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A review by worldlibraries
Deep in the Sahara by Hoda Hadadi, Kelly Cunnane
4.0
I haven't been to Mauritania, so if the author and illustrator have chosen to accentuate the positive, that may be true and I can not critique that. She lived there two years. I have not. Given that this is the sole picture book available with Mauritania as a setting, I'm sure there is room in the market for someone who wants to write a book with a differing view.
This is a lovely book. It shares a universally-expressed wish young girls around the world often have, which is to wear clothes that express that 'I am now a grown-up.' In one country, it could be earrings, in another it could be jeans, in Mauritania it is a malafa.
Lalla's mother finally agrees with Lalla's request to wear a malafa when she surmises that Lalla is doing it for the right reasons: not to look more grown-up, but as an expression of faith.
Covering as an expression of faith is consistent with what covered women have told me in the years I have been around them in Turkey. So for what it is worth, that rings true to my experience.
Frankly, I think it is delightful to come across a book expressing the views of covered women, whether one agrees with them or not.
This is a lovely book. It shares a universally-expressed wish young girls around the world often have, which is to wear clothes that express that 'I am now a grown-up.' In one country, it could be earrings, in another it could be jeans, in Mauritania it is a malafa.
Lalla's mother finally agrees with Lalla's request to wear a malafa when she surmises that Lalla is doing it for the right reasons: not to look more grown-up, but as an expression of faith.
Covering as an expression of faith is consistent with what covered women have told me in the years I have been around them in Turkey. So for what it is worth, that rings true to my experience.
Frankly, I think it is delightful to come across a book expressing the views of covered women, whether one agrees with them or not.