Frizzy

Written by Claribel A. Ortega · Illustrated by Rose Bousamra

A young girl battles salon visits to embrace her natural curls.

4.4 Goodreads · 12,840 ratings

224 pages· 7,136 words· Est. 1.5 hour read· HL430L

$14.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Marlene, a spirited Dominican girl, dreads her weekly trips to the salon where her curls are tamed into 'good hair.' With her best friend Camila and her cool Tía Ruby by her side, Marlene embarks on a journey of self-acceptance. As she navigates school pressures and family expectations, will she find the courage to embrace her true self and wear her curls with pride? Discover the heartwarming tale of self-discovery and the power of loving who you are, frizzy hair and all.

From the publisher

Winner of the 2023 Pura Belpré Award for Children’s TextOctober 2022 Indie Bestseller New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra’s Frizzy is about Marlene, a young Dominican girl whose greatest enemy is the hair salon! Through her struggles and triumphs, this heartwarming and gorgeous middle-grade graphic novel shows the radical power of accepting yourself as you are, frizzy curls and all. Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and “growing up.” That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have “presentable”, “good hair”. But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn’t understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby–she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

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