Big Bouffant

PreS-Gr 2—Annabelle has her own sense of style. On her first day of school, she finds her classmates' ponytails and braids a tad too ordinary for her taste. She becomes intrigued with a photo of her grandmother with a bouffant hairdo and decides that this is just what she needs to liven things up. "A big bouffant is all I really want!" Her mother repeatedly tries to persuade her to try other styles, but Annabelle wants no part of them. Eventually, all the girls and even a few of the boys jump on the big-hair bandwagon. But Annabelle's individual flare won't allow her to be like everyone else so she sets off once again to make a fashion statement. Warm tones and colorful patterns result in rich illustrations that carry Annabelle's exuberance and determination through the pages. Shadow and texture layer the story, and panels help readers move along visually. This rhyming text will delight fans of Robert Munsch's Stephanie's Ponytail (Firefly, 1996) and will make a good addition for hair-themed storytimes.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI