Thursday, February 9, 2023

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega, art by Rose Bousamra - ESSENTIAL

Frizzy
by Claribel A. Ortega, art by Rose Bousamra
216 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan). 2022 $13 Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (bullying). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Marlene has curly hair - but her mother thinks she will be happier with straight hair, so every Sunday is spent at the salon, making Marlene's hair straight. She and her friend have watched videos on how to care for curly hair, but their attempt to replicate the look is a disaster. At school Marlene is bullied by a group of popular kids, they even put pieces of tape in her hair - and Marlene gets in trouble when she responds by pushing one of them to the floor. Now, her mom has sent her to spend the weekend with her Tia - who hears the whole story and decides to help. 

My middle school girls are going to love this - a great story about a girl trying to be her best self. I loved the lesson on how to take care of curly hair along with the discussion of anti-blackness and how there isn't good hair and bad hair. Marlene's family is Dominican. 

Lisa Librarian

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