★ 04/18/2022
In spoken-word lines that explicate the tension between what people say and what they mean, Acevedo (Clap When You Land ) confronts the cultural specter of hair-related prejudice through the lens of colonial history and Afro-Dominican identity. “Some people tell me to ‘fix’ my hair. And by fix, they mean straighten; they mean whiten”—but, the poem’s speaker intones, “how do you fix this shipwrecked history of hair?” Centering figures with brown skin of varying tones, Pippins’s (Young Gifted and Black ) bold-hued, unlined art portrays curls, coils, and elaborate road map cornrows, including a design with a ship at its center. A subsequent spread centers a salon offering blowouts and roller sets: “We’re told Dominicans do the best hair. We can wash, set, flatten the spring in any lock.” But the context behind those words, the lines indicate, aligns with colonial beauty standards: “What they mean is: Why would you date a Black man?” and “Have you thought about your daughter’s hair?” Embracing the beauty of Afro-Latinidad hair exactly as it is, Acevedo affirms, “Our children will be beautiful... Oh, how I will braid pride down their backs, and from the moment they leave the womb, they will be born in love with themselves.” Ages 13–up. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (May)
"An incredible amount of reflection appears in this slim volume, making this a wonderful choice for group discussions. Brave, sharp, and powerful." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"In this small book, every square inch of every page is full of color and visual depictions of the poem's evocative lines. The palette in Pippin's illustrations—every shade of brown and warm terracotta earth tones—echoes the poem's sentiments... [a] beautiful, inviting presentation of Acevedo's poem." — Booklist (starred review)
"In spoken-word lines that explicate the tension between what people say and what they mean, Acevedo (Clap When You Land ) confronts the cultural specter of hair-related prejudice through the lens of colonial history and Afro-Dominican identity." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"In this small book, every square inch of every page is full of color and visual depictions of the poem's evocative lines. The palette in Pippin's illustrations—every shade of brown and warm terracotta earth tones—echoes the poem's sentiments... [a] beautiful, inviting presentation of Acevedo's poem."
Booklist (starred review)
★ 04/02/2022
Gr 7 Up —This latest publication by award-winning The Poet X author Acevedo is a bold spoken word journey through the history of Black oppression as seen from the proverbial salon chair. The ways in which Black women have been goaded to "fix" their hair are countless, and reach back into history as far as the slave ships. "But how do you fix this shipwrecked history of hair?" she asks. Full of hard questions directed at people of both past and present, Black, white, and Latinx, Acevedo's work is a declaration of peace with her Afro-Dominican heritage and offers a model for representation for herself and future children. "From the moment they leave the womb, they will be born in love with themselves." Pippins's full-color art perfectly matches the bold voice and tone of the text, serving as a current on which the language rides with increasing strength and force. While many books of the same theme have been published in the kids' space in recent years, this one is a standout for its appeal to the young adult audience and the fusion of fury and realization it portrays. Because "you can't fix what was never broken." VERDICT A powerful proclamation of resistance and resilience over cultural oppression. Purchase for YA poetry collections, especially where spoken word is in demand.—Jennifer Noonan
Poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s narration of her groundbreaking spoken-word poem resonates with love, understanding, and heartbreak. Originally titled “Hair,” the work achieved viral fame during her 2014 poetry slam circuit. With a thrumming rhythm and exquisitely placed pauses, Acevedo celebrates the beauty and import of Black hair. Her voice dips in sorrow as she notes that too many Black women and girls engage in colorism and self-hate, buying into the fallacy that their hair needs to be “fixed,” for only white hair can be beautiful. Acevedo’s response to this painful yet powerful urge towards whiteness is delivered with passionate fury: “You can’t fix what was never broken.” This audio, while brief, is packed with insights and clarity. Listeners will want to hear it again and again. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Odyssey Honor © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s narration of her groundbreaking spoken-word poem resonates with love, understanding, and heartbreak. Originally titled “Hair,” the work achieved viral fame during her 2014 poetry slam circuit. With a thrumming rhythm and exquisitely placed pauses, Acevedo celebrates the beauty and import of Black hair. Her voice dips in sorrow as she notes that too many Black women and girls engage in colorism and self-hate, buying into the fallacy that their hair needs to be “fixed,” for only white hair can be beautiful. Acevedo’s response to this painful yet powerful urge towards whiteness is delivered with passionate fury: “You can’t fix what was never broken.” This audio, while brief, is packed with insights and clarity. Listeners will want to hear it again and again. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Odyssey Honor © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
★ 2022-03-02
Award-winning author and poet Acevedo opens with an insult that will resonate with Black girls and women: “Some people tell me to ‘fix’ my hair.” Her powerful response comes at the very end: “You can’t fix what was never broken.” In between, many themes are explored, some of which apply to Black people broadly, while others specifically reference Dominican culture. Throughout, Pippins’ hand-drawn and digital illustrations showcase an incredible array of natural hairstyles and details, such as the image of a ship within the braided pattern of one character’s hair. Impressively, the poem goes beyond typical dialogues about Black hair, acknowledging Black people’s internalized racism that comes from beauty standards grounded in White supremacy. The poem highlights the reputation that Dominicans have for being able to “flatten the spring in any lock,” following that line with a powerful reframing. From there, Acevedo moves into discussing colorism—in particular, the prejudice against lighter-skinned people partnering with darker-skinned people—and more. Pippins’ bright, colorful, and evocative art covers full pages, lovingly portraying the all-Black cast with a diverse range of skin tones and hair textures. The text varies in size, seamlessly incorporated into the art. An incredible amount of reflection appears in this slim volume, making this a wonderful choice for group discussions.
Brave, sharp, and powerful. (Poetry. 12-adult)
