Priya's Not-So-Perfect Brand-New Outfit by Srividhya Venkat (Author) and Vaishnavi Dukhande (Illustrator)
Priya feels like all she ever gets are hand-me-downs and she is sick of it. She works hard to earn money so that she can buy her own outfit that feels just right. She finds a glorious pavadai (a Tamil word used for a traditional two-piece outfit consisting of a blouse and skirt worn by young girls in South India). Priya is excited to debut her new pavadai at her family's reunion, but things quickly begin to go awry. At first, Priya feels like she has failed her pavadai and her past self who yearned for a new outfit, but then some of her family shares how to mend and clean the pavadai. Then, Priya's family talks about the fun stories behind the imperfections in their outfits--imperfections Priya had not even noticed before. In the end, Priya is about to think back on her hand-me-downs and how memories can be imparted on clothing and how those then add a different kind of value. As a kid who also grew up with her share of hand-me-downs, I completely understand Priya and that urge...
