French helping teacher Sandra Turbide recommends Le carnaval de Malaika by Nadia L. Hohn to celebrate the 72nd Québec Winter Carnival that runs from February 6 to 15.
Le carnaval de Malaika (Malaika’s Winter Carnival) follows young Malaika as she adjusts to big changes in her life after moving to Québec City with her mother.
Malaika’s mother has married Mr. Frédéric and Malaika now has a stepsister named Adèle. Although her new family is kind, Malaika misses her grandmother deeply and struggles to adapt to her new surroundings.
Everything feels very different from her Caribbean home — it’s cold and snowy, she has to bundle up in heavy winter clothes, and people speak a language she doesn’t yet understand.
When the family goes to the annual Québec Winter Carnival, Malaika is disappointed. The celebration is nothing like the vibrant, colourful carnivals she knows from her Caribbean culture.
It isn’t until a video call with her grandmother that Malaika feels comforted and more connected to what she left behind. Through this chat and the support of her new family, she begins to see good things in her new home and starts to adjust to her life in Canada.
This heartwarming story explores themes of family connection, belonging, and cultural identity through Malaika’s eyes.
Le carnaval de Malaika is available in SD42 libraries. The English version, Malaika’s Winter Carnival, is also available.
