Booklist
***STARRED REVIEW*** “A thoughtful and enlightening addition to the picture book shelves and a worthy choice for units on Indigenous cultures.
The Horn Book Magazine
***STARRED REVIEW*** “The narrative’s powerful ending brings this story to a satisfying, hopeful conclusion. Debut illustrator Littlebird (a member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) captures the closeness of the family and the strength and determination of the protagonist in bright colors set against woodgrain-like backgrounds.”
From the Publisher
***STARRED REVIEW*** “The narrative’s powerful ending brings this story to a satisfying, hopeful conclusion. Debut illustrator Littlebird (a member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) captures the closeness of the family and the strength and determination of the protagonist in bright colors set against woodgrain-like backgrounds.”—The Horn Book Magazine
***STARRED REVIEW*** “A thoughtful and enlightening addition to the picture book shelves and a worthy choice for units on Indigenous cultures.”—Booklist
***STARRED REVIEW*** "This is an emotionally searing story infused with important historical and cultural information on the significance of hair to Indigenous cultures."—School Library Journal
***STARRED REVIEW*** "A deeply moving and inspiring celebration of long hair and its significance in Indigenous cultures."—Kirkus
School Library Journal
★ 02/24/2023
K-Gr 4—"I can't wait for my hair to grow" is the powerful opening to this book, which lays groundwork for this compelling story highlighting not only the significance of hair to Indigenous peoples, but also memory, generational trauma, and the power of healing. Using three generations of hair as the medium, Lindstom's sparse, poetic language ("Our ancestors say: Our hair is our memories. Our source of strength") and Littlebird's bright palette capture both serenity and hope. The debut illustrator's watercolor, ink, and computer-generated art resembles woodcuts—an effective medium for the etchings contained within the long, dark hair floating across double spreads. Deep blues, pinks, and purples, punctuated by hopeful yellow, highlight the joy of memory and culture, particularly on spreads that use circles to underscore connection between generations. That only one (muted) spread explicitly references the Indian boarding schools that robbed the narrator's grandmother of her hair highlights the power of healing, though back matter details the schools' cruelty and lasting legacy. VERDICT This is an emotionally searing story infused with important historical and cultural information on the significance of hair to Indigenous cultures. Highly recommended for all library collections.—Rebecca Kirshenbaum
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-04-24
A Native girl reflects on hair, both her own and her family’s.
The young narrator’s Nokomis (Ojibwe for grandmother) and mother were not permitted to have long hair—her mother’s was deemed “too wild,” while Nokomis’ was shorn at a residential school. The phrase “Our ancestors say” repeats throughout as we learn that “stories and memories are woven” into the young narrator’s hair. Long Indigenous hair is a form of self-expression, honors ancestral knowledge, and is healing medicine, according to the ancestors. Littlebird’s (enrolled Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) bold art matches the power of We Are Water Protectorsauthor Lindstrom’s (Anishinabe/Métis, enrolled Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) words. Crisp, striking illustrations reminiscent of woodcuts celebrate life and depict characters’ connections to Mother Earth as leaves swirl and splashes of vibrant colors dance across pages like confetti. Parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, and aunties are included, making for a loving portrayal of a tightknit extended Native family. The stages of the protagonist’s hair growth serve as a timeline of events: When Nimishoomis (grandfather) taught the child to fish, her hair reached her ears; when her brother was born, it was shoulder-length. When Nimishoomis dies, the young girl cuts her hair to send powerful energy into the spirit world with him. As the book ends, the child decides to regrow her hair, and so does her mother. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A deeply moving and inspiring celebration of long hair and its significance in Indigenous cultures. (information on the importance of hair to Native/Indigenous peoples, Ojibwe glossary, author’s note) (Picture book. 5-11)
