As the mom of a handful of children with thick and curly hair Black locks, I can attest that the attention and effort put into caring for their hair is significant. As parents, when we wash and condition, detangle, cinch, braid or twist, trim, straighten, adorn, (and even more!), we are also shaping our child’s self-esteem. You see, the hair that belongs to people of color - men and women, girls and boys - has always been a political football. That is because “beauty” in our Western culture has not always equated our curls, afros, dreads, plaits, and coiffure in a positive manner with that definition. Many books have been written for children about this phenomenon, and if the topic is of interest, My Hair Is a Garden, is a keeper!
Cozi A. Cabrera knows this playing field well. She is a Hondoran artist, former marketing agent, designer of clothing and muñecas (handmade dolls), writer and illustrator of amazing children’s books. Her first written work of art, My Hair Is a Garden, is a loving tribute to the nuance of hair and the folks in our lives that help us deal with the tangles, the stares, and the damage that come with it.
MacKenzie is no stranger to the challenges either. Our dark-brown-skinned main character has routinely found herself the brunt of jokes about her hair, but this time when her friend Julio Richards led the charge in the classroom when everyone was listening, she was particularly traumatized. Mac runs to the comforts of Miss Tillie, a neighbor who has both a warm hug and a welcoming home filled with color and the soothing aroma of spicy sorrel tea. She confides in Miss Tillie and is treated to many lessons in the process.
Miss Tillie reaches for the shampoo and conditioner but before the remake can even get started, she realizes there is more than a wash in store. They move out to the beautiful garden that dons “bright pockets of colorful flowers and cool shade ... and bold strokes of green.” Mac learned that each plant and tree had a unique origin story and history. And that lush paradise also had a connection to her hair.
“It is not what you start with in the garden that matters, but the care, time and attention you give it.” Miss Tillie’s wisdom hits home.
Cabrera goes further than offering encouragement and insight, though. There is a section devoted to Caring for Black Hair. The helpful tips focus on shampooing, conditioning, sealing in moisture, detangling, protective styling, trimming; the former culminate in a comprehensive lesson for “growing Black hair.”
My Hair Is a Garden is a beautifully penned and illustrated piece of literature that deserves a place in your home library and also to be read widely. The lesson of seeing beauty in difference and how we nurture these sentiments in our hearts and the hearts of those we love is invaluable. When Mac concludes, “My hair is a garden and I give it love,” everyone can celebrate.
Cozbi Cabrera has illustrated many children’s books but has two that she both authored and illustrated: Me & Mama (winner of the Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Honor Book awards) and Exquisite; The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. You might want to check those out, too.
Add new comment