Don't Touch My Hair!

by Sharee Miller

Overview

An entertaining picture book that teaches the importance of asking for permission first as a young girl attempts to escape the curious hands that want to touch her hair.

It seems that wherever Aria goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she's chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens . . . until, finally, Aria has had enough!

Author-illustrator Sharee Miller takes the tradition of appreciation of black hair to a new, fresh, level as she doesn't seek to convince or remind young readers that their curls are beautiful — she simply acknowledges black beauty while telling a fun, imaginative story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316562607
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	24
Sales rank:	189,111
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sharee Miller has a BFA in communication design from Pratt Institute. She lives in Brooklyn, where she enjoys spending time with her two cats and illustrating fun stories. Sharee is the author and illustrator of Princess Hair. She invites you to visit her website at shareemiller.com and her Instagram @coilyandcute.

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/01/2018
Aria is an African-American girl who’s proud of her showstopping hair “that grows up toward the sun like a flower.” But people keep confusing admiration with acquiescence: strangers, she laments, “are so curious about my hair that they try to touch it without even asking for permission!” It feels like the entire universe has lost its sense of boundaries. In a series of wonderfully expressive, humorous cartoons that mix full-page and spot art, Aria imagines encountering underwater creatures, forest animals, and even aliens who reach for her curls while cooing, “How do you get it so big?” She contemplates hiding; she loses her temper (“That’s it. That’s enough. DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR!”). Then she resolves to set limits, and, in speaking up for herself, she begins to feel free, respected, and in charge of her own body again. Storytelling by Miller (Princess Hair) is frank, funny, and revelatory, with a beleaguered but never beaten protagonist with whom readers will instantly connect. And her book embraces audiences of all backgrounds, nudging them, in different ways, to a new level of understanding. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Don't Touch My Hair:
An ALA Children's Notable Book

* "[Sharee] Miller tells it like it is. Miller's lighthearted touch effectively delivers a serious, necessary message about respecting boundaries."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Frank, funny, and revelatory."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Aria is a character with a healthy self-image who demonstrates courage and grace in communicating with others."—Booklist

"A good exploration of personal boundaries and respect in general."—BCCB

"Sharee Miller's Don't Touch My Hair! is a right-on-time narrative showcasing the power kids—and all people—have to demand their voices be heard."—Shelf Awareness

Praise for Princess Hair:
 
* "After decades of white princesses' domination of American fairytales, Miller expands the vision of what princess hair can look like to black girls.... A sweet and joyful affirmation of the truth that 'NAPPY princesses are HAPPY princesses.'"—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This is the perfect book for young girls, but especially girls who might not be happy with their hair because it's different from the hair that they see on others."—The Huffington Post

"Miller offers a joyful celebration of the diversity of Black girlhood and Black girls' hair."—The Bulletin

"Sharee Miller’s winning story ultimately teaches a valuable lesson about personal boundaries. Aria is a young Black girl with bouncy curls. Everywhere she goes, folks want to touch her hair. Her imagination carries her to distant lands, even ones with dragons, so she can avoid the hands that always want to touch her hair without asking. Colorful illustrations add drama to this wonderful story about standing up for yourself when others go too far."—Reader's Digest

From the Publisher

11/01/2018

PreS-Gr 2–Miller follows up Princess Hair with more follicle-related fun. Smiling bright, brown-skinned Aria happily shares the things she loves about her bouncy, beautiful hair. She receives plenty of compliments from others, too, which she enjoys—but she resolutely does not enjoy when people try to touch her hair without asking. In a series of amusing and increasingly wacky situations, Aria tries to flee from overly curious hands, first situating herself behind a shrub, then diving underwater with a mermaid, and even leaving Earth for the safety of space (where she is approached by two meddlesome aliens) all to no avail; everyone still wants to touch her hair! When she finally escapes notice, Aria feels lonely. She returns home, but she has something to say: "This is MY hair…please, just look and don't touch without my permission." Miller has managed to put an upbeat, silly spin on a relatable problem for many children that can be awkward and upsetting. Aria has an adventure, but more importantly, she is able to state her boundaries with others when it comes to physical contact. The book closes with examples of Aria saying both yes and no when asked about her hair, and those wishes being respected. Miller's bold mixed media art is a delight; each page brims with texture, from Aria's ebullient coils filling a spread to the zany houses of her bustling hometown. Young audiences will love pointing out each vibrant detail. VERDICT An engaging, colorful lesson in personal space that will shine whether read aloud or one-on-one.—Ashleigh Williams, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

★ 2018-09-02

Miller tells it like it is while giving children of color permission to set boundaries when people reach out to touch their curly, kinky, or nappy hair.

Aria, a brown-skinned protagonist, opens this picture book by introducing herself with a double-page, gutter-spanning image of her smiling face and her full head of hair that takes up three-quarters of the spread: "I'm Aria, and this is my hair." Aria loves her hair, but others do too—so much so that they want to touch it even without permission. Aria decidedly does not like this. To demonstrate how she avoids touching hands, she appears eight times on one page—in full aerial split, karate-style airborne kick, curled into a fetal position, tentative headstand, and more—hemmed in almost all the way around by groping, outstretched hands. Even when she attempts to escape underwater, an octopus and a mermaid chase her, tentacles and arms extended. Wherever she travels, she can't get away from this threat…until she learns a strategy that works. Miller's variegated watercolor, pencil, and ink illustrations effectively portray Aria's verve as well as her frustrations. The cover image and several others depict disembodied hands and arms in many skin tones reaching for Aria's hair, suggesting that this intrusive behavior can come from anyone.

Miller's lighthearted touch effectively delivers a serious, necessary message about respecting boundaries. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews