A new book aims to inspire kids to love their natural hair, no matter what style or texture. Written by Tamekia Swint, Your Hair Is Your Crown is a page-by-page reflection of the stages of hair in a black child’s life – all the way into adulthood.
As the founder of Styles4Kidz, Swint calls the book a “gift to every child she has ever served”. She wants children to love their hair, and her book will be a tool for instilling confidence in them.
Swint and Styles4Kidz
This is Swint’s first book, and she has spent the last 10 years at the helm of Styles4Kidz, an organization that provides haircare resources for adoptive and foster parents of black and mixed-race children. One-on-one training as well as workshops are provided by the organization, helping parents understand how to care for and style their children’s hair.
Your Hair Is Your Crown will be available to buy on February 1st from all major book retailers. All proceeds from the sale of Your Hair Is Your Crown will benefit Styles4Kidz.
Other Children’s Books Celebrating Black Hair
There are a few books out there that celebrate back hair, so Swain’s publication will be in good company. It’s wonderful to that more books are being published to give black children confidence in their hair and skin, in a society that may make them feel ashamed of their natural beauty.
These are some of uplifting books that you can read to your kids about the beauty of their hair:
Penny and the Magic Puffballs by Alonda Williams
A young girl wears her hair in puff balls and discovers that magical things happen when her hair is styled as such. The book was written by Alonda Williams as a love letter to her daughter, who always wondered why her hair was different from her classmates’.
Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron
This is a story about a girl named Brenda’s coily hair, and it is told in the traditional African“call-and-response” style. It won a Parenting Reading Magic Award.
Princess Hair By Sharee Miller
This book celebrates the different shapes and textures of black hair. Blowouts, locs, braids (and many other styles) are represented. It was initially self-published, but was fast-tracked for hardcover publication after it turned out to be a huge success.
Bedtime Bonnet By Nancy Redd
About a young girl who loses her bonnet before she goes to bed, Redd’s publication is the first book to ever highlight the night-time hair traditions of black women.
Rapunzel by Rachel Isadora
This beautifully drawn book gives the fairy-tale of Rapunzel a new setting in Africa and the princess’s long blonde hair has been replaced with locs. It’s a lovely new twist on an old classic.
Color My Fro by Crystal Swain-Bates
There aren’t many colouring books based on black culture – and, only one about black hair. Color My Fro features 31 illustrations of mermaids, warriors, cheerleaders and more to show young girls that they can be anything they want to be while rocking their natural hair.
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