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Deep in the Sahara
"Poetic language, attractive illustrations and a positive message about Islam, without any didacticism: a wonderful combination," declares Kirkus Reviews in a starred review.
Lalla lives in the Muslim country of Mauritania, and more than anything, she wants to wear a malafa, the colorful cloth Mauritanian women, like her mama and big sister, wear to cover their heads and clothes in public. But it is not until Lalla realizes that a malafa is not just worn to show a woman's beauty and mystery or to honor tradition--a malafa for faith--that Lalla's mother agrees to slip a long cloth as blue as the ink in the Koran over Lalla's head, under her arm, and round and round her body. Then together, they pray.
An author's note and glossary are included in the back of the book.
Lalla lives in the Muslim country of Mauritania, and more than anything, she wants to wear a malafa, the colorful cloth Mauritanian women, like her mama and big sister, wear to cover their heads and clothes in public. But it is not until Lalla realizes that a malafa is not just worn to show a woman's beauty and mystery or to honor tradition--a malafa for faith--that Lalla's mother agrees to slip a long cloth as blue as the ink in the Koran over Lalla's head, under her arm, and round and round her body. Then together, they pray.
An author's note and glossary are included in the back of the book.
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Cunnane
7 books9 followersKelly Cunnane has many worldly experiences to share with young children, including serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, studying oceanography aboard a research vessel sailing the Carribbean, and teaching English in a variety of countries around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
August 18, 2017
Woman, know thy place! Girls who are grown up at age 10 can be sold as a 'wife' if that is they aren't one of the 43,000 people born into slavery They are often fattened up in the process known as 'gavage' (the same name is given to geese force fed to enlarge their livers) and given animal growth hormone as fat girls, even morbidly obese ones are considered beautiful and will bring a higher price from a 'husband'.
Your husband of he's Saudia Arabian, might be purchasing you for 'siriya', temporary marriage. They like prepubescent girls there. Sometimes they get rid of these wives when they enter puberty, or become pregnant or prostitute them out .
Girls are often 'engaged' at 8 to 10 and unmarried teenage girls face social opprobrium just as divorced women do, as mild as criticism and as extreme as becoming social outcasts.
FGM is rife, 90% of women have suffered beatings, 43% can read, 13% go on to secondary education (2% to tertiary) and of the 54% of women in the work force, 0.65% earn the same as a man for the same job. Life expectancy for women is at an all-time high of 64.
Mauritania and Saudi Arabia were among the last few countries in the world to make slavery illegal, but in both countries (and Yemen, see I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced) it is argued that the Qu'ran endorses both slavery, child marriage and beating women as all were practiced or advocated by Muhammed. This justification by the holy book is something all fundamentalists of every religion seem happy to do. But they pick and choose which bits they follow, which bits they say are as valid now as then, and which bits are too archaic for modern times.
As of late 2015, there were reportedly 900 women trafficked to Saudia Arabia. The women thought they were going to be nurses, teacher and childminders but were instead domestic servants confined to their workplaces, their passports taken from them and with a strong likelihood of physical and sexual harrassment. Since Indonesia and the Phillipines have cracked down on recruitment from Saudi Arabia in their country, it seems that Mauritania has been chosen to take up the slack.
So now we know why this book is so upbeat about the little girl's ambition to wear the pretty hijab, malafa, of her older sister and mother, she hasn't got anything else to look forward to except the 'beautiful tradition of protecting a woman as a precious jewel' by covering her from head to toe. Still at least it isn't black crow cloth.
I do wonder about the reviewers who have given this a 5* and said it is a beautiful story. I think the little Mauritanian girls would find it more beautiful if they had the whole world of careers and adventure and marrying the man they love rather than being sold as children to a pervert. Hijab doesn't come into it, headscarves and modest dress don't interfere with a girl making her own way in the world at all.
Read this CNN - Slavery's last stronghold
Your husband of he's Saudia Arabian, might be purchasing you for 'siriya', temporary marriage. They like prepubescent girls there. Sometimes they get rid of these wives when they enter puberty, or become pregnant or prostitute them out .
Girls are often 'engaged' at 8 to 10 and unmarried teenage girls face social opprobrium just as divorced women do, as mild as criticism and as extreme as becoming social outcasts.
FGM is rife, 90% of women have suffered beatings, 43% can read, 13% go on to secondary education (2% to tertiary) and of the 54% of women in the work force, 0.65% earn the same as a man for the same job. Life expectancy for women is at an all-time high of 64.
Mauritania and Saudi Arabia were among the last few countries in the world to make slavery illegal, but in both countries (and Yemen, see I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced) it is argued that the Qu'ran endorses both slavery, child marriage and beating women as all were practiced or advocated by Muhammed. This justification by the holy book is something all fundamentalists of every religion seem happy to do. But they pick and choose which bits they follow, which bits they say are as valid now as then, and which bits are too archaic for modern times.
As of late 2015, there were reportedly 900 women trafficked to Saudia Arabia. The women thought they were going to be nurses, teacher and childminders but were instead domestic servants confined to their workplaces, their passports taken from them and with a strong likelihood of physical and sexual harrassment. Since Indonesia and the Phillipines have cracked down on recruitment from Saudi Arabia in their country, it seems that Mauritania has been chosen to take up the slack.
So now we know why this book is so upbeat about the little girl's ambition to wear the pretty hijab, malafa, of her older sister and mother, she hasn't got anything else to look forward to except the 'beautiful tradition of protecting a woman as a precious jewel' by covering her from head to toe. Still at least it isn't black crow cloth.
I do wonder about the reviewers who have given this a 5* and said it is a beautiful story. I think the little Mauritanian girls would find it more beautiful if they had the whole world of careers and adventure and marrying the man they love rather than being sold as children to a pervert. Hijab doesn't come into it, headscarves and modest dress don't interfere with a girl making her own way in the world at all.
Read this CNN - Slavery's last stronghold
November 22, 2019
Read for my daughter. Cute book. Great illustrations. What a malafa is for.. a rhyming read. A few foreign language words in the story along with English.
January 16, 2015
Deception.
Is anyone reading this book even familiar with the horrors of Mauritania? I doubt most westerners could even locate it on a map.
