I was so excited when I was given a chance to get a copy of this book. I loved loved loved it! I lived in the Dominican Republic for 8 years so I really enjoyed seeing a book based on Dominican culture and traditions. And let me tell you, the salons are crazy busy from Friday to Sunday with all the women getting their hair done. Although I am white, I have really curly hair and learned a lot of new ways to wear it curly or keep it straight for several days, thanks to the genius of the Dominican women. But here in the US, it is often looked down upon in the professional and academic areas when women of color leave their hair natural, something I only learned was as big a deal as it is in the past few years. I love that this story focuses on the women in a young girl's life who are trying to help her figure out who she wants to be, and how she wants to present herself t the world. I have given this book to a friend with young girls going through this very thing, trying to find their own identity. Some may think that it is "just a hairstyle" and not at all that important, but it is so much more than that. How do you be who you are as a person while trying to figure out how to navigate all the unwritten rules placed on a young girl of color in society? The answer is that there is not one answer, it is different for everyone, and this book helps open that dialogue in a way that helps young girls to express themselves about things they are just discovering.
Great job Claribel Ortega!
Great job Claribel Ortega!