Frizzy by Clairbel Ortega was such a cute yet heartbreaking story. First of all I adored her name Marlene it is such a cute name. The story starts out with the one thing she hates most in this world. Going to the hair salon. Her hair has to look perfect for her cousin Diana’s big party. Who unsurprisingly is a huge snot. The way her family mocked her over her looks was so infuriating! and for a short while her mother was a part of that. You need perfectly acceptable hair. Marlene didn’t understand what was wrong with her hair in the first place. Only that she was ugly and it crushed her.
She has no one to turn to except her good friend Camilla who is always there for Marlene when school bullies make fun and harass her. When they put tape in her hair it made me so angry. She has another ally though her aunt Tia Ruby. Who is cool who shows her it isn’t just outer beauty that counts. The way she naturally looks is beautiful. There is a racial and judgmental element to Marlene’s mother and extended family wanting her and others including Marlene’s mother to have the “right” hair.
Which is disgusting though this experience Marlene learns to embrace herself and what makes her beautiful is to simply be herself. Along the way she passes this important lesson to her mother who herself experienced the judgment and racism because she didn’t have “perfect” hair. I loved this sweet story.
She has no one to turn to except her good friend Camilla who is always there for Marlene when school bullies make fun and harass her. When they put tape in her hair it made me so angry. She has another ally though her aunt Tia Ruby. Who is cool who shows her it isn’t just outer beauty that counts. The way she naturally looks is beautiful. There is a racial and judgmental element to Marlene’s mother and extended family wanting her and others including Marlene’s mother to have the “right” hair.
Which is disgusting though this experience Marlene learns to embrace herself and what makes her beautiful is to simply be herself. Along the way she passes this important lesson to her mother who herself experienced the judgment and racism because she didn’t have “perfect” hair. I loved this sweet story.