I work with a school near the Tana River in Kenya and am well acquainted with the various forms of Islam in East and West Africa. I could also tell you of the commonness of ten year-old brides, usually the third or fourth wife of an egocentric brute (following in the footsteps of their pedophile founder, Mohammed). The strains of African Islam vary in their fanaticism, but the end result is always the same: bondage, abuse, and despair.
Modesty is applaudible, but not when it comes in the form of ownership and slavery. Islam is a political ideology as much as it is a cult, and its mission is conquest. I challenge anyone reading this to think of a single Muslim they know who is joyful. It doesn't happen, because Islam in any form is a yoke, a burden. Islam has never been responsible for medical breakthroughs, technological advancements, or any other kind of humanitarian benevolence. It's a path of gloom.
All that to say that it makes my skin crawl to see such an ideology packaged so prettily in the honorable wrappings of tradition and lore. Like a bag of decaying bones in a shiny, marble mausoleum this book is a colorful crypt. Frightful to indoctrinate small children this way. I wish those who gave this book such high ratings had one week to live out what they tolerate so well from a distance.
Is anyone reading this book even familiar with the horrors of Mauritania? I doubt most westerners could even locate it on a map.
I work with a school near the Tana River in Kenya and am well acquainted with the various forms of Islam in East and West Africa. I could also tell you of the commonness of ten year-old brides, usually the third or fourth wife of an egocentric brute (following in the footsteps of their pedophile founder, Mohammed). The strains of African Islam vary in their fanaticism, but the end result is always the same: bondage, abuse, and despair.
Modesty is applaudible, but not when it comes in the form of ownership and slavery. Islam is a political ideology as much as it is a cult, and its mission is conquest. I challenge anyone reading this to think of a single Muslim they know who is joyful. It doesn't happen, because Islam in any form is a yoke, a burden. Islam has never been responsible for medical breakthroughs, technological advancements, or any other kind of humanitarian benevolence. It's a path of gloom.
All that to say that it makes my skin crawl to see such an ideology packaged so prettily in the honorable wrappings of tradition and lore. Like a bag of decaying bones in a shiny, marble mausoleum this book is a colorful crypt. Frightful to indoctrinate small children this way. I wish those who gave this book such high ratings had one week to live out what they tolerate so well from a distance.
July 27, 2016
This is a strange little book. Cute, but strange. I'm not quite sure how to review it, as I know some of my prejudices are getting in the way of me giving the book a higher rating. And yet, I can't shake a sense of unease when I read about a little girl being culturally and religiously indoctrinated.
The book takes place in Mauritania. In the author's note, the author states that she lived there from 2008 to 2009. I was not familiar with Mauritania except for one thing: I remembered that they practiced a form of force-feeding called leblouh to make the girls as fat as possible (since obesity is a status symbol in that culture). Many claim that this practice has stopped. But after a military junta took control in 2008, the practice has made a comeback, especially among poorer Mauritanians. This was not addressed at all in the story, but there are some fatter women depicted in some of the illustrations, and one particular illustration of the little girl reclining on her grandmother's lap while they have a snack takes on some rather scary new connotations.
I also wasn't sold on the whole premise of the book. When Lalla concludes that a malafa is for faith, it seems rather abstract. The book shows men and women praying (separately, of course), but there's little else that could help explain what "faith" is... or even what it means to the little girl.
The writing was fairly good, with its evocative turns of phrase. But it was also a bit strange, as it was in the second person. It tells the story of Lalla, and yet it also refers to her as "you". I'm not sure why the author chose to do this. Perhaps she thought it sounded more artsy.
The illustrations are really the best part of this book. They're simple, but bright and colourful. It looks like they're a combination of drawings and paper collage. The colours as described in the story itself come alive on the page, giving the whole book a warm and exotic feel that puts one in mind of its desert setting.
I'm not sure if I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book or not. The illustrations are worth looking at, and the poetic language of the story is lovely... but it seems to be a bit light on plot and message. Kids who take the book at face value and don't ask a lot of questions might get more out of this than more inquisitive children. If I had read this when I was younger, I probably would've had a lot of questions that even the author's note wouldn't have been able to answer.
Quotable moment:
The book takes place in Mauritania. In the author's note, the author states that she lived there from 2008 to 2009. I was not familiar with Mauritania except for one thing: I remembered that they practiced a form of force-feeding called leblouh to make the girls as fat as possible (since obesity is a status symbol in that culture). Many claim that this practice has stopped. But after a military junta took control in 2008, the practice has made a comeback, especially among poorer Mauritanians. This was not addressed at all in the story, but there are some fatter women depicted in some of the illustrations, and one particular illustration of the little girl reclining on her grandmother's lap while they have a snack takes on some rather scary new connotations.
I also wasn't sold on the whole premise of the book. When Lalla concludes that a malafa is for faith, it seems rather abstract. The book shows men and women praying (separately, of course), but there's little else that could help explain what "faith" is... or even what it means to the little girl.
The writing was fairly good, with its evocative turns of phrase. But it was also a bit strange, as it was in the second person. It tells the story of Lalla, and yet it also refers to her as "you". I'm not sure why the author chose to do this. Perhaps she thought it sounded more artsy.
The illustrations are really the best part of this book. They're simple, but bright and colourful. It looks like they're a combination of drawings and paper collage. The colours as described in the story itself come alive on the page, giving the whole book a warm and exotic feel that puts one in mind of its desert setting.
I'm not sure if I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book or not. The illustrations are worth looking at, and the poetic language of the story is lovely... but it seems to be a bit light on plot and message. Kids who take the book at face value and don't ask a lot of questions might get more out of this than more inquisitive children. If I had read this when I was younger, I probably would've had a lot of questions that even the author's note wouldn't have been able to answer.
Quotable moment:
Trees of red flowers bloom with heat.
Acadia pods rattle, and fruit bats sleep.
Grandmother sits on a cushion to brew tea,
her malafa the robe of ancient royalty.
