Nappy hair story book

I thought this book was about the empowerment of nappy hair however i found it insulting. Told in the africanamerican call and response tradition, this story leaps off the page, along with vibrant illustrations by joe. Told in the africanamerican call and response tradition, this story leaps off the page, along with vibrant illustrations by joe cepeda. Hair story is a historical and anecdotal exploration of black americans tangled hair roots.

Crew defends teacher in book dispute the new york times. Illustrator joe cepeda studied engineering at cornell university and received his bachelor of fine arts degree at long beach state in california. The fact of the matter is, ladies and gentlemen, that this is a great book. Theme the theme in nappy hair allows children who have nappy hair, or know others with nappy hair, to identify with the story and become involved with the girl in the books story. This call and response story tells the story of a young girl, brenda, and her uncle mordecais view of how she got her nappy hair. Nappy hair is a picture book written in a unique style of writing known as call and response. The beginning and middle of the book was one put down after another then the author tries unsuccessfully to put a positive spin at the end. This is a story about a young girl who has a wonderfully nappy hair and that is clearly celbrated in this call back style book that would be appropriate for africanamerican children or anyone who wanted to know more about the the celebration of nappy hair. In a praise song the poet or griot say greeoh praises the chief or leader of the people.

The overall effect is such that, compared to straight, wavy or curly hair, afrotextured hair appears denser. A lively, empowering story about brendas knottedup, twisted, nappy hair and how it got to be that way. The book sets itself apart from other childrens books because of its form. A book that successfully balances popular appeal with historical accuracy. Once, she read nappy hair to a fifthgrade class that had only one black child.

Nappy hair by carolivia herron, joe cepeda, paperback. Told in the africanamerican call and response tradition, this story leaps off the page. Herron, a firsttime author, captures the freeforall atmosphere of a sunday get together, and the spontaneous, truetolife quality of her writing will resonate with. Grandmother of hip hop reflects on ban of her book. Please check out the book for yourself, and make an informed decision. From the antebellum practice of shaving the head in an attempt to pass as a free person to the 1998 uproar over a white thirdgrade teachers reading of the book nappy hair, the issues surrounding african american hair continue to linger as we enter the twentyfirst century. Happy to be nappy is a multicultural picture book that is accurate in its depiction of african american characteristics, like nappy hair. In this empowering story about brendas knottedup, twisted, nappy hair and how it got to be that way. I encouraged her to get it published as a childrens book. Hair story is a historical and anecdotal exploration of black.

Afrotextured hair is the natural hair texture of certain populations in africa mainly in subsaharan africa, the african diaspora, oceania and in some parts of south and southeast asia. Buy a cheap copy of nappy hair book by carolivia herron. Birth of a nappy hair affair chicken soup for the soul. Each strand of this hair type grows in a tiny, anglelike helix shape. Carolivia herrons nappy hair tells the story of brenda, a darkskinned girl with a massive bush of kinky, untamed hair towering above her slender frame. But even with its negative origins, has the meaning of the word evolved, at least within the black community. More than eight years ago, i had my first affair for women with nappy hair. The illustrations by joe cepeda are vibrant and stunning. The story is based upon tapes of an actual story as told in herrons family. It tells a very interesting story about a little girl named brenda who has knottedup, twisted, nappy hair and how her hair got that way. Same goes for the coverage of the so called nappy hair controversy. It was intended to be a simple hairgrooming session, an opportunity for me and my girlfriends to get together on a. Nappy hair by carolivia herron is written in the call and response tradition and could be fun to read together with your little one. Herron edited the papers of angelina weld grimke for oxford university press.

They have to do with nappy hair, her book about a little black girls unruly locks. Publishers weekly taps into the art and history of how black hair is perceived in america in a way that will no doubt be relevant for generations to come. The controversy over using the book nappy hair at a brooklyn elementary school has had predictably distressing effects. In this story written by bell hooks, the author does a phenomenal job at getting girls excited about their natural hair. I say this to say that though, we both sit at the intersection of being people of color, we, in no way, have the same life experiences. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the childrens book, nappy hair, by carolivia herron. The nappy hair story is like a praise song from west africa.

