The Story
With the help of her mother, Ambika designs her very own salwar kameez for her cousin's wedding!
Ambika is visiting her mother's home country, India, for the first time to attend her cousin's wedding, and she needs a salwar kameez to wear to the ceremonies. She picks out the fabric in her favorite color and pattern, then chooses the length, sleeve style, and neckline that she likes best. At the wedding, she swirls around in a beautiful salwar kameez that she created--with the help of her mother and a few new friends along the way!
This sweet mother-daughter bonding tale provides a story of agency, anticipation, and reward. It is a sensory experience of the sights, textures, and sounds of the process of dressmaking in Lucknow, India, brought to life by Avneet Sandhu's vibrant layers of textured illustrations.
Author: Arti Pandey
Publisher: Owlkids
Published: 04/14/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 8.50h x 10.60w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781771476805
Audience: Ages 4-8
Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2026
Booklist 04/01/2026
About the Author
Pandey, Arti: -
ARTI PANDEY has a doctorate in education and her current work aims to prevent violence against women and girls in India. Arti was inspired to write this debut picture book after bringing her own daughter to India, where they designed her daughter's first salwar kameez together. Arti lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Sandhu, Avneet: -AVNEET SANDHU is an illustrator and designer from Toronto, Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts from the University of Waterloo. With her bold and colorful illustrations, she hopes to present a world where everyone can find joy in who they are.
Description
With the help of her mother, Ambika designs her very own salwar kameez for her cousin's wedding!
Ambika is visiting her mother's home country, India, for the first time to attend her cousin's wedding, and she needs a salwar kameez to wear to the ceremonies. She picks out the fabric in her favorite color and pattern, then chooses the length, sleeve style, and neckline that she likes best. At the wedding, she swirls around in a beautiful salwar kameez that she created--with the help of her mother and a few new friends along the way!
This sweet mother-daughter bonding tale provides a story of agency, anticipation, and reward. It is a sensory experience of the sights, textures, and sounds of the process of dressmaking in Lucknow, India, brought to life by Avneet Sandhu's vibrant layers of textured illustrations.
Author: Arti Pandey
Publisher: Owlkids
Published: 04/14/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 8.50h x 10.60w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781771476805
Audience: Ages 4-8
Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2026
Booklist 04/01/2026
About the Author
Pandey, Arti: -
ARTI PANDEY has a doctorate in education and her current work aims to prevent violence against women and girls in India. Arti was inspired to write this debut picture book after bringing her own daughter to India, where they designed her daughter's first salwar kameez together. Arti lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Sandhu, Avneet: -AVNEET SANDHU is an illustrator and designer from Toronto, Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts from the University of Waterloo. With her bold and colorful illustrations, she hopes to present a world where everyone can find joy in who they are.