More than all the mint leaves sold in the market,
you want a malafa so you can be like a long-ago queen too.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
December 19, 2015
While this book is beautifully written and illustrated, it paints an attractive picture of an extremely controversial tradition, requiring women to be completely covered from head to toe. As a work of fiction, the author has chosen to use the naivety of a young girl to celebrate a practice that is inconsistent with the beliefs of many Americans and yet she specifically had the book published for the American audience. Had it been a work of nonfiction, this tradition would have been represented as one part of that specific culture rather than presenting it more broadly. I would not want any girl I know to read this book without a serious conversation about women’s roles in society, how that varies by culture, and how this book contrasts with my beliefs. My belief is that these garment requirements enslave women limiting their ability to do many activities, negatively affecting their overall health, and blaming the victim for the actions of men in society. These paternalistic traditions are not unique to Islam, but exist in most fundamental religions be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or others. Unfortunately, this book and its positive reviews on this site demonstrates the insidious nature of the subjection of women which results in the women buying into their own enslavement in the name of carrying on tradition. If you disagree, please take the time to read Jimmy Carter’s book, A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power.
December 16, 2014
Young Lalla wants to wear a malafa, a covering some Muslim women wear in Mautitania to cover themselves when they go out in public. Lalla thinks the malafa is beautiful, mysterious, to look like a long ago queen,to belong like the older girls and women. It isn't until Lalla realizes the most important reason for a malafa that she is given one.
The colors are amazing in this book, so bright and vibrant. Deep in the Sahara is a beautiful coming of age story for a young girl to understand the importance of the colorful malafa that all the women around her wear and it's significance to their faith.
This is a wonderful book for introducing why Muslim women cover themselves and gives respect to them for making the choice.
The colors are amazing in this book, so bright and vibrant. Deep in the Sahara is a beautiful coming of age story for a young girl to understand the importance of the colorful malafa that all the women around her wear and it's significance to their faith.
This is a wonderful book for introducing why Muslim women cover themselves and gives respect to them for making the choice.
June 2, 2024
"Boys in turbans on donkeys go.
Men in white boubou stroll.
Your sister, Selma, in a malafa glows.
Nothing but dark eyes show.
More than all the camels in the land,
you want a malafa so you can be mysterious too."
Five stars is not enough to express how much I love this book. The story itself, the writing, the illustrations... just seriously aren't enough stars.
I saw this book for the first time at a book festival and was a little anxious as I picked it up to read. Another 'woohoo-we're-so-tolerant-and-inclusive' book? Another 'we're-just-like-you-but-in-hijab' book? Another 'look-how-exotic-Muslims-are' book? By the time I got to the end of reading I was actually trying not to bawl in a crowded tent. I am not a cryer. It was that beautiful. Rather than using Muslims to communicate someone's ideology or views, this is actually a book about the true meaning behind hijab. So cutely told and by a non-Muslim too!
The story is set in Mauitania. Little Lalla is admiring her female family members and the covering (malafa) they all wear. She tells them she wants to wear it to be beautiful, to be grown up, to be mysterious... and one by one her family members tell her that's not why it is worn. At the end of the book it clicks for her and she realises, the covering is not for superficial reasons; it's not to look a certain way or to fit in and really it's about your relationship with God. HOW PERFECT IS THAT? Yes, this book should be on every Muslim girl's bookshelf. What made me love this book even more is that the publishers put it under the theme of 'growing up' (and they have a category for 'cultural diversity').
The words flow like spoken word poetry, sometimes rhyming and sometimes not but sounding so wonderful when read aloud. I bought this when my daughter had just turned 2 and, even though it has way more text on a page than she could handle at the time, she listened closely to every word. The running theme of Salah through it just reinforces the message of the book and of the fact that Muslims are praying throughout the day.
The book just made me so curious about who this author was and so it was lovely to see an author's note in the back explaining what this book was based on. She talks about Islamic practices and then about how she herself had prejudices about 'the veil' before living in Mauritania. After her experiences there, she began to see things differently and that was her motive for writing this book.
The graphics and pictures are lovely, portraying Mauritanian women going about their daily life in their malafa worn in all different ways. A few characters, like her sister Selma, cover their face too.
I definitely recommend this to any Muslim parents and to any non-Muslims wanting to expose their child to something more meaningful than 'Muslims are people too!'
Men in white boubou stroll.
Your sister, Selma, in a malafa glows.
Nothing but dark eyes show.
More than all the camels in the land,
you want a malafa so you can be mysterious too."
Five stars is not enough to express how much I love this book. The story itself, the writing, the illustrations... just seriously aren't enough stars.
I saw this book for the first time at a book festival and was a little anxious as I picked it up to read. Another 'woohoo-we're-so-tolerant-and-inclusive' book? Another 'we're-just-like-you-but-in-hijab' book? Another 'look-how-exotic-Muslims-are' book? By the time I got to the end of reading I was actually trying not to bawl in a crowded tent. I am not a cryer. It was that beautiful. Rather than using Muslims to communicate someone's ideology or views, this is actually a book about the true meaning behind hijab. So cutely told and by a non-Muslim too!
The story is set in Mauitania. Little Lalla is admiring her female family members and the covering (malafa) they all wear. She tells them she wants to wear it to be beautiful, to be grown up, to be mysterious... and one by one her family members tell her that's not why it is worn. At the end of the book it clicks for her and she realises, the covering is not for superficial reasons; it's not to look a certain way or to fit in and really it's about your relationship with God. HOW PERFECT IS THAT? Yes, this book should be on every Muslim girl's bookshelf. What made me love this book even more is that the publishers put it under the theme of 'growing up' (and they have a category for 'cultural diversity').
The words flow like spoken word poetry, sometimes rhyming and sometimes not but sounding so wonderful when read aloud. I bought this when my daughter had just turned 2 and, even though it has way more text on a page than she could handle at the time, she listened closely to every word. The running theme of Salah through it just reinforces the message of the book and of the fact that Muslims are praying throughout the day.
The book just made me so curious about who this author was and so it was lovely to see an author's note in the back explaining what this book was based on. She talks about Islamic practices and then about how she herself had prejudices about 'the veil' before living in Mauritania. After her experiences there, she began to see things differently and that was her motive for writing this book.
The graphics and pictures are lovely, portraying Mauritanian women going about their daily life in their malafa worn in all different ways. A few characters, like her sister Selma, cover their face too.
I definitely recommend this to any Muslim parents and to any non-Muslims wanting to expose their child to something more meaningful than 'Muslims are people too!'
