Malaika is a young girl from a Caribbean Island where she lives with her grandmother. Her family lives in poverty, because of this her mother moved to Canada in search of a better job to help her family financially. Malaika is excited to participate in the carnival. She has been dreaming of dancing in her colorful peacock costume. The story is inspired by Caribbean culture and traditions, readers will learn about Caribbean traditions and different family dynamics.

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Writers' Award ,2018. SCBWI Canada East Rising Kite Award & Scholarship. A Different Booklist People's Award for Contribution in Children's Literature, 2016. Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Children's Literature Award , 2015-2016. Helen Issobel Sissons Canadian Children's Book Award for manuscript of Malaika's Costume, 2014.

Author lives in Toronto.

Canada. Originally published in English by Groundwood Books in 2016.

Malaika's mother can't buy her a carnival costume -- will she still be able to dance in the parade?

It's carnival time -- the first carnival since Malaika's mother moved to Canada to find a good job and provide for Malaika and her grandmother. Her mother promised she would send money for a costume, and Malaika marks off the days on her calendar as she waits for Mummy's letter to arrive. But when the letter finally comes, Malaika learns that there is no money for her costume.

Disappointed and upset at the thought of wearing her grandmother's hand-me-down costume, Malaika leaves the house, running into Ms. Chin, the tailor, who offers Malaika a bag of scrap fabric. With her grandmother's help, Malaika creates a patchwork rainbow peacock costume, and dances proudly in the parade.

This heartwarming story about family, community and the celebration of carnival is written in a blend of standard English and Caribbean patois. Nadia L. Hohn's warm prose and Irene Luxbacher's vibrant collage-style illustrations make this a strikingly original picture book.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.