At first they think mordecai is making fun of brendas hair. Nappy hair drew national attention last year when a firstyear teacher in brooklyn, n. Tying the personal to the political and the popular, hair story takes a chronological look. Now the book opens with the familys uncle mordecai telling a tale. Carolivia herron, author of nappy hair, says ruth shermans students are exactly for whom she. The term nappy as it applies to black hair has a loaded history. Her critically acclaimed picture book nappy hair, a callandresponse story based on her own experiences as a child, was the cause of massive controversy when a new york city public school teacher was accused of racism after using it in the classroom. When she reached a point in the book about slavery, the child put his head down on his. It begins with engaging descriptions of nappiness ranging from supereminently nappy to break the comb nappy. Nappy is the title of this simple book about black hair. The character in the story is proud of her nappy hair, and she and her family praise their heritage that gave them the special hair.

Setting this book apart from other stories that i have read that are designed to affirm. At the same time, the accompanying illustrations share the experience of a little girl having her hair done. A fun to read tale of accepting ones own self despite physical aspects that some members of society might not approve of. Herron, a firsttime author, captures the freeforall atmosphere of a sunday gettogether, and the spontaneous, truetolife quality of her writing will resonate with. Nappy hair book tells a story about a young girl called brenda who has the kinky, nappy, fuzzy, screwed up, knotted up, squeezed up, and tangled up hair you have even seen. Herron is touring schools and libraries here to explain the story.

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous however the actual storyline is disappointing. Its an important issue for black girls and women that many other people dont understand. It is highly unlikely that he has ever had to know or learned the history of the word nappy and what it. The beginning and middle of the book was one put down after another then the author tries. About this book in the call and response style of african american story and song, nappy hair presents a character whose family helps. Nominated for an naacp image award, this stunning picturebook is now available again in board book form. The true protagonist in this story is brendas hair, which takes on a vivacious life of its own as brendas elder, uncle mordecai, shares with the rest of the family at a picnic the colorful and rhythmic story of how brenda ended up. Legendary author bell hooks and caldecott medalist chris raschka present a lyrical celebration, brimming with enthusiasm for girls and their hair. The book used colorful illustrations as well as cheery prose. The book itself is an uplifting story, telling african american girls to take pride in their natural hair. Now a principal at an intermediate school in the same district has. We teach you to love the hair god gave you malcolm x.

The books back matter contains biographies about each of the black women honored in the story, alongside beautiful original sketches of the women. Fiction nappy hair is a picture book that is full of african origins, gods intent, and pride in ones self. It is a history lesson and educational tool for parents, teachers and older children. A chronological look at the culture and politics behind the everchanging state of black hair from fifteenthcentury africa to the presentday united states, it ties the personal to the political and the popular. Carolivia herrons nappy hair tells the story of brenda. Although she did not know it at the time, shermans troubles began right away in september with nappy hair, a book written by an author born in the district. Nappy hair is written entirely in call and response form, giving the book a unique rhythm, and paying tribute to african american traditions. From the antebellum practice of shaving the head in an attempt to pass as a free person to the 1998 uproar over a white thirdgrade teachers reading of the book nappy hair, the issues surrounding black hair linger as we enter the twentyfirst century. Carolivia herron is a former english professor and the author of the childrens book nappy hair. Carolivia herron, author, joe cepeda, illustrator alfred a. Nappy hair, by carolivia herron, tells a story about slavery though a callandresponse style derived from gospel music about the history of the kinky texture of some black peoples hair. The source hair story presents an absorbing rendition of american history told through black hair. Herron talked about her book, nappy hair, published by knopf, which used the africanamerican tradition of callandresponse to convey the story.