Sleepy Meena wakes up on the top bunk of her bed. Her two little sisters are already up and bright-eyed below. They greet their father who has just returned from working the night shift and is headed to sleep. And they have chai teas at the kitchen table. And, suddenly, the Saturday really begins!
Meena’s Saturday, written by Kusum Mepani and illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail, depicts a friendly weekly celebration of an Indian diaspora community in an unspecified English-speaking country. Meena’s high-energy mother is at the heart of the celebration, having her four children clean the house.
Then, the three girls and their mother go grocery shopping while their brother stays home to read in bed. In Indian culture, boys are privileged. Their mother grew up in Gujarat, India, and she admits that she treats her son differently than her daughters.
Meena notes: “My mom speaks five languages, but she can’t read English yet, so it’s our job to be her guide.”
Then, Indian women descend on the house to cook up a storm. Meena’s job is to make chai tea for all the guests.
Meena is astute in her observations. She writes:
My mom and dad were the first people to move from their village in India to this country. They helped everyone who came later get started.
They helped with resources. They opened their house to new arrivals. A generous heart lies at the center of Meena’s Saturday.
Now, their Saturday visits are a way to return the favor. This is a social network in action. Alliances are important for adaptation to a new country.
Yasmeen Ismail’s visuals are evocative, showing people interacting with each other. One two-page spread shows cute children cleaning up the kitchen after an initial round of cooking. Another shows a little boy on his side playing with an airplane. Yet another shows children watching an Indian movie. Another scene shows a table set with aloo gobi, chapatis, aloo chaat, kadhi, chana masala, masala corn, dahl, samosa pinwheels, and homemade yoghurt, in a mouthwatering feast.
Once a week, in Meena’s world, there is a glorious celebration of community and culture. Meena’s Saturday is not only about larger social connections, but Meena is also making her way into the world, with her own ideas and aspirations, which come through in the narrative. This picture book is affirming and smart.
The author Megani was born in Kenya but moved to England, New York, and California. Ismail was born in Ireland and moved to Bristol.
Shalin Hai-Jew has worked in higher education for many years. She has edited dozens of nonfiction educational books and authored a dozen with a number of publishers.
