They say the grass is always greener. When I was growing up, I hated my hair. It was curly and frizzy…especially on humid days…and since I lived in New York City, that was almost every day! What I wanted was long straight hair, that flipped up at the end like Mary Tyler Moore in the Dick Van Dyke show. And I spent many hours with my hair in huge rollers, trying to achieve that. Fortunately, I eventually learned to embrace my hair – because it’s part of who I am. But whenever I hear about a book that focuses on hair, I always want to share it! And this book just launched May 28th!!

IF MY HAIR HAD A VOICE

Written by Dana Marie Miroballi

IIlustrated by Patricia Grannum

Publisher: Beaming Books (May 28, 2024)

Ages: 3-8

Themes: Self Esteem, African History, Hair

Synopsis: From Amazon:

“If your hair had a voice, it would sing of diversity and identity. It would tell you stories of our history.”
An ode to loving your hair and your culture, If My Hair Had a Voice follows a young Black girl as she grows from being disappointed in her natural hair to developing an amazed appreciation for the long history of Black hair. From blossoming floral motifs in celebration of spring to intricate braided codes for spreading revolutionary messages, she discovers that Black hair goes beyond simple adornment–it tells the story of a rich cultural history filled with diversity, resistance, artistry, and, of course, beauty. Backmatter explores the history of each hairstyle featured in the book.

Why I Love This Book:
1. I love books that are so relatable to ALL children – because no matter who you are or where you come from or how you look, you probably had a time in your life that you weren’t happy with something about yourself – and the child agency in this book is inspiring.
2. Well-written text and great pacing keep the child-reader engaged.
3. Glorious illustrations put us right in each setting.

ME: And guess what? It’s always a treat when one of a book’s creators stops by – and author Dana is here to share her inspiration for the story.

DANA: Inspiration: The story started as a poem I wrote in 2020 while reading about Madam C. J. Walker. In the early 1900s, she developed hair products for afro-textured hair and devised a grooming system that included straightening hair with a metal hot comb. I started reflecting on my experience of growing up straightening my hair and then embracing my natural hair in my late 20s.

Here’s a little bit about Dana and how to connect with her and find out more about her books:
 Dana Marie Miroballi is a teacher-turned speech-language pathologist writing books for young readers. She grew up in Germany, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan, and now lives in Chicago with her husband and children. Dana is the author of If My Hair Had a Voice (Beaming Books) and Inventions to Count On (Abrams Appleseed, 2025).

Social Media
FB & Twitter: shesthebear   Instagram: noshesthebear

Purchase link: https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506493602/If-My-Hair-Had-a-Voice

RELATED ACTIVITIES
Make a Haircut Buddy

Books like Dana’s can help kids learn to love themselves more! And doing one or more of these things can help books like Dana’s reach the kids who need to love themselves more. What can you do?
Buy the book
Review the book
Place the book on your Goodreads Want to Read Shelf
Tell friends about the book (please share on your social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the giveaway!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!