to the art. A joyful look at an important cultural tradition." —Kirkus Reviews
"Colorful and affirming illustrations mirror each description, leaving cultural insiders warmly gratified and cultural outsiders with new knowledge. An author’s note adds a little more context. ... Pair Henna Is . . . with Meera Sriram's A Garden in My Hands (2023) and Zain Bandali's Mehndi Boy (2023) for a cute text set all about henna." —Booklist
"The combination of Abbas’s gently informative text and Chouhan’s bright and cozy illustrations make this a great way to learn about a ritual that is important to so many. VERDICT A tranquil and colorful exploration of an art form that has been around for thousands of years, this should be in all picture book collections."—starred review, School Library Journal