The Girl Who Wouldn't Brush Her Hair

by Kate Bernheimer, Jake Parker (Illustrator)

Overview

This hilarious, over-the-top story is perfect for any little girl who doesn't like to brush her hair. 

What happens when our heroine neglects her long tresses? Well, one day a mouse comes to live in a particularly tangled lock. Soon after, more mice move in, and the girl's unruly mop is transformed into a marvelous mouse palace complete with secret passageways and a cheese cellar! But as the girl comes to find out, living with more than a hundred mice atop your head isn't always easy. . . .

"This tale will send kids the message that they must take care of their tresses." —Booklist 

"There are parents who will weep with joy at the prospect of a book that may encourage little Susie or Sam to finally brush that mane." —The Bulletin 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593813539
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	01/28/2025
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

KATE BERNHEIMER is the author of the picture books The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and The Lonely Book. A fairy-tale expert, she is also the author and editor of many books for adults, including the story collections Horse, Flower, Bird and My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales, a World Fantasy Award winner.

JAKE PARKER is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon. He is also the creator of the Missile Mouse graphic novel series. He has worked creating sets and environments for feature films like Horton Hears a Who, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and Rio.  

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2013
PreS-Gr 2—A nameless heroine refuses to brush her bear-brown hair after her nightly bath. When the grown-ups, who hover at the edges of the story, object, she says, "It's just my way." A mouse nests in her tangled curls, but she is unafraid. Rather, she welcomes scores of other mice, enjoying the company of her companions who tell knock-knock jokes and are kind to her favorite doll, Baby. Soon, the girl discovers some drawbacks to her unusual situation. She must share her food with the mice, they refuse to go in the bath, and they keep her awake all night. The hungry, dirty, and exhausted little girl does not know what to do until her teacher tells her that she can't bring Baby to school because she already has too many naptime friends with her. The child gently explains to the mice that it is time for them to go. That night, she washes and brushes her locks and finally gets a good night's sleep. On the playground, a couple of mice scout for a new home in the pigtails of another little girl. It is "just their way." The digitally colored illustrations focus on the girl, showing her in her comfortable home or her cheerful schoolroom. Her luminous face expressively portrays her emotional journey throughout the fanciful fable. For a more straightforward treatment that also addresses the resulting struggle between mother and daughter, try Lee Fox's delightful Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair (Walker, 2010).—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

School Library Journal

When an imaginative, stubborn little girl refuses to brush her hair, strange consequences ensue. The unnamed girl has beautiful, long wavy hair and prefers it tangled and wild. To her parents, she repeatedly states, "It's just my way." Soon, one mouse, then a second, and then more and more take up residence in the mess that is her hair. They tell her jokes, she shares her lunch with them, and they turn her hair into a mouse palace. All of these activities are shared by her doll, Baby, her constant companion. While she mostly enjoys the situation, she finally begins to understand that things have gotten out of control. The mice have convinced her to stop bathing because they can't swim, resulting in offensive odors and loss of friends at school. Bernheimer employs a chatty narration that directly engages her audience. The tale is structured on a base of "what ifs…," building upon absurdities that include parents who are barely there and amazingly tolerant while maintaining a sense of reality that allows young readers to believe, just a little, that it could happen. And of course, there's a satisfying and reassuring conclusion. Parker's digitally colored pencil illustrations complement the spirit of fun and fantasy, depicting a seemingly normal setting with the addition of some delightfully goofy details. Imaginative fun for all. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews