GRANDMA’S HAIR IS ANKLE LENGTH / EL CABELLO DE ABUELA LE LLEGA HASTA LOS TOBILLOS
Author: Adriana Camacho-Church
Illustrator: Carmen Lop

Review Issue Date: April 15, 2024
Online Publish Date: March 23, 2024
Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público
Pages: 32
Price ( Hardcover ): $18.95
Publication Date: May 31, 2024
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 9781558859890
Section: Children’s

In this bilingual story told in English and Spanish, a child sees magic, beauty, and wonder in a beloved grandmother’s hair.

The child loves Grandma’s flowing, ankle-length black-and-white tresses and imbues them with magical qualities, comparing them to “a towering waterfall tumbling down a mountain,” the moon, and the wings of a dragonfly. One image depicts Grandma’s hair spreading against the night sky, the strands wrapping around the moon; another depicts her hair as a field of wildflowers. In the eyes of her adoring grandchild, Abuela seems like an otherworldly goddess. Eager to inherit Grandma’s confidence and power, the child asks, “Will my hair have stories to tell?” “It already does,” Grandma responds. “It holds the whispers of your ancestors.” Beauty, the story suggests, is not just an external quality; rather, it’s the love and kindness that shine out from deep inside. This lyrical story makes clear that self-love can be passed down and taught through generations. With time and encouragement, young people can become as strong and powerful as those they admired when they were young. Vibrant and expressive illustrations filled with swirling, vivid linework emphasize the bonds between family members and make references to Mesoamerican ancestry and gods. Both characters are brown-skinned and cued Latine.

A gentle lullaby: poetic, sweet, and moving. (Picture book. 4-7)