Frizzy by Claribel Ortega is a graphic novel I wish I had growing up. I grew up having curly hair, and would ask my mom to straighten it. I started going to Dominican hair salon at an early age but I remember hating going. I would have to sit there and listen to the women saying I had “Pelo malo” which means bad hair and racist remarks. Everything in this graphic novel hit home for me, I didn’t start keeping my hair naturally until after high school and that’s why I wish this book existed back then.
I don’t usually read graphic books but this one I had to pick up. This is an amazing book to give to both young girls and boys so that they too can learn to love themselves. The artist also did a great job with the curls and I loved all the colors. I loved how Marlene had great women in her life, a best friend that supports her, and aunt who wears her natural hair and doesn’t care what anyone in her family has to say, lastly her mother, although it took longer for her to come to the understanding that her daughter wanted ti keep her hair naturally. Her mother grew up in a time where wearing your hair nice and straight was something to be proud of and didn’t want her daughter being bullied.
I don’t usually read graphic books but this one I had to pick up. This is an amazing book to give to both young girls and boys so that they too can learn to love themselves. The artist also did a great job with the curls and I loved all the colors. I loved how Marlene had great women in her life, a best friend that supports her, and aunt who wears her natural hair and doesn’t care what anyone in her family has to say, lastly her mother, although it took longer for her to come to the understanding that her daughter wanted ti keep her hair naturally. Her mother grew up in a time where wearing your hair nice and straight was something to be proud of and didn’t want her daughter being bullied.