March 24, 2016
Review copy from Edelweiss
Deep in the Sahara is a beautiful book in more ways than one. The text is lyrical and almost sings. "Trees of red flowers bloom with heat. Acacia pods rattle, and fruit bats sleep." My fifteen year old picked it up and started reading silently, but then decided it needed to be read aloud. I loved that she read it to me. We agreed that it sounds like poetry even if it isn't labeled that way. The illustrations are fantastic too. The endpapers look like cloth and the rest of the book is filled with wonderful scenes created with collage. The colors are vibrant and the patterns are interesting, but not so busy that they are distracting. Each character in the story is unique and I loved seeing the individual women. The video below introduces the artist and shows a bit of her technique. (The video may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1QAR...)
The story itself is also beautiful as we see a young girl yearning to be like the women around her with their lovely malafas. This is a coming of age story and it is a story of women. I loved that the entire book is showing how the women in the community support a young girl. Lalla is finding out about wearing the malafa from the many women in her life. In the author's note at the end, Cunnane explains that she lived in Mauritania for a time and the people there taught her about the Muslim faith and how they lived it. She wanted to write this book to share what she had learned especially since before she lived there, she had believed that the veil was repressive to women and after sharing in their lives, her opinion had changed.
Cunnane was writing as an outsider, but she has been traveling, teaching, and living among many cultures for years and writes carefully with much research and seems to have worked closely with the people she is representing. The book appears to be done very respectfully and in a spirit that celebrates the culture.
I am looking forward to sharing this with my students and will likely pair it with Time to Pray by Maha Addasi and/or The Swirling Hijab by Na'ima B. Robert, two books that also touch on the subject of Muslim prayer from a female perspective.
This review was originally posted at http://readingtl.blogspot.com/2013/11...
Deep in the Sahara is a beautiful book in more ways than one. The text is lyrical and almost sings. "Trees of red flowers bloom with heat. Acacia pods rattle, and fruit bats sleep." My fifteen year old picked it up and started reading silently, but then decided it needed to be read aloud. I loved that she read it to me. We agreed that it sounds like poetry even if it isn't labeled that way. The illustrations are fantastic too. The endpapers look like cloth and the rest of the book is filled with wonderful scenes created with collage. The colors are vibrant and the patterns are interesting, but not so busy that they are distracting. Each character in the story is unique and I loved seeing the individual women. The video below introduces the artist and shows a bit of her technique. (The video may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1QAR...)
The story itself is also beautiful as we see a young girl yearning to be like the women around her with their lovely malafas. This is a coming of age story and it is a story of women. I loved that the entire book is showing how the women in the community support a young girl. Lalla is finding out about wearing the malafa from the many women in her life. In the author's note at the end, Cunnane explains that she lived in Mauritania for a time and the people there taught her about the Muslim faith and how they lived it. She wanted to write this book to share what she had learned especially since before she lived there, she had believed that the veil was repressive to women and after sharing in their lives, her opinion had changed.
Cunnane was writing as an outsider, but she has been traveling, teaching, and living among many cultures for years and writes carefully with much research and seems to have worked closely with the people she is representing. The book appears to be done very respectfully and in a spirit that celebrates the culture.
I am looking forward to sharing this with my students and will likely pair it with Time to Pray by Maha Addasi and/or The Swirling Hijab by Na'ima B. Robert, two books that also touch on the subject of Muslim prayer from a female perspective.
This review was originally posted at http://readingtl.blogspot.com/2013/11...
June 14, 2015
Text Connection:
Text to Self:
My connection came from reading the Author's Note included at the end of the book. In this note the author explains her change in point of view from regarding wearing veils as "repressive to women" to a "colorful expression of their faith and culture offered a surprisingly positive view" of the custom. For me it was a moment where I realized that I too probably had suffered under the false assumption of only having one story for Muslim women who wear veils and other cultural dress, feeling sorry for them and their position and not realizing they could be joyful in their cultural traditions.
Rationale:
This book is culturally specific as it deals with the women in Mauritania, West Africa. After reading it and reviewing the chapter we read in class, I would classify this not only as "multicultural" but also "international" as well. The storyline was dependent on the many specific ways the character views the wearing of the malafa. Without those ideas and cultural examples (for beauty, mystery, acceptance, tradition, faith), there would be no story.
Bloom's Taxonomy:
Remembering: Where did Lalla and her mother go to pray?
Understanding: How would you characterize Lalla?
Applying: Show how Lalla is like a typical American girl and how she is different.
Analyzing: How is the use of 2nd person effective in this story?
Evaluating: Justify why the mother finally gives Lalla a malafa.
Creating: Invent another reason why Lalla would want to wear the malafa and a response from another woman in the community.
Text to Self:
My connection came from reading the Author's Note included at the end of the book. In this note the author explains her change in point of view from regarding wearing veils as "repressive to women" to a "colorful expression of their faith and culture offered a surprisingly positive view" of the custom. For me it was a moment where I realized that I too probably had suffered under the false assumption of only having one story for Muslim women who wear veils and other cultural dress, feeling sorry for them and their position and not realizing they could be joyful in their cultural traditions.
Rationale:
This book is culturally specific as it deals with the women in Mauritania, West Africa. After reading it and reviewing the chapter we read in class, I would classify this not only as "multicultural" but also "international" as well. The storyline was dependent on the many specific ways the character views the wearing of the malafa. Without those ideas and cultural examples (for beauty, mystery, acceptance, tradition, faith), there would be no story.
Bloom's Taxonomy:
Remembering: Where did Lalla and her mother go to pray?
Understanding: How would you characterize Lalla?
Applying: Show how Lalla is like a typical American girl and how she is different.
Analyzing: How is the use of 2nd person effective in this story?
Evaluating: Justify why the mother finally gives Lalla a malafa.
Creating: Invent another reason why Lalla would want to wear the malafa and a response from another woman in the community.
August 2, 2013
Juvenile Fiction/Girls & Women
Ages 4-8, Preschool to 3rd
Pages: 40 Hardcover 10x10"
Date Published: October 8th, 2013
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (Random House)
I am a Christian with a degree in Religious Studies and I think having picture books to introduce children to other cultures and belief systems is important. This would also be fabulous in a Muslim home with a daughter maturing in her faith. Full of vocabulary this story with lovely illustrations follows a Mauritanian (West Africa) girl around as she desires to be like the adult women in her life wearing a malafa (cloth wrap of the Muslim faith). Full of opportunities to show and teach multiculturalism, this book is very appropriate for demonstrating difference in a coming of age experience.
