The Great Henna Party

Noor’s cousin is getting married tomorrow and the whole family is preparing to celebrate. Baba (Dad) has decorated the garden with colourful fabrics, lanterns, and flowers. They shimmer like treasure. 

Noor and her female relatives have gathered to sing songs, feast on delicious food, and – the most important part – dye their hands with henna for the big day.

Mama tells Noor of the ‘henna name game’ where the henna artist will hide the groom’s name in the bride’s intricately painted henna design and the groom must find it. Noor loves this funny game of hide-and-seek and wants to join in. But whose name should she choose? Her father, her mother, her grandmother, her grandfather, or her sister? It’s a tough choice as she loves them all, and she needs to pick soon as the party is almost over.  

This is a sweet, gentle tale about tradition, family, and celebration. With simple text and clear explanations, this is an accessible book even for children who are not familiar with the culture and the traditions involved in the story. The back matter includes further facts about henna in the form of a letter from the author. 

Zahra’s illustrations are beautifully whimsical and full of detail. She does a brilliant job of depicting the wonderful colours and textures you’d find at a South Asian celebration. The colour palette is warm and welcoming and the artwork is expressive and oozes joy.