When I Wrap My Hair

K-Gr 4--Vibrant colors and lyrical prose intermingle to depict the emotions of a young girl as she wraps her hair in the traditional style of her African culture. The colors of sun, sky, earth, and trees surround her, and the connections to an ancient past speak to her as "I feel a thousand grandmothers around me." The colors transport her to the river, the woods, and the marketplace as her mother and grandmother wrap her hair, and the stories of her history weave together in "one beautiful tone." Illustrations by Mohammed shine in this simple reflection of a young girl's experience with her hair. The emotions fairly pulsate from the pages in exquisite color and light as sheer joy. This message of positivity and cultural connection is simply written yet strikingly brought to life in images that reflect an everlasting bond to rituals. VERDICT An enchanting addition to libraries, where cultural connections are key; the artwork will inspire creativity in any classroom.--Carol Connor

As a brown-skinned child stands in a fabric-filled store at the start of this artfully created picture book, an adult wearing a headwrap prepares to fold a yellow length around the child's natural hair: "When I wrap my hair, I feel new, like a golden sunrise, sprinkling light across the clouds." Next, pages show the child having their hair wrapped while sitting alongside a dot-pattered river abutted by plants and dense blades of grass: as "a ribbon of color washes over me... the past comes to carry me through ancient rivers that turn and tumble." Art that evokes bright, flowing textiles also envisions Black elders as part of the changing fabric design, wearing robes and hair coverings of various types ("When I wrap, my roots run deep"). Earnest, celebratory text from Grant (My Fade Is Fresh) and flowing, intricately worked illustrations by Mohammed (Naming Ceremony), which suggest the feel of batik and tie-dye, draw connections between the child, their hair wrapped in the present, and "a thousand grandmothers all around me" who, crucially, "tell me I am beautiful.// They tell me I'm home." Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette. Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Christy Tugeau Ewers, CAT Agency. (Jan.)