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I Love My Hair
is perfect to read in the READ TO ME or KIDS category of SRC,
and is designed for readers ages three to six, or preschool
to first or second grade.
This whimsical, evocative story about a girl named Keyana
encourages African-American children to feel good about
their special hair and be proud of their heritage. The book
has been recognized as a BlackBoard Children’s Book of the
Year, and includes full-color illustrations by E.B. Lewis.
In the book, young Keyana describes the familiar
mother-daughter nightly ritual of combing the tangles out of
her hair. When she cries because it hurts, her sympathetic
mother tells her how lucky she is to have such beautiful
hair.
Imaginatively, the woman goes on to say that she can spin it
into a fine, soft bun or "plant rows of braids" along her
scalp, prompting her daughter to think of other wonderful
things she likes about her hair. The superb watercolor
illustrations move from the intimacy and security of
Keyana's bedroom to the neighborhood streets and finally to
the whole world as her mother's imagery becomes reflected in
the art. Keyana's hair is spun on a spinning wheel, becomes
part of rows of plants in a garden, and merges with a globe
of the whole world.
The child's favorite style, however, is two ponytails that
flap like wings on each side of her head, and the final
picture is of Keyana triumphantly flying free against the
blue sky. Pictures and text reflect the expanding horizons
of the child's world as she learns to be proud of her
distinctive hair and her heritage. – END-
Source: School Library Journal,
Amazon.com
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