Malaika is a young girl from a Caribbean Island where she lives with her grandmother. Her family lives in poverty, because of this her mother moved to Canada in search of a better job to help her family financially. Malaika is excited to participate in the carnival. She has been dreaming of dancing in her colorful peacock costume. The story is inspired by Caribbean culture and traditions, readers will learn about Caribbean traditions and different family dynamics.

Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Writers' Award ,2018. SCBWI Canada East Rising Kite Award & Scholarship. A Different Booklist People's Award for Contribution in Children's Literature, 2016. Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Children's Literature Award , 2015-2016. Helen Issobel Sissons Canadian Children's Book Award for manuscript of Malaika's Costume, 2014.

Author lives in Toronto.

Canada. Originally published in English by Groundwood Books in 2016.