Jamela's Dress

by Niki Daly

Publishers Weekly :

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Daly (Bravo, Zan Angelo!) splashes luminous watercolors across the pages of this warmly evocative picture book, set in his native South Africa. Jamela's mother purchases a length of costly fabric for a wedding, and after washing it, leaves Jamela in charge of the cloth while it dries. Jamela, however, can't resist playing dress-up with the gorgeous material. As she struts through town trailing the fabric like a train, passersby greet her with the refrain "Kwela Jamela African Queen!" She poses for a triumphant photo, but is crestfallen when a boy on a bike accidentally spoils the fabric. But all's well that ends well-- when her photographer friend wins a cash prize for the photo he took of regal Jamela, he replaces the ruined material. Daly displays a knack for pinning down domestic details that will resonate with his audience, from Jamela teetering about in her mother's red shoes to the look of contrition on her face as she gets a scolding. The affectionate interaction between mother and daughter is particularly well delineated; the bond of love between them emanates from the warmth of the oranges and yellows in the fabric at the center of the tale. Subtle accents add to the exotic flavor of the setting, from the Nelson Mandela poster hanging on a shop's wall to the chickens running loose in the streets. A sympathetic and light-hearted slice of life. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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School Library Journal :
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K-Gr 2-Who could resist playful, imaginative Jamela? She falls in love with the fabric her mother buys to make herself a dress for a friend's wedding. Caressing its brightly colored patterns and wrapping herself in its softness, the child parades through town to cheers and chants of "Kwela Jamela African Queen!" Caught up in the moment, she doesn't realize that the beautiful fabric has been stained by bicycle grease and torn by chickens. Everyone is angry with her; "Even Jamela was cross with Jamela," but the day is saved by a young man who has captured the hilarity on film. A few days later, the photo wins a prize and the photographer offers Jamela some of the award money to replace the ruined fabric. Mama makes a magnificent dress for herself, as well as one for "Kwela Jamela African Queen!" The story is filled with the musical language of South Africa. Daly's illustrations are vibrant and colorful, and impart a child's-eye view of the world. Particularly effective are the endpapers that repeat the patterns of the bright orange, yellow, and green fabric. In a final note, the author reflects on his childhood memories, explaining the old and new meanings for the Nguni word kwela. A delightful read-aloud that will be enjoyed by a wide audience.-Joan Zaleski, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Review
: Booklist :
From Booklist, Apr. 1999, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Ages 3-7. In a happy wedding story set in a lively South African black township, Jamela gets in trouble when she messes up the special fabric her mother bought to make a dress for a family wedding. Daly's light-filled, rhythmic double-page spreads show Jamela dressed up in her mom's high-heeled shoes, dreamily stepping out with the brightly patterned fabric wrapped around her, parading through the streets, trailing through the dust, bumping into chickens, while the kids sing and chant "Kwela Jamela African Queen." Then there's a rude awakening when she suddenly realizes that the fabric is torn and dirty and Mama has nothing to wear to the wedding. Of course, everything ends happily for Mama and for Jamela. Kids will relate to the dressing up and the street commotion and also to the close-up scenes of Jamela and Mama in their house together. The fascinating, brief afterword about the role of "kwela" pennywhistle music played on the streets of Cape Town--under apartheid and now--will have readers wanting to know more about it. (Reviewed March 15, 1999)¾: Hazel Rochman.
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