Frizzy

(Author) (Illustrator)
Frizzy - Ortega, Claribel A.
Available
add to wishlist
4.9/5.0
21,000+ Reviews
Bookshop.org has the highest-rated customer service of any bookstore in the world
Description

Winner of the Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text
Winner of the Eisner for Best Publication for Kids
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.
Product Details
Price
$14.99  $13.94
Publisher
First Second
Publish Date
Pages
224
Dimensions
5.6 X 7.95 X 0.52 inches | 0.86 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9781250259639

Earn by promoting books

Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.

Become an affiliate
About the Author

Claribel A. Ortega is a former reporter who writes middle-grade and young adult books inspired by her Dominican heritage. When she's not busy turning her obsession with eighties pop culture, magic, and video games into books, she's co-hosting her podcast Bad Author Book Club and helping authors navigate publishing with her consulting business GIFGRRL. Claribel has been featured on Buzzfeed, Good Morning America and Deadline. Her books include Ghost Squad and Witchlings, and Frizzy.

Rose Bousamra is a freelance illustrator and comic creator born and based in Michigan. Frizzy is their first graphic novel, and their solo debut graphic novel Gutless is also published by First Second. When they're not making or reading comics they love baking sweets and playing fantasy video games.
Reviews

Winner of the 2023 Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text
Winner of the 2023 Eisner for Best Publication for Kids
October 2022 Indie Bestseller
A Junior Library Guild selection

"Marlene's journey of personal growth will evoke catharsis and joy. An exquisite excavation of hair politics, family dynamics, and self-love."--Kirkus, starred review

"Ortega's narrative shows the complex arc of Marlene's emotional growth--from exuberance to sadness, self-reflection to empowerment--captured with aplomb in Bousamra's expressive illustrations." --Horn Book, starred review

"Bousamra skillfully renders expressive and visually distinct characters, employing bright and cheerful coloring in pastel hues to sweetly capture touching moments. Ortega expertly examines themes of colorism, generational trauma, and toxic beauty standards via authentic, heartstring-tugging dialogue and Marlene's pitch-perfect narration, culminating in a satisfying and heartwarming exploration of self-expression and self-love." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In the creators' graphic novel debut, themes of anti-Blackness, colorism, and self-acceptance are explored with -nuance and honesty. The subject of internalized racism is discussed in a way that will resonate with kids and families grappling with it for the first time." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Frizzy is an intimate mother-daughter drama that sensitively explores the concept of so-called 'good hair, ' a manifestation of racist beauty standards, as well as how such internalized anti-Blackness gets passed down through generations. Eager to value her unique identity, Marlene eventually learns how to advocate for herself, and her journey to proud self-acceptance is nothing short of joyful." --BookPage, starred review

"Frizzy touches upon the impact that hurtful beauty standards can have on children and how they can be perpetuated across generations, and an educational conversation on the connection between these beauty standards and anti-Blackness is neatly woven into the story." --Booklist

"A wonderful tale about what it truly means to have good hair . . . and a good heart." --Varian Johnson, award-winning author of Twins

"I desperately wish I'd had a book like this when I was growing up. Frizzy is uplifting, affirming, and healing to all kids who love their curls. Curly hair power!" --Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter

"Through warm, encouraging collaboration, creators Ortega and Bousamra underscore and celebrate the joys of being "beautiful in your own way." --Shelf Awareness
The Latina Anti-Diet: A Dietitian's Guide to Authentic Health That Celebrates Culture and Full-Flavor Living
The New David Espinoza
The Girl and the Robot
Peaceful Kitchen: More Than 100 Cozy Plant-Based Recipes to Comfort the Body and Nourish the Soul
The Wilde One
The Final Orchard
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal
Because I Need You
The Naughty Princess: A Sexy Royals Novella
Half-Truths
The Sinful King (discreet cover)
My Way Back to You
Then There Was You
Elastic Hearts
Darkness Before Dawn
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
James
Orbital: A Novel (Booker Prize Winner)
The Backyard Bird Chronicles
Wind and Truth: Book Five of the Stormlight Archive
The Message
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Everything Is Tuberculosis (Signed Edition): The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
There's Treasure Inside
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir
The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past
Impossible Creatures
The Wood at Midwinter
All Fours