The only issue I had was in the small print/font. Yet I read a digital advanced reader copy and that make vary with the final book.
Ages 4-8, Preschool to 3rd
Pages: 40 Hardcover 10x10"
Date Published: October 8th, 2013
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (Random House)
I am a Christian with a degree in Religious Studies and I think having picture books to introduce children to other cultures and belief systems is important. This would also be fabulous in a Muslim home with a daughter maturing in her faith. Full of vocabulary this story with lovely illustrations follows a Mauritanian (West Africa) girl around as she desires to be like the adult women in her life wearing a malafa (cloth wrap of the Muslim faith). Full of opportunities to show and teach multiculturalism, this book is very appropriate for demonstrating difference in a coming of age experience.
The only issue I had was in the small print/font. Yet I read a digital advanced reader copy and that make vary with the final book.
Read
May 11, 2017An informative, captivating story of a Muslim girl's wish.
-- Monty K.
-- Monty K.
June 29, 2019
This is BEAUTIFUL!! The text and illustrations are lovely. A young girl, Lalla, watches her mother's malafa blow in the wind as she prays. Lalla wants a malafa to be beautiful like her mother, but her mother says a malafa is for more than beauty. Lalla sees her sister wrapped in a malafa and wishes to wear a malafa to be mysterious like her elder sister. She sees her grandmother wrapped in a malafa, resting and looking like royalty. But a malafa is more than these things she sees...perhaps if she figures out what a malafa is for she will be ready to wear one. I love that this so beautifully and respectfully gives readers a peek into the meaning behind the malafa.
November 1, 2018
The book “Deep in the Sahara” is a realistic fiction which is set in a country in West Africa called Mauritania.The story is of a girl named Lalla who wants to wear a Malafa and so is going through a journey of understanding what it means and stands for. Lalla uses the women around her as a source of information and reaches to a different conclusion after talking to each one of them. She first thinks that a Malafa is worn because it is beautiful but after meeting her sister she thinks it is about being mysterious. Her understanding evolves and at the end she comes to the conclusion that a Malafa is worn for all those reasons but most importantly because it represents her faith.
This has to be my all time favorite book that I will definitely have in my book and will read to the children in my family. The book is age appropriate and would be best if read with 7 year olds or above. The text in the book contains a lot of information that introduces new terms from a different language, a different culture and setting as well as different beliefs. The illustrations are colorful and engaging, children would find them interesting and keep them engaged with the story because the images correlate with the text very well. The illustrations show a variety in the Malafa, it shows women wearing it that show their face and some that cover their face. It background of the images reinforces the setting by showing Mosques and Islamic calligraphy that tells us this is in a Muslim country or area.
The text is the most important part of the book, and the part that I loved the most. As a Muslim women myself that covers her face I had never seen a book that explains this concept in a better way. Even as an adult I sometimes struggle with explaining why I wear it to other people but this book does an amazing job at that. It shows the journey the main character goes through when she is trying to figure out why the women around her wear the Malafa. As she is going through this journey the people around her guide her in the right direction but at the end she figures it out herself. She explains the multiple reasons why women wear it and comes to embrace it by wearing and praying at the end.
The book does a good job with showing the culture and explaining the issue of the malafa. One thing I am a little skeptical about is the illustrations in the background. A stereotype that people have of Muslims is that they live in a third world country where they do not have access to many things. The book shows camels, donkeys and women carrying water which is a stereotype many have of Muslims that come from Africa. However, the author writes in her personal note that she lived in Mauritania (country in Africa) and the book is set in this country. I have personally never been there so I can not say if the living conditions are in reality as the book shows but I can say that it is a stereotype that many have.
This has to be my all time favorite book that I will definitely have in my book and will read to the children in my family. The book is age appropriate and would be best if read with 7 year olds or above. The text in the book contains a lot of information that introduces new terms from a different language, a different culture and setting as well as different beliefs. The illustrations are colorful and engaging, children would find them interesting and keep them engaged with the story because the images correlate with the text very well. The illustrations show a variety in the Malafa, it shows women wearing it that show their face and some that cover their face. It background of the images reinforces the setting by showing Mosques and Islamic calligraphy that tells us this is in a Muslim country or area.
The text is the most important part of the book, and the part that I loved the most. As a Muslim women myself that covers her face I had never seen a book that explains this concept in a better way. Even as an adult I sometimes struggle with explaining why I wear it to other people but this book does an amazing job at that. It shows the journey the main character goes through when she is trying to figure out why the women around her wear the Malafa. As she is going through this journey the people around her guide her in the right direction but at the end she figures it out herself. She explains the multiple reasons why women wear it and comes to embrace it by wearing and praying at the end.
The book does a good job with showing the culture and explaining the issue of the malafa. One thing I am a little skeptical about is the illustrations in the background. A stereotype that people have of Muslims is that they live in a third world country where they do not have access to many things. The book shows camels, donkeys and women carrying water which is a stereotype many have of Muslims that come from Africa. However, the author writes in her personal note that she lived in Mauritania (country in Africa) and the book is set in this country. I have personally never been there so I can not say if the living conditions are in reality as the book shows but I can say that it is a stereotype that many have.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2014
Lalla wants to wear a malafa, just like all the girls and women in her Mauritania, West African village. She says would like to wear a malafa so she can be beautiful like her mother, but her mother tells her that a malafa is for more than just beauty.
Lalla's sister looks mysterious in her malafa, but she tells Lalla that a malafa is for more than just mystery.
When she tells cousin Aisha she would like to wear a colorful malafa to be a lady, again she is told that a malafa is for more than just being a lady.
And Grandmother tells her a malafa is for more than just tradition, when Lalla approaches her.
When Lalla looks around her and sees the men going to pray in mosques, and the women praying in quiet places, she tells her mother that she wants to wear a malafa so she can pray just like her mother. To her surprise, her mother brings out a beautiful blue malafa and wraps Lalla in it, just like all the girls and women in the village wear theirs.
Slowly, mother and daughter ascend the stairs and Lalla tells her mother that she knows was a malafa is for - it is for faith.
