“A young African-American girl 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. A very special book about self-acceptance.

Author: Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
ISBN: 0-316-52375-5
Count: 1