Boonoonoonous Hair!

Volume XXVI / Issue 2 - September 13 / 2019
Boonoonoonous Hair
Boonoonoonous Hair
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Boonoonoonous Hair!

Author: 
Olive Senior
Illustrated by: 
Laura James
Vancouver, BC: Tradewind Books (Distributed by Fitzhenry & Whiteside), 2019
40 pp., hardcover, $19.95
ISBN: 
9781926890074
Grades: 
Kindergarten-grade 2
Ages: 
Ages 5-7
Review by: 
Teresa Iaizzo (Reviewed from F&Gs)
3
Excerpt: 

Why can’t I have good hair
like the girls in my class –
Sasha, Sarah, Brittany, Claire?

Oh really, what’s so good about their hair?

They have hair that’s long and soft
and pretty. It glows as it flows
without plaits without pins,
long or short
it can swish as they wish.

O Jamilla, you silly, why want
their hair, when the most
fantabulous,
splendiferous,
boonoonoonous hair
in the world
is right here?

It’s the first day of school, and Jamilla’s mom wants to plait her hair, but her comb has mysteriously vanished. You see, Jamilla hates her hair because “it’s bad, bad, bad. Makes me mad, mad, mad”. All she wants is to have hair like her schoolmates Sasha, Sarah, Brittany and Claire.

But Jamilla’s mom is having none of it. Through a series of hair styles, she teaches Jamilla that her hair is boonoonoonous since she can have a different style every day of the week, from puffs on Monday, to braids on Wednesday, and wild on Saturday.

Written in simple yet lyrical verse, Boonoonoonous Hair is the story of one little girl’s path to accepting who she is, crazy hair and all. It is a beautiful ode to all that makes us different yet special. Accompanied by bold and colourful illustrations, this picture book would be a great addition to any children’s collection.

Recommended
Reviewer: 

Teresa Iaizzo is a Librarian with the Toronto Public Library.