Economically folding several related topics together, Krull (Supermarket, 2001, etc.) starts at the top and stays there. After anxious young Kevin observes ’dos and dyes as his hairdresser gives him a clip, Ramon and friends share hair horrors from chewing gum to dandruff. Then Helen follows with a notebook gallery of hair likes and dislikes, and finally, the author brings matters to a head with a closing page of facts and advice, from “Shampoo is your friend. Bugs like dirty hair” to “Never say anything to teachers, especially the bald ones, about their hair.” Favoring red or strawberry blonde tones, Brewer (Robert and the Great Pepperoni, not reviewed, etc.) contributes cartoon illustrations featuring a cavalcade of coiffures, from nappy to slaphappy, generally over open mouths and other exaggerated expressions. Readers hoping to brush up on hair basics will find no better starting place—and that’s the long and short of it. (Picture book. 6-8)
