Hair Oil Magic

Hair Oil Magic begins with Meenu watching her mother mix different oils that she puts in Meenu’s hair each week. Her mom proceeds to massage her scalp, head and hair with the oils, and, afterwards, her mom braids her hair so she can play while the oils absorb in her hair. Meenu’s expressions in the illustrations show she loves this activity and the time spent with her mother and grandmother. Hair oiling has been an important bonding ritual in South Asian families for thousands of years. Traditionally, mothers massage oil into their children’s hair so it grows healthy, long and thick.

Meenu’s mother washes her hair with a special shampoo, and, afterward, her hair is always shinier and bouncier. Meenu’s favourite part of ‘Magic Hair Day’ though is the fuzzy, magical feeling she gets when her mom massages the oils in her hair.

This week, Meenu wants to show her mom and Biji (Grandmother) that she can mix the oils and use them herself. She thinks and recalls what her mother has told her about the hair oils: fenugreek oil for silky, soft hair, rosemary oil to help it grow long, castor oil helps with root repair and coconut oil makes it strong. There are many benefits of traditional ingredients like fenugreek, cloves and amla in hair care; they are natural, cost effective and easy to find.

Meenu begins to mix them together and puts some in her hair, but she does not feel the magic that she normally does. Confused, she adds a little bit more of each oil and mixes more into her hair. She scrubs and rubs but doesn’t get that magical, twinkly feeling. Meenu thinks she is missing something when she spots a purple bottle. She remembers her mom adding oil from that bottle; it must be the missing piece. As she reaches for it, it slips and breaks. Meenu is upset. She can’t get anything right, and she really wants that magical feeling.

When Mom and Biji find Meenu crying in the bathroom, Meenu explains what happened and apologizes. Her mom helps her wash her hair, and Meenu gets the magical feeling again. Biji explains that the oil is not magic, but the magic is from the time that they spend together. That fuzzy, magical feeling is from her mother’s love. Meenu did not understand that the oil was not a magical potion, but that her being together with her mother and grandmother and bonding over hair oiling was what gave her that feeling which she associated with magic.

Meenu’s mom explains that Biji used to oil her hair as a child and now her mother did the same for her. The magic is the ritual that they have passed down. They learn to take care of their hair, and, when they are grown up, they pass that knowledge on.

Anu Chouhan’s illustrations are beautiful, bright and vivid. Meenu’s expressions are priceless, and reader’s will instantly know she is happy, sad, curious and confident. Chouhan incorporates her Punjabi heritage into the clothing styles, jewelry and in one scene where Biji is sitting on the couch. There are images of family members in traditional styles and scenes from Punjab. Chouhan’s experiences growing up are so similar to many others, and Hair Oil Magic is a lovely story for a young reader to enjoy.