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I love my hair natasha tarpley6/20/2023 ![]() ![]() talked to Natasha Tarpley about how she inherited the writing gene, what kinds of stories are considered "mainstream," and how we can help change children’s literature for the better. In honor of its 20th year in print, "I Love My Hair!" has been reissued with new cover art and, of course, a promise to keep speaking to generations to come. ![]() ![]() A quick look at the book’s Amazon reviews - more than 400 nearly 5 stars - reveal just how lasting "I Love My Hair!"'s legacy is. Through the years it’s made its way into the hands of kids who then passed it down to their kids, each generation finding life-changing affirmation and confidence in its gorgeous depictions of Keyana's hair and the rituals around it. The book was first published in 1998, and it hasn’t left bookstore shelves since. ![]() That dearth of cultural representation inspired her to write "I Love My Hair!," a children’s picture book about a young girl named Keyana who finds out how special her hair is as her mother combs it. And, according to author Natasha Tarpley, even those were narrow in scope, focusing on trauma or historical narratives, and lacking imagination. Just 20 years ago, there was little in the way of stories for and about black kids. It's a fairly recent phenomenon that publishers are seeking more diverse stories to quench the public's thirst for books that actually reflect all of our lived experiences. ![]()
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