Cabrera, C. A. (2018). My Hair is a Garden. Park Ridge, IL: Albert Whitman and Company.

After a day of being taunted by classmates about her unruly hair, Mackenzie can’t take any more and she seeks guidance from her wise and comforting neighbor, Miss Tillie. Using the beautiful garden in the backyard as a metaphor, Miss Tillie shows Mackenzie that maintaining healthy hair is not a chore nor is it something to fear. Most importantly, Mackenzie learns that natural black hair is beautiful.

Carroll, S. (2019). My Hair. (independently published)

Follow Ami as she celebrates the beauty of her classmate's hair and the marvel that is her own.

Cherry, M. A. and Harrison, V. (2019). Hair Love. New York, NY: Kokila.

Zuri's hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it's beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. But he LOVES his Zuri, and he'll do anything to make her -- and her hair -- happy.

Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair -- and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere.

Garcia-Halenar, A. & Garcia-Halenar, C. (2018). The Adventures of Little Miss Crazy Hair: The Girl with Curl. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Xanmaxbooks.

One of Vivian's many special characteristics which makes her so unique is her thick, beautiful, curly hair. Vivian and her mom have a daily bonding ritual where every morning she and her mother work Vivian's hair until a masterpiece is created. Time, trust, patience, and sometimes tears produce results that only make you smile. During these daily sessions Vivian earned the nickname, Little Miss Crazy Hair.

The Adventures of Little Miss Crazy Hair - The Girl with Curl, is the story of a girl and her best friend, her dog Duke, who go on daily adventures created by how Little Miss Crazy Hair decides to wear her hair for the day. This book captures 7 days of hair choices which power Little Miss Crazy Hair's ability to fly through the air, roar through the jungle, and even command crocodiles to move out of the way.

hooks, b. (1999). Happy to be Nappy. New York, NY: Jump at the Sun Publisher.

This joyous ode to hair may well restart conversations that began last year with the controversy over Carolivia Herron's Nappy Hair. Bubbling over with affection, and injecting a strong self-esteem boost for girls, hooks's ebullient, poetic text celebrates the innate beauty and freedom of hair that's "soft like cotton,/ flower petal billowy soft, full of frizz and fuzz."

Miller, S. (2018). Don’t Touch My Hair! New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

It seems that wherever Aria goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she's chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens...until, finally, Aria has had enough! An entertaining picture book that teaches the importance of asking for permission first as a young girl attempts to escape the curious hands that want to touch her hair.

Miller, S. (2017). Princess Hair. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

A welcome new picture book about princesses, Princess Hair is about a variety of styles, textures, and attitudes to be found under the crown. Fun for any reader and particularly well-suited for little princesses of color who will see themselves in the pages.

Olajide, T. (2014). Emi’s Curly Coily, Cotton Candy Hair. Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Emi is a creative 7-year-old black girl with a BIG imagination. In this story Emi shares a positive message about her Curly, Coily, Cotton Candy Hair and what she likes most about it. The vibrant illustrations and fun story teach basic natural hair care techniques and tips in a playful and memorable way.

Perry, L. M. (2015). Hair like Mine. Detroit, MI: G Publishing.

Hair Like Mine is a fun and easy read following a little girl who doesn't like that her naturally curly hair looks different from the other kids around her. On her quest to find someone with hair like hers, she soon realizes we are all unique and special in our own way.

Potts, A. (2019). My Hair is Me! (independently published)

As young African American women we tend not to embrace our natural being because of what we see around us in society. Often times young children hear their classmates and family members say what their hair should look like. Many times it is encouraged to make it straight and conform to society. We need to love our hair and embrace its uniqueness and versatility. Hair is your crown of glory and it should be honored and treated as such. Our young girls need to understand your hair is everything and it is beautiful just the way it is. You are not your hair, your hair is you!

Redd, N. (2020). Bedtime Bonnet. New York, NY: Random House

This joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime. Bedtime Bonnet gives readers a heartwarming peek into quintessential Black nighttime hair traditions and celebrates the love between all the members of this close-knit, multi-generational family.

Smith, N. (2017). My Hair is Poofy & That’s Okay. Hollywood, CA: VJS Productions

A diverse new children's picture book by NAACP nominated author/illustrator Nikkolas Smith. POOFY is a joyful, confident little girl, with a knack for making important decisions, and a MASSIVE crown of poofy hair. Being naturally curious and adventurous, she explores the world of diverse characteristics (and hairstyles) all around her, while finding the true meaning of self love, and self confidence. Poofy is a much needed face in the world of kid literature, and will not only inspire children of color to have pride in their features, but will also inspire all kids to embrace what is unique about themselves.

Swain-Bates, C. (2013). Color My Fro: A Natural Hair Coloring Book for Big Hair Loves of All Ages. Atlanta, GA: Goldest Karat Publishing.

In “Color My Fro,”31 big-haired fairies, mermaids, warriors, models, cheerleaders, and fierce divas grace the pages of this coloring book celebrating the beauty of black women and natural hair. At each turn of the page, a new natural hair inspired illustration greets you. 

Fun for any occasion, "Color My Fro" is the perfect stocking stuffer for natural hair lovers of any age so grab your crayons, colored pencils, and your afro pick and get started! The perfect gift for black women! 

Swain-Bates, C. (2013). Big Hair, Don’t Care. Atlanta, GA: Goldest Karat Publishing.

Lola has really really REALLY big hair, much bigger than the other kids at her school. Despite her hair blocking the view of anyone that dares sit behind her and causing her to lose at hide and seek, she sings the praises of her big hair throughout this rhyming picture book. Designed to boost self-esteem and build confidence, this beautifully illustrated book is perfect for any girl or boy who has ever felt a bit self-conscious about their hair and may need a reminder from time to time that it's okay to look different from the other kids at their school. 

Tarpley, N. A. (2001). I Love My Hair! New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

No matter how gently Mama pulls as she combs Keyana's hair, it still hurts. Keyana doesn't feel lucky to have such a head of hair, but Mama tells her she is because she can wear it any way she chooses.

Woodson, Jacqueline (2018). The Day You Begin. New York, NY. Nancy Paulsen Books.

There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael López's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

You! Mommy’s Baby! (2018). Don’t Touch My Hair: The ABC Book for Loving Your Beautiful Black Hair. Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Don't Touch My Hair: The ABC Book for Loving Your Beautiful Black Hair is book that helps young Black girls love their hair that way it is early in their lives. It helps them understand that their hair may be different but it's still beautiful.

Brooks, W. & McNair, J. (2015). “Combing Through Representations of Black Girls’ Hair in African American Children’s Literature.” Children’s Literature in Education, 46, 296-307.

In this article, we share findings from a content analysis of six picture books about hair. The picture books selected feature Black female protagonists and are written by African American females. Our content analysis examines the ways in which Black hair is theorized and represented to children (from diverse backgrounds) very early on in their reading trajectory.

Kleczaj-Siara, E. (2018). “Afro Hair as a Signifier of Racial Identity in African American Children’s Literature.” The ESSE Messenger, 27(1), 18-29.

African American children's literature has always been marked with the rhetoric of resistance. In response to the racist assumptions about black body, many children's authors celebrate the beauty of natural Afro hair. This article analyzes bell hooks's picture book Happy to Be Nappy, in which Afro hair is used as a signifier of black identity and racial pride. It makes reference to previous publications on the topic of black hair and explains the importance of the books in the tradition of African American children's literature as defined by W.E.B. Du Bois.

Lester, N. A. (1999). “Roots That Go Beyond Big Hair and a Bad Hair Day: Nappy Hair Pieces.” Children’s Literature in Education, 30(3), 171-183.

Discusses the controversy surrounding the picture book "Nappy Hair," by Carolivia Herron. Definitions of nappy hair; Focus of the book; Description of good and bad hair.