Menon, Uma. My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages. Rahele Jomepour Bell, Illus. Candlewick, 02/2024. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-53622-251-7. GRADES 1–3. OUTSTANDING.
Sumi’s mother has a superpower: she can speak two languages fluently and can seamlessly switch from one to the other at the speed of sound. In this celebration of bilingualism and migration, Sumi offers the backstory of how her mother learned both Malayalam and English in her home state of Kerala in India, why she speaks English with an accent, and how important it is for her to be able to speak to her grandmother and her Kerala family in their own language. She points out the effort that it takes to learn a new language, and the exercise and practice it requires to speak fluently. The text includes a scant few words in Malayalam, and the illustrations show how a couple of words are written in that language. Illustrations by Bell are vibrant and colorful, featuring people with various shades of brown skin, and the weaving of languages is shown through swirls, tapestries, and quilts. The consistent and authentic depictions of Kerala culture in the illustrations include women wearing sarees and people eating on banana leaves. This book celebrates diversity and multiculturalism expressed through speaking more than one language, and deserves a place in all large children’s collections.
Armin Arethna—Berkeley Public Library