Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen by Ryan Bani Tahmaseb and illustrated by Fateme Mokhles is a read via an online reader copy, due in July 2024 book that really hit the spot. It is diverse and the theme of being different with a positive attitude from the start gives it a fresh take.
Rostam is a newly immigrated child. His mother and he are starting fresh, while his father is still in Iran, and is to join them as soon as he can. In the meantime, the talk via video chats. Here Rostam shows and tells his father about all the American things he does, how he’s made a best friend and so forth. However, on school picture day, Rostam’s mother wants him to wear his fathers pusteen (a garment that represents not only his Persain culture, but his family’s history as well). But Rostam is afraid his classmates and new friends will make fun of him, as that is not how they dress in America. When he arrives at school and his classmates see it, they are excited, curious and in the end they want to try it on. And while we’ve seen stories about being different or immigration stories before, as I said this time is different by not having the “bully” first then the understanding, but the acceptance from the start.
The other fun part of the story is that this is based on Tahmaseb’s fathers actual experience. There is also an author afterward that should be read, giving us a larger piece of the story and thoughts by the author.
The illustrator has a clever hand in all of this magic as well. Mokhles make fun illustrations that are sweet and compliment the story. Things are colorful, not overly detailed, but have sweet and nice touches. The illustrations help not just move the story along, but are part of it and make for a cozy atmosphere.