Natalie's Hair Was Wild!

PreS-Gr 2—Shedding all forms of restraint, Natalie's hair seems to have a mind of its own. "One day some birds moved in. Natalie's hair made a fine nest. She didn't care." More outrageous animals move in, from fox to wildebeest, and Natalie's hair grows larger than life, encompassing a city block. However, Natalie can't sleep at night because of the noise, and she needs professionals from the zoo and the fire department to coax the animals out, and wash and trim her hair using a fire hose and rakes. Although the text is asserts that Natalie doesn't care, her expression shows more ambivalence toward the animals, hidden but for the occasional ear, foot, or tail. With no parents or caregivers in sight, the child makes decisions for herself; the only adults in the story are the zookeepers and firefighters, who tell her that her head is no place for a zoo as they clean her up. The highly textured digital art uses bold colors to balance the increasingly large mass of Natalie's black curly hair, keeping the tone of the illustrations playful and fun. Natalie cheerily waves goodbye to the firefighters, zookeepers and animals, her hair braided into cornrows. "She faithfully brushed it/and combed it/and washed it./She kept it neat…/…for at least a week."