Sari Sisters

by Anitha Rao-Robinson, Anoosha Syed (illustrator)

Critically-acclaimed artist Anoosha Syed brings Anitha Rao-Robinson's stunning text to life in this story about getting dressed up and the enduring bonds between sisters.

Ruhi is ready for her weekend a dance party with her older sister, Kayra! Everything is ready to go--the music, the lights, the glitterballs--but where is Kayra?

Ruhi finds her sister getting ready for the weekly family gathering and carefully tying a sari for the first time. When Kayra emerges from her room, Ruhi is in awe of her sister and can't wait to wear a sari too. But her mother and sister say she's too young to carry all that fabric without tripping.

Ruhi fears that she's missing out on all the fun that her older sister and the aunties are having upstairs while she's in the basement with the other kids, so Ruhi comes up with an idea to loosen the adults up and bring everyone have a sari dance party! Ruhi spends all week learning to tie and pleat with her mom's saris so that she can show everyone the following weekend, and reignite her dance party tradition with her sister. But when the big moment arrives, Ruhi trips and her sari begins to unravel! Luckily her sister is there to help secure the fabric and get them back to their favorite tradition.

This beautifully written story by Anitha Rao-Robinson is about the tight-knit bond between sisters as they navigate adolescent milestones and the beauty of updating traditional customs for a modern audience, and features art by Anoosha Syed—the critically acclaimed and bestselling illustrator of That's Not My Name!, Bilal Cooks Daal, and I Am Perfectly Designed.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Aapi, India, Sisters

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2024

Reviews

[Aylin Niazai]

Cute story with lovely illustrations. I bought it because we've been reading Rani's remarkable day every single day for weeks in a row (illustrations by Anoosha Syed as well!). These drawings are a bit different in a way that she has used actual fabric to make the clothes in the book and then used the picture in a "cut-and-paste" kind of way. It's truly fun to look at.
The story itself could have had more depth but overall, a lovely children's book that our 2 daughters liked reading.

[Emily Cait]

I received access to a digital copy of this book from the publishers through work.

I LOVED this story. It's always interesting to see sibling age gap dynamics navigated. Ruhi, the little sib, feels left out/left behind when her older sib Kayra has a coming of age moment and gets to wear a sari to a family gathering for the first time.

Seeing the siblings come together in the end for a sari dance party was so lovely.

Also, the use of tissue paper to add texture and dimension to the saris was a phenomenal choice. That tissue paper is a little bit see through, so we can see skin and clothing peeking through was a cherry on top of otherwise STUNNING illustrations! It really makes each spread pop!

[Thomas Bell]

Very cute book. And you don't have to be from the Indian subcontinent or even know what a Sari is to see connections to your own life with an older sister wanting to feel grown-up and thereby becoming a jerk-face to her younger sister. But with a happy ending. :-)

[Beth]

Sibling fun, not too much angst. Little kid and big sis relationship.

[Gabrielle Stoller]

Admittedly I was nervous about this book at first.....I was worried about too much text due to the dust jacket. BUT it is actually a perfect amount! Also, I appreciate that the sari illustrations are a different medium than that of the characters--it is tissue paper and truly gives a lifelike quality to the dresses.

This book made me smile and I will refer back to it for sure!

[Our Weekend Is Booked]

Growing up with a sister six years older than me, I know how it feels when you want to be just like them, especially as they reach important milestones. In the book Sari Sister, Ruhi feels left out because her sister Kayra is old enough to wear a sari. Each week, the family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, gathers together. Typically, Ruhi and Kayra like to dance with their cousins, but this week, it's different, and Kayra is focused on spending time with the adults and wearing her first sari. Ruhi makes her sari out of scarves for the next family gathering. All the cousins wear a homemade sari and they have a dance party. When Kayra sees that Ruhi's sari is coming apart she helps her with the knots to keep it on and lets her feel included in the tradition of wearing a sari.

What I Liked: In recent months, I have been reading more picture books with Indian characters, and this is another one I am happy to add to my collection. In Sari Sisters, we learn about the sari tradition and Indian culture, yet at the core of the story is a relationship between two sisters. The illustrations by Anoosha Syed are vibrant and beautiful and aid in the telling of the story.


Sari Sisters is a fantastic picture book for young readers who will enjoy learning about Indian culture and the celebration of family.

Thie review first appeared on YA Book Central and can be found here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/sari-s...

[Kendall Daly]

Ruhi is ready for her weekend, she gets to attend a dance party with her older sister, Kayra. This will be her sister Kayra first time wearing a sari. Ruhi is jealous and also wants to wear a sari. But Kayra tells her she is too little to wear one. Ruhi decides to make a sari of her own and wear it to the party. While on the dance floor Ruhis sari starts to come undone, but her sister is there to help.

I would use this book in my class, to teach my students about a new culture who wears saris. I would also use it to teach them about how they should love and respect their siblings.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin]

Big sister dons her first sari, much to the chagrin of little sister, who feels left out of her sister’s coming-of-age festivities—that is, until she and her cousins throw a sari dance party of their own. How does big sis feel about lil sis stealing all her thunder? Lackluster digital illustrations of googly eyed characters seem to diminish the importance of this coming-of-age ritual.

[Pam]

A sweet story but the characters were a bit one note. Ruhi is disappointed when her big sister Kayra doesn't want to dance with her any longer. Kayra is allowed to wear her first sari and this is a huge moment. The importance gets lost a bit but the story is told from the younger sister's viewpoint. They do find a way to celebrate together and the bond stays strong.

[Bookworm4Life]

This is such an adorable book about two sisters and how they bond as the eldest begins the special tradition of wearing a sari.

[Maura]

Sweet story and I love the illustration style, the use of collaging adding texture to the pictures.

[Y.Poston]

a delightful exploration of a sister relationship and a non-trad American culture; beautiful illustrations

[Rachelle]

Super sweet story of sisters growing up and embracing their culture.

[Ella Kaleta]

Sari sisters is a very exciting story about two sisters. As they tell about tradition and modernity as south asian sisters, Ruhi and Kayra.

[Benjamin Cerceo]

The cover captured me and the beautiful illustrations made it so much better! I am going to definitely add this to my book self

[Jordan Shapiro]

It was such a cute book! I loved the dynamic between the sisters and their beautiful culture.

[Lyla]

This book was super cute!! The story was great but I loved the illustrations (especially with the use of tissue paper!) and I learned a ton about saris!

[Katy Smith]

The book is about a younger sister who is upset and jealous that her older sister gets to wear a sari for the first time. So, she makes her own with her other cousins so everyone can dance together. It is a sweet book that shows the bond of two sisters. I would use this book to talk about other cultures. Pulling on any students' personal experience and sharing what a sari is.

[Jester, King's Favorite Fool]

It's dance time, and Ruhi calls to her older sister, Kayra, to join her. But Kayra is locked in her room. "Today is a big day for her," says their mom then enters Kayra's room with a box containing clothes. Later that day, Kayra emerges wearing a sari. This excites Ruhi. She wants to wear a sari too, but her mom thinks she's not ready. Ruhi has a plan that will bring the family all together—she will make a sari herself.

I enjoyed reading this book. It contained wonderful illustrations. I loved the sisterly bond. Ruhi and Kayra are both delightful characters. Kayra wants to look perfect to her family when they see her in the sari, while Ruhi is more free-spirited. If she wore a sari, she would swish and sway and see the fabric move all the way. At the end of the book was an author's note that informed readers a little more about saris.

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.