100 Chapatis

In 100 Chapatis, Derek Mascarenhas and Shantala Robinson have collaborated to celebrate. This book is truly that: a celebration of intergenerational love, a celebration of food and culture, even a celebration of the complex emotions that accompany all major life shifts. What appears on the surface to be a simple premise, a book about making 100 chapatis, is really a multilayered celebration.

Simon and his pappa are awaiting the arrival of Simon’s new baby sibling. Patience is so hard, and babies have their own schedule, don’t they? When Simon asks Pappa how long it will be, Pappa wisely enlists the help of distraction and hard work: they will make 100 chapatis together while they wait. While they work on this, they also touch on Simon’s conflicted feelings about becoming an older sibling. This book handled so many things and so cleverly. Not once does Mascarenhas’ text feel heavy-handed or trite. Chapatis are hard to form into perfect circles, and here we encounter perseverance, imperfection and success all at once. Nunna is mentioned, yet isn’t present, so here we might touch on reasons for this relevant to our readers.

The choice of painted paper collage for the illustrations is equally a terrific fit. Robinson uses this medium with cheer and skill. The perspectives offered as we zoom around the kitchen with Simon and Pappa are simply wonderful. And, as a final nod to change and temporality, Robinson shows the final phone ringing as a modern cellular device complete with a brightly lit screen. Bravo!

I loved this title… all 100 Chapatis worth.