Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa

Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa focuses on feminist retellings of three Indonesian folktales centered around women. In one, a flawed princess lives as the snail companion of a fisherwoman, praying for her salvation until she learns she must pray for others. In another, two stepsisters must navigate life from childhood bliss to the wrath of their heartbroken father, using their love for one another as their guide. In the final story, a woman unexpectedly becomes a mother and then must use the natural world to protect herself and her daughter from a ferocious shadowy giant.

The enchanting and heartfelt illustrations perfectly meld with these bold yet comforting reimaginings. In turns soothing, hopeful, frightening, realistic, and fantastical, Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa fills a vital gap and provides a new lens with which to examine all the stories that are told.

Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa, Holiday House