Frizzy
by
Claribel A. Ortega
illustrated by
Rose Bousamra
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Macmillan
Imprint
First Second
ISBN
9781250259622
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism
A middle grade graphic novel about Marlene, a young girl who stops straightening her hair and embraces her natural curls.
Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby, and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she can have "presentable," "good hair."
But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby, she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.
“What’s in Marlene’s backpack?” Full-color digital illustrations.
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism
Details
Format
Page Count
224
Trim Size
8" x 5 1/2"
Dewey
F
AR
3: points 1
Lexile
HL430L
Genre
Fic
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Oct 2022
Book Genres
Graphic Novels
Topics
Natural hair. Dominican Americans. Middle schools. Mothers and daughters. Aunts. Family. Friendship. Coming of age. Self-esteem and self-reliance.
Standard MARC Records
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Cover Art
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Praise & Reviews
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Library Journal
Gr 4-8-Every Sunday, Marlene and her mom visit the dreaded salon for a day of hair-pulling and the unforgiving heat of the hair dryer. Because her hair needs to look pretty for her older cousin's quinceañera, the Afro-Dominican tween has to go for a second round of hair straightening, otherwise she won't look presentable in her family's eyes. While the adults marvel at her cousin's "good" hair-straight and blond-Marlene doesn't understand why her curls aren't good enough. With the help of her like-minded friend and her forward-thinking aunt, Marlene embraces herself, inside and out. In the creators' graphic novel debut, themes of anti-Blackness, colorism, and self-acceptance are explored with nuance and honesty. The subject of internalized racism is discussed in a way that will resonate with kids and families grappling with it for the first time. Bullying and grief are some of the other issues addressed. Ortega's writing is pitch-perfect for middle grade; she gives Marlene an extra layer of vulnerability that tweens will recognize. Bousamra's candy-colored palette of pinks, purples, blues, and coppers makes this sweet coming-of-age tale even more accessible and welcoming. The characters' facial expressions and the dynamic panel design keep the narrative flowing. Readers with curly hair will want to take notes as Marlene's aunt teaches her how to style her hair. Marlene has brown skin, and her family members have a variety of hair textures and skin colors. VERDICT An excellent choice for all graphic novel collections. Give to those who are not ready for Elizabeth Acevedo's books.-Shelley M. Diaz?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Grades 5-8
Graphic Novels Middle Plus
For Grades 5-8
Book-length narratives presented in comic book style, graphic novels foster both visual and verbal comprehension skills while exposing readers to interesting dialogue and satire, as well as affirming diversity.
JLG's selection of these unique books, some of them only published in softcover, are ideal for attracting reluctant readers and introducing them to literature they might not encounter otherwise. You may find that the 12 books in this category will turn your reluctant readers into eager readers.
14 books per Year
$293.02 per Year
Interests
Diversity,ESL,Fiction,Graphic Novels,Reluctant Readers,Transitional Readers,Funny/Humorous
Grades 5-8
Graphic Novels Middle Plus
14 books per Year
$293.02 per Year