Deep in the Sahara is a lovely story about a young girl (and young readers) learning to understand and appreciate this very important aspect of her Muslim religion. In her Author's Note, Kelly Cunnane writes that before she went to live in Mauritainia, she had viewed wearing the veil as repressive, an idea that I think many non-Muslims have. But she said, once there she realized that it was a positive expression of Islam and she changed her way of thinking about wearing a malafa. This book is an expression of what Cunnane discovered. It certainly reflects the colorful, confident ease with which the women wear their malafas, but shows the importance of understanding just why a girl would chose to do so.
The lovely, colorful college illustrations by Hoda Hadadi, an Iranian artist, adds so much in showing the reader a strong, supportive community and close family relationships that exist in this part of the world. I particularly like the was she showed the different ways women might express themselves in the color and pattern choices of their malafas.
Be sure to read the Author's Note and look at the small glossary of Arabic words used throughout the story. This is a book that will go far in increasing our understanding of the Islamic religion.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
Lalla's sister looks mysterious in her malafa, but she tells Lalla that a malafa is for more than just mystery.
When she tells cousin Aisha she would like to wear a colorful malafa to be a lady, again she is told that a malafa is for more than just being a lady.
And Grandmother tells her a malafa is for more than just tradition, when Lalla approaches her.
When Lalla looks around her and sees the men going to pray in mosques, and the women praying in quiet places, she tells her mother that she wants to wear a malafa so she can pray just like her mother. To her surprise, her mother brings out a beautiful blue malafa and wraps Lalla in it, just like all the girls and women in the village wear theirs.
Slowly, mother and daughter ascend the stairs and Lalla tells her mother that she knows was a malafa is for - it is for faith.
Deep in the Sahara is a lovely story about a young girl (and young readers) learning to understand and appreciate this very important aspect of her Muslim religion. In her Author's Note, Kelly Cunnane writes that before she went to live in Mauritainia, she had viewed wearing the veil as repressive, an idea that I think many non-Muslims have. But she said, once there she realized that it was a positive expression of Islam and she changed her way of thinking about wearing a malafa. This book is an expression of what Cunnane discovered. It certainly reflects the colorful, confident ease with which the women wear their malafas, but shows the importance of understanding just why a girl would chose to do so.
The lovely, colorful college illustrations by Hoda Hadadi, an Iranian artist, adds so much in showing the reader a strong, supportive community and close family relationships that exist in this part of the world. I particularly like the was she showed the different ways women might express themselves in the color and pattern choices of their malafas.
Be sure to read the Author's Note and look at the small glossary of Arabic words used throughout the story. This is a book that will go far in increasing our understanding of the Islamic religion.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
April 24, 2015
Text-to-World connections
This K-3 picture book looks at Mauritania, a Muslim country in Western Africa. Told through the eyes of a young Muslim girl who longs to wear a "malafa" like her mother, sister, and grandmother, the book's main focus is on the purpose of the garment. Informing the reader about aspects of the Muslim culture in a very positive way. While many westerners see traditional female Muslim clothing and coverings as repressive, the perspective of Cunnane's book explains that it is a choice and a show of faith.
This is often true in the real world. Western thinkers often view women of the Muslim faith as having no rights, forced to adhere to the antiquated traditions of their culture where men decide everything, and women are property. What I think often gets left out is the feeling of belonging within a culture. Not everyone wants the same things, and while I am very thankful to be a Christian living in the United States, I'm sure there are many Muslims in Mauritania who are thankful to live in Western Africa. Lalla, the little girl in Kelly Cunnane's book sees wearing the malafa as token of beauty and describes her how her mother and grandmother look as they complete tasks through out the day in their beautifully colored malafa's. However, Lalla's mother points out that the malafa is not just something to feel beautiful and mysterious, it is also a symbol of faith. Only when Lalla tells her mother that she wants to wear the Malafa so that she can pray like her mother, sister, and grandmother does she finally get to.
Bloom's Taxonomy Questions
Remembering: What is a malafa?
Understanding: Can you explain why all the women that Lalla talks to tell her what the malafa is not for?
Applying: What examples from the story can you find to support the respect that the adult women in the story have for the malafa?
Analyzing: What are some of the motives the author might have had in writing this story from a young girl's perspective?
Evaluating: What influences could this story have on young readers?
Creating: After reading this book and Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns what other books could be used to respectfully show cultural traditions? What other cultures would you explore?
This K-3 picture book looks at Mauritania, a Muslim country in Western Africa. Told through the eyes of a young Muslim girl who longs to wear a "malafa" like her mother, sister, and grandmother, the book's main focus is on the purpose of the garment. Informing the reader about aspects of the Muslim culture in a very positive way. While many westerners see traditional female Muslim clothing and coverings as repressive, the perspective of Cunnane's book explains that it is a choice and a show of faith.
This is often true in the real world. Western thinkers often view women of the Muslim faith as having no rights, forced to adhere to the antiquated traditions of their culture where men decide everything, and women are property. What I think often gets left out is the feeling of belonging within a culture. Not everyone wants the same things, and while I am very thankful to be a Christian living in the United States, I'm sure there are many Muslims in Mauritania who are thankful to live in Western Africa. Lalla, the little girl in Kelly Cunnane's book sees wearing the malafa as token of beauty and describes her how her mother and grandmother look as they complete tasks through out the day in their beautifully colored malafa's. However, Lalla's mother points out that the malafa is not just something to feel beautiful and mysterious, it is also a symbol of faith. Only when Lalla tells her mother that she wants to wear the Malafa so that she can pray like her mother, sister, and grandmother does she finally get to.
Bloom's Taxonomy Questions
Remembering: What is a malafa?
Understanding: Can you explain why all the women that Lalla talks to tell her what the malafa is not for?
Applying: What examples from the story can you find to support the respect that the adult women in the story have for the malafa?
Analyzing: What are some of the motives the author might have had in writing this story from a young girl's perspective?
Evaluating: What influences could this story have on young readers?
Creating: After reading this book and Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns what other books could be used to respectfully show cultural traditions? What other cultures would you explore?
