Minu and her Hair
Author: 
Gayathri Bashi
Illustrator: 
Gayathri Bashi
age group: 
3+ yrs
Number of pages: 
32
Publisher: 
Tulika
Themes:
self image hair grandparents
Genre:
picture book, fiction
 

Like many young children, Minu too has a challenge. The cause of her distress? Her thick and lush but highly unruly tresses! It defies staying neat and tidy in spite of all her efforts and that of her family. Despairing, she complains to her grandfather. He tries to re-assure her that she was not alone in that challenge. Many other family members blessed with similar thick hair had faced that challenge. But that knowledge did not change things for Minu - she still had to deal with her problematic hair daily, which sometimes, "looked like a bird's nest, sometimes like thick bushes and tall jungle grass and sometimes even like a cow with two horns!"

"But that's why I like your hair," says grandfather. It can be anything you want it to be, clouds, big beautiful tree and so on, teaching her a very valuable lesson.

That somethings in life can be changed and somethings cannot. Life is never perfect, what is important is that one must always look on the positive side of things - the sunny side of life! And chances are that you will never be disappointed or distressed.

A great book for parents and teachers to read to their children and discuss, especially if they have problems - no matter whether they are big or small.
 

Reviewed by Shamim Padamsee