The Beauty of Representation for Young Black Girls in Children’s Books
Growing up as a little girl, I remember the excitement I felt when my mother took me to the library. For a few summers, I would participate in a challenge to read twenty books by a certain date. Junie B. Jones was my favorite chapter book series and I could not wait until it was time to go back to check out more after I was finished.
As many books filled the shelves of the libraries in my schools growing up, I could not remember how many books were read that shared a great amount of representation for young black girls. In sixth grade, I vividly remember reading the book The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake that told the story about a black girl that was taunted about her dark black skin. Out of all the books that I had to read in school, there was a reason I remembered books like The Skin I’m In. It was simply because the book revealed real struggles black girls and women face today.
Now that I am currently raising an African American girl, I am grateful to know there are many more books that fill the shelves and represent her beautiful brown skin and curly black hair. There are three books I love that share the importance of black girls loving themselves, their hair, and their style.I have enjoyed watching my daughter glance her eyes as I turned the pages to each of these three books.
Book #1 Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe: I love the way the author shares different hair styles in her book on each page. Sometimes black girls struggle with acknowledging the beauty that lies in their hair. Happy Hair represents a variety of ways girls can embrace themselves in multiple different hairstyles. It shows that there is no limit to what black girls can do to embrace their natural state. The author also follows up after each style quoting the phrase, “I love being me.” The repetition in that phrase throughout the book helps to send a reminder to a young black girl that she does not have to be ashamed of loving who she is in her own style.
Favorite line in Book: “You are made beautiful.”
Book #2 Hair Love by Matthew Cherry: It is amazing how the author painted a picture of a black father catering to his daughter in a way that is not usually displayed. I appreciate how the author switched gears in the father being the primary responsibility of caring for his little girl’s natural hair. Not only is the book an inspiration for black girls to see themselves, it is also an inspiration to let black fathers know what they are capable of and how they too can help build the esteem of their little girl. No matter how many times Dad failed at giving his little girl the best style in the book Hair Love, he did not give up on working to get it right, just the way she liked it.
Favorite line in Book: “Daddy tells me it is beautiful. That makes me proud. I love that my hair lets me be me!”
Book #3 I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley: The beginning of the book reminded me of the times I would sit underneath my mother to get my thick natural hair done. It shares a relatable and real-life scenario of mothers and daughters bonding through hair. The images in the book reflect the joy and confidence built when young black girls can feel good about their hair.
Favorite line in the Book: “Some days I just let my hair be free to do what it wants, to go any which way it pleases. Then my hair surrounds my head like a globe, that is my Afro style.”
Publishing books of representation for our black girls is necessary now and for future generations to come. As they combat their journey of discovering the uniqueness of their hair, style, and self-worth, it will be important that they understand the roots of their beauty without the pressure to be more than the God-given identity they were granted.