April 19, 2015
1. Text to self: I appreciated how the malafa was viewed with such beauty, intrigue and mystery. In the author’s note at the end, the author admits she first thought the malafa was repressive to women, but through her time in Mauritania, West Africa, she realized the malafa was actually a “colorful expression of their faith.” There are often misinterpretations of religious customs when viewed from people “outside” the community, especially if it seems to go against mainstream culture. I often feel people misinterpret many of Catholicism’s beliefs, or at least don’t see the whole picture, especially when it comes to birth control. Many in and outside the church don’t understand the absolute beauty behind the Theology of the Body, and why the church teaches against it; however, I’ve heard, read and personally experienced, so many people, once they take the time to learn the reasons behind this church teaching, come to realize that it too is a beautiful, mysterious, tradition of faith.
2. Deep in the Sahara follows a little girl named Lalla as she sees older women in her life wearing a malafa (“beautiful, colorful cloth that some Muslim women in Mauritania wear to cover their clothing and heads when they go out in public”). The book explains why women wear a malafa: “for beauty… for mystery… for tradition and belonging” and for faith. The illustrations expose children to a culture different than America: camels, people praying on prayer mats, men in turbans, dessert sands, and women carrying pots on their heads. Some Mauritanian words are also used (and explained in the glossary in the back): boubou, sahai, zaiyn.
3.
Remembering: What is a malafa?
Understanding: Why does Lalla want to wear a malafa?
Applying: How is wearing a malafa similar to a faith tradition you know of: wearing a cross necklace, dressing modestly, nun’s habits?
Analyzing: Why do you think the author wanted to tell this story?
Evaluating: How do you feel about the tradition of wearing a malafa?
Creating: Write a scene where Lalla asks her dad about wearing a malafa. What do you think he would say?
2. Deep in the Sahara follows a little girl named Lalla as she sees older women in her life wearing a malafa (“beautiful, colorful cloth that some Muslim women in Mauritania wear to cover their clothing and heads when they go out in public”). The book explains why women wear a malafa: “for beauty… for mystery… for tradition and belonging” and for faith. The illustrations expose children to a culture different than America: camels, people praying on prayer mats, men in turbans, dessert sands, and women carrying pots on their heads. Some Mauritanian words are also used (and explained in the glossary in the back): boubou, sahai, zaiyn.
3.
Remembering: What is a malafa?
Understanding: Why does Lalla want to wear a malafa?
Applying: How is wearing a malafa similar to a faith tradition you know of: wearing a cross necklace, dressing modestly, nun’s habits?
Analyzing: Why do you think the author wanted to tell this story?
Evaluating: How do you feel about the tradition of wearing a malafa?
Creating: Write a scene where Lalla asks her dad about wearing a malafa. What do you think he would say?
Read
February 19, 2016Rationale:
"Deep in the Sahara" by Kelly Cunnane is a good book for younger students to expose them to other culture and faith such as the Mauritanians. It is about a little girl named Lalla, who lives in Mauritania. Lalla noticed that every woman in her country wear a malafa, a traditional cloth for woman, and she liked it and wanted to wear it like her mother and sister. This story would be a good example of cultural diversity books and give the students another perspective of how other people lives. Additionally, it gives the students a great opportunity to read about different countries and culture and, moreover, different faith and traditions. As the author illustrated the reason of wearing malafa by stating that it is not just for beauty and mystery or to honor tradition, but it was for their faith.
Connection:
Text to self:
I would absolutely connect this story to myself, because Mauritian faith seems similar to my faith. In my country all women should wear a hijab, a headscarf worn in public by some Muslim women. Most of the little girls in my country want to try the hijab, epically, when they see their mothers or older sisters wear it. My young sister sometimes takes my hijab to try it and say: I want to grow up fast to wear a hijab like you and like my mother
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Remembering: what was the color of Lalla malafa?
Understanding: why Lalla wants to wear a malafa?
Applying: Can you think of another country in which women wear malafas?
Analyzing: what is the main reason of wearing a malafa?
Evaluating: Do you agree with Lalla decision to wear a malafa while she is still a young girl?
Creating: Can you draw a picture for a new colorful malafa for Lalla?
"Deep in the Sahara" by Kelly Cunnane is a good book for younger students to expose them to other culture and faith such as the Mauritanians. It is about a little girl named Lalla, who lives in Mauritania. Lalla noticed that every woman in her country wear a malafa, a traditional cloth for woman, and she liked it and wanted to wear it like her mother and sister. This story would be a good example of cultural diversity books and give the students another perspective of how other people lives. Additionally, it gives the students a great opportunity to read about different countries and culture and, moreover, different faith and traditions. As the author illustrated the reason of wearing malafa by stating that it is not just for beauty and mystery or to honor tradition, but it was for their faith.
Connection:
Text to self:
I would absolutely connect this story to myself, because Mauritian faith seems similar to my faith. In my country all women should wear a hijab, a headscarf worn in public by some Muslim women. Most of the little girls in my country want to try the hijab, epically, when they see their mothers or older sisters wear it. My young sister sometimes takes my hijab to try it and say: I want to grow up fast to wear a hijab like you and like my mother
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Remembering: what was the color of Lalla malafa?
Understanding: why Lalla wants to wear a malafa?
Applying: Can you think of another country in which women wear malafas?
Analyzing: what is the main reason of wearing a malafa?
Evaluating: Do you agree with Lalla decision to wear a malafa while she is still a young girl?
Creating: Can you draw a picture for a new colorful malafa for Lalla?
January 3, 2016
Set in Mauritania, West Africa, this book tells the story of a young girl who wants a malafa, the headscarf and veil that the Muslim women there wear in accordance with their faith. The girl wants one because they are beautiful, mysterious, and the robe of ancient queens. Each time another female of her family tells her that the malafa is more than that. It is only when the girl realizes that the malafa is an important part of their religion, "Mama, ... I want a malafa so I can pray like you do," that she is given one.
This is a beautiful and rhythmic book. The main theme of growing up is one that all children can understand. I think that it is important to read children books like this one so that they can learn to appreciate the similarities and differences between cultures. Maybe if more children understood that they are alike in many ways then we would not have so many political problems in this world.
This is a beautiful and rhythmic book. The main theme of growing up is one that all children can understand. I think that it is important to read children books like this one so that they can learn to appreciate the similarities and differences between cultures. Maybe if more children understood that they are alike in many ways then we would not have so many political problems in this world.
March 10, 2014
Lalla cannot wait until she is old enough to wear the traditional malafa that the other women in the Muslim country of Mauritania wear. Malafas are beautiful, after all, and they help women look exotic and grown up. But when her mother answers the call to prayer, Lalla learns what a malafa truly stands for: faith. Then and only then is she ready for one.
