Mommy Sayang

In this addition to the Pixar Animation Studios Artist Showcase series, “little Aleeya and her dear mommy—Mommy sayang,” share an inseparable bond in their Malaysian village community, or kampung. The two do their chores (cooking “the spiciest recipes”) and read stories under mosquito netting, and Mommy prays five times daily “while Aleeya lay close by her side.” The girl even has a favorite dream about her mother, in which the two “munch on crispy curry puffs” beneath an enormous hibiscus blossom. When Mommy becomes sick, Aleeya despairs, wrapping herself in her mother’s sarong until realizing she knows exactly how to make her feel better. Newcomer Sullivan’s illustrations blend pencil-like lines, shapely blocks of solid color, and ornate floral patterns to form airy spreads in this autobiographical tale. An adoring celebration of mother/daughter love. Ages 3–5. [em](Apr.) [/em]