Le costume de Malaika
by Nadia L. Hohn
C'est le temps du carnaval. Le premier depuis le départ de la maman de Malaika pour le Canada. Celle-ci est partie dans l'espoir d'y trouver un bon emploi pour pourvoir aux besoins de sa famille. Elle avait promis qu'elle enverrait à Malaika de l'argent pour acheter un costume pour la fête, mais l'argent n'est pas arrivé. Malaika pourra-t-elle tout de même participer au défilé? Une histoire touchante sur la famille, l'immigration et la célébration du carnaval. L'écriture chaleureuse et simple de Nadia Hohn et les illustrations vibrantes de style papier découpé créent un album unique et haut en couleur.
Published: 2016
Originally written in English
Number of pages: 32
Recommended FSL Programs and Grades
young learners in K-2
core French 4-5-6
Race/Ethnic/Geographic Information
Author: Black
Characters: range of racial backgrounds and social identities (young girl, mother and grand-mother) (Chinese-Caribbean and Indo-Caribbean experiences are also brought in)
Setting: the Caribbean (the island is not named, maybe Trinidad?)
Notes from a teacher-reader
Popular book that many people are familiar with, in a lot of schools and libraries
Author is a TDSB teacher, available to do book talks in Toronto region, she can present in French (she is an FSL teacher)
This book is part of a series (Le carnaval, la surprise de Malaika, Le costume de Malaika)
Book centers on Joy through the event of carnaval, problem-solving with family and community
Topic of financial insecurity is touched on when Malaika is not sure whether she will have enough money to by her costume or not
Offers opportunities to explore Caribbean linguistic influences on French and English as well.
Tea Party activity: take pictures of the book, ask students to share what they think the book is about before reading the book. Ask them to re-organize pictures and explain their reasoning for their choices. Makes students eager to learn if their predictions were correct. Engages students with beginner-level / limit amount of language
Another teacher has also used this book in Grade 1 over a few weeks. Great way to talk about seasons, traditions with family, activities we like to do with different people. Very beautiful images and colours that engage students.