Hair: From Moptops to Mohicans, Afros to Cornrows, by Katja Spitzer, (Sept. 2022, Prestel Junior), $14.95, ISBN: 9783791375281
Ages 5-7
A fun dive into the history of hair and we express ourselves through hairstyles, Hair is filled with facts and cultural profiles and stories behind hair culture, going from wealthy 18th century women whose giant hair styles would be considered a health hazard today, to British punks who made the Native American Mohawk look a hair icon, hair is the easiest way for many people to create an identity. Spitzer looks at the historical and cultural issues around hair: red-haired people were considered to have magical powers because of the rarity of their color hair; Black hair pride, thanks to leaders like Martin Luther King and Angela Davis; Indian women who offer their hair at a temple to receive the gods’ help. Clear, easy-to-read text and fun facts, paired with boldly outlined and bright, retro artwork make this an eclectic add to nonfiction collections. A page at the end asks readers to draw their favorite hairstyle: it will be a good idea to scan and print copies of that page, and ask readers not to draw in the books, if you’re putting this one into circulation.
Originally published in Germany, the German edition of Hair was longlisted for the World Illustrations Award 2021.
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