Awe-Samosas! by Marzieh Abbas illustrated by Bhagya Madanasighe
I was really enjoying this book about a determined young girl and her dad making samosas for friends, missing Dadijan, adapting and problem solving, an encouraging Urdu speaking parrot, a reference to Ramadan, and incredible illustrations… and then I froze. On page 32 of the 40 page book it says the word “pepperoni” clearly affirming that the Muslim girl who’s dupatta wearing Dadijan wakes up at fajr to call her, has made pepperoni pizza samosas for her friends. Perhaps I’m over reacting, it is one word, but I truly cannot get past it. The first time I recall asserting myself as Muslim was in preschool making pizzas and me telling my teacher at three and half years old that I cannot eat pepperoni. Sure as a middle aged adult, I know you can get beef or turkey or faux pepperoni, but the standard is pork, and this book does not clarify that it is not pork. The word is intentional, the story would be exactly the same if it were just a cheesy pizza samosa, yet it articulates it as a peperoni pizza samosa. And I truly cannot fathom why. Classrooms and libraries will shelve this book, teachers and librarians will read this book, little Muslim kids that look like Noor, are going to shrink when they get to that line: either they will question if we can have pepperoni (why else was it in Noor’s home), or have to now convince adults and classmates that the book is wrong in addition to explaining that Muslims do not eat pork, a big task for the intended audience of preschool to third grade. If you omit that one word, the book is wonderful, layered, joyful, and a lot of fun.
Noor’s friends are coming over, two girls and a boy, for the first time and Noor wants to make samosas to eat with them. It is too early to call Dadijaan in Pakistan, and Noor thinks she remembers how to make them. Abbu offers to order pizza, but Noor is determined, even when she discovers they don’t have the necessary ingredients. She puts on Dadijaan’s kitchen dupatta, and with her parrot, Mithoo, encouraging her every time she gets stuck with “Sab theek hai. Sab theek Hoga! Everything’s great, everything’s going to be okay!” Noor heads to plan B, Awe-Samosas, samosas with unique fillings.
Noor gets Abbu onboard and helping and when her friends arrive, the turmeric colored pastries are ready for eating. Some are apple-cinnamon filled, and remind Kaitlin of her grandma’s Fourth of July apple-pie, some are stuffed with honey and pistachio like baklava according to Layla, and Jonathan finds the cheesy peperoni samosa genius. When Dadijaan sees the pictures Abbu has sent at fajr, she calls and praises Noor with the friends hoping to have another samosa party when she is visiting next.
The book concludes with Dadijaan’s Special Samosa Recipe, and a Glossary. The book is widely available, including here on Amazon.