Tahlia is enraptured by the dancers at the mehndi ahead of her cousin’s wedding as they leap, hop, twirl and snap through the air. She imagines herself ‘dazzling the crowd’ with her own dance moves, but she feels much too self-conscious to join the crowd on the dance floor, and knows her feet will turn into ‘heavy clay pots’ if she tries to dance in front of people.
Estie has been expelled, and we don’t know why, but something is not right … Sent to Scotland for the summer to stay with her unfamiliar Aunt Ru to see where her mum grew up. Estie must take this time to bond with her aunt, learn to communicate with her mum and find her voice to tell her story.
When Bea’s sister, Riley, reveals to her family that she is attracted to girls rather than boys, the family go on a trip to London Pride to show their support. For Bea it was a perfect day filled with memories, seeing her sister and family filled with pride and joy. However, tragedy strikes the family not long after, and Bea’s father passes away.
Many things are contained within the simple word ‘namaste’, and the young girl at the heart of this picturebook showcases just a few of them. As she goes through her day – going to the marketplace with her mother – she utters the word to say hello to her neighbour or her fellow bus passenger, uses the gesture to give thanks, to refocus on her thoughts, to console herself or give comfort to those around her. Behind every small moment, every encounter, namaste is a simple gesture with a resounding message of kindness that the heroine spreads around her.
