Hair is important. Ads featuring hair products for growing hair, coloring hair, erasing hair, compete for a buyer's attention on TV and wherever else space is open and for sale. Everyone knows what a bad hair day is. The person proclaiming it will be avoided. Usually. Of course, kids need their own book about hair. It’s important to them, too.
Children notice hair at a very early age. They cut the dog’s hair, their dolls’ hair, little brother’s hair…and their own. Sometimes this urge to cut hair extends into adulthood.
I remember when I was four, my mother was shopping, and my dad decided to surprise her by trimming my bangs. It turned out to be more difficult than he thought. I was draped in a towel and held my mother’s hand mirror in front of my face. I watched as Dad trimmed a little here, evened up a little there. By the time my mom came home, the bangs I had been brushing out of my eyes edged my forehead in a light brown fringe.
It took a few weeks for Mom’s surprise to fade and my fringe to become bangs again. She and Dad talked about it. A lot. With so much interest focused on hair, I decided to cut my doll’s hair. Her bangs did not grow back. I won't tell you about my little brother's hair.
What do you suppose inspired the author and illustrator to create this book? Both were little girls once upon a time. And probably still girls at heart. Both are moms. The rest we can guess.
THE HAIR BOOK just launched as a board book and a picture book this month. In bold primary colors and spare text your young listeners and early readers will see themselves or someone they know. They might discover someone new.
Party hair.
Poufy hair.
All gone hair.
Beard hair (Santa?)
Monster hair (is that you in the
morning?)
THE HAIR BOOK is an eclectic mix, but the message is clear: No matter
what style or type of hair you have, YOU are welcome everywhere.
