WHAT MAKES FERN CURL?

A girl learns about her curly hair in Baker’s picture book.

On a hike with her dad, Jem notes that her hair resembles fiddlehead ferns, so she decides to call it Fern: “Jem liked having a name for her hair, especially since Fern has a mind of her own.” On school picture day, Jem styles her hair into a tight bun, but it’s humid out, and her hairstyle frizzes. She cries to her dad, who admits he doesn’t know how to style Jem’s hair, because her mom, whom they both miss, always did that. (Jem and her mom are portrayed with different shades of brown skin, and her father with pale skin.) Daddy brings her to Sage’s salon, where the stylist explains what hair is made of, why it’s straight or curly, and how to care for curly strands. Sage sends Jem home with hair cream, a sleep bonnet, and beautiful, supple curls. Interesting facts about curly hair close the book. Baker tells a wonderfully compassionate and sweet-natured story about how learning more about how our bodies work, and how to care for them, can make a tremendous difference in how we feel about ourselves. Fadhilah’s soft, colorful illustrations are an absolute delight—beautiful, engaging, and informative while showing Jem’s hair in all of its states.

An appealing story for anyone who’s struggled with curly hair.