I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the lyrical text is a delight to read aloud. The book's poetic devices -- especially the frequent use of onomatopoeia -- beg to be shared with a class. Lalla's frustration with not being old enough for something the big girls get makes this book very accessible, while the introduction to another culture adds interest and educational layers to the story.
I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the lyrical text is a delight to read aloud. The book's poetic devices -- especially the frequent use of onomatopoeia -- beg to be shared with a class. Lalla's frustration with not being old enough for something the big girls get makes this book very accessible, while the introduction to another culture adds interest and educational layers to the story.
July 7, 2017
All Lalla wants is to wear a malafa like her mother, older sister, and other women in her Saharan village. The malafa is a headdress, worn by girls starting as young as nine, as a practice of Islam in Mauritania, West Africa. While the headdress is full-length and often made of beautiful fabrics, provides mystery and protection from harsh winds in the desert, and is part of a centuries-long tradition, Lalla learns te malafa is also a source of belonging and a show of faith.
I knew very little about the Muslims in this area of the world, and I enjoyed the author's note at the end as much as the story itself. The illustrations were extremely respectful, honoring the faith and its practices and people without becoming a cartoon. Nicely done.
I knew very little about the Muslims in this area of the world, and I enjoyed the author's note at the end as much as the story itself. The illustrations were extremely respectful, honoring the faith and its practices and people without becoming a cartoon. Nicely done.
January 20, 2014
A young Muslim girl in Mauritania longs for a malafa, the long flowing veiled dress, that her older relatives wear. She wants to look like a beautiful, mysterious queen from long ago. The women in her family tell her that that's not the reason they wear the malafa. When she finally tells her mother she wants to wear it so she can pray with her, her mother gives her a malafa of her own. This beautifully illustrated book shows these garments not as repressive, but as an important (and yes, beautiful) part of Muslim women's faith in West Africa. A great book to share with kids to expand their knowledge of people of other cultures and religions.
December 20, 2014
I admire Kelly Cunnane's writing that reflects her experiences living in Africa. She writes not about the people, rather she writes OF them. This story brings much understanding of the significance of wearing a malafa.
The rhythm and repetition of the text are pleasing and soothing, and the collage illustrations are colorful and provide a basic simple understanding of the life of these people. Great for use with youngsters!
I'm surprised this is not a Caldecott contender, as the text and the illustrations work so well together!
The rhythm and repetition of the text are pleasing and soothing, and the collage illustrations are colorful and provide a basic simple understanding of the life of these people. Great for use with youngsters!
I'm surprised this is not a Caldecott contender, as the text and the illustrations work so well together!
January 10, 2015
I put books on order because I read wonderful reviews about them. When the boxes arrive it is like my birthday and Christmas all rolled up into one brown box. This book is one of those surprises.
The illustrations are stunning. The detail in the sand reminds me of growing up in the semi-desert of the Southern Okanogan valley. There is more richness and detail in what many see as baron land than you can imagine.
The story is so very sweet. Everyone can relate to this young girl's yearning to be like the older women and girls in her community.
The illustrations are stunning. The detail in the sand reminds me of growing up in the semi-desert of the Southern Okanogan valley. There is more richness and detail in what many see as baron land than you can imagine.
The story is so very sweet. Everyone can relate to this young girl's yearning to be like the older women and girls in her community.
November 17, 2013
Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane & Hoda Hadadi – What a beautiful, lovely, enchanting cultural book. Really showed how family traditions are embraced, respected and understood. It was so touching to read how a little girl wanted to show her mother that she was old enough to wear a malafa. What is a malafa? pretty cloth that Muslim women wear in Mauritania to cover their clothing and heads that they wear in public.
July 9, 2016
Written in a liltting language that takes the reader to a hot desert setting and in to a girl's young mind, this book is delightful merely as a story. It's tone is positive and curious and the colorful illustrations are the perfect complement. THEN I got a dose a reality and realized that the idealism in this book is deceptive in a "Deep Sahara" where child brides are the norm and bondage, abuse & despair is the life most women lead there.
March 19, 2016
A picture book is essentially a poem, and like a poem it can wring you like a cloth in a matter of seconds. This one is a beautiful story of a little girl who wants to grow up and wear a head covering like her mum (and sister and grandma and aunts) and her mum's insistence that she isn't ready until she understand what it's about. Faith.
I'm gonna be purchasing this one for my library. It's fantastic.
I'm gonna be purchasing this one for my library. It's fantastic.
December 26, 2013
Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Religion: Islam
Culture: Muslim West Africa
A wonderful look at the malafa and its significance in Muslim culture. Lalla admires the malafa for its beauty, mystery, tradition, and belonging but her mother waits for Lalla to find the true meaning (faith) of the wrap in order to get one herself.
Religion: Islam
Culture: Muslim West Africa
A wonderful look at the malafa and its significance in Muslim culture. Lalla admires the malafa for its beauty, mystery, tradition, and belonging but her mother waits for Lalla to find the true meaning (faith) of the wrap in order to get one herself.
March 24, 2015
Beautiful story that explains the tradition of the Muslims' traditional dress for women, the malafa. Use this book to inference the meaning of new words (traditional Hassaniya words) and look for patterns that the author used to describe the beautiful dress. The author included a great note that gives the reader additional information about the dress.
July 5, 2017
"A malafa is for faith."
A little girl observes all the older women in her life (mother, older sister, grandmother, aunt) and admires their malafa. How she wants one for beauty, for mystery, to be seen as a woman. But each woman tells her a "malafa is for more than that."
A story of family, tradition and faith.
A little girl observes all the older women in her life (mother, older sister, grandmother, aunt) and admires their malafa. How she wants one for beauty, for mystery, to be seen as a woman. But each woman tells her a "malafa is for more than that."
A story of family, tradition and faith.
July 17, 2014
I thought this 'book', was utterly revolting. Sexualising a little girl is positive ? What absolute evil rubbish. Mauretania is a vile place, where forced marriage, rape and FGM, wife beating and repression of women in every way, is rampant.
This Kelly Cunnane is a witless, wicked fool. And her book is witless, wicked rubbish.
This Kelly Cunnane is a witless, wicked fool. And her book is witless, wicked rubbish.
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