Birdie's Big-Girl Hair

January 13, 2014
Birdie, who tried out “big-girl” dresses and shoes in her previous picture books, struggles to find the perfect look after waking up with “extra unruly” hair one morning. With a salon appointment set, Birdie scours magazines and interviews her friends for ideas, giving Rim the opportunity to picture Birdie in coifs that nod to such style icons as Audrey, Farrah—and Leia. Rim’s blend of painting and fabric collage continue to strike a smart balance between fulfilling Birdie’s chic fantasies and allowing her to be herself, a point driven home in the final pages when Birdie’s mother reminds her that her play-tousled ’do “looks like YOU!” Ages 3–6. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

January 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Birdie's days of living with unruly hair are coming to an end. When her mom suggests a new hairstyle, she turns to her friends and mom's fashion magazines for advice. Spikes, bobs, and chignons don't feel right, though, and the cut she receives at the salon leaves her feeling only temporarily happy. When her new coif is flattened by the rain, Birdie is sad. "'Mommy, ' she cries, 'It doesn't look like yours anymore.'" Little girls who like to mimic their mothers will be thankful to hear the reassuring words Birdie receives about individuality and self-acceptance. Rim's (Birdie's Big-Girl Dress, Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes) collage illustrations add interesting patterns and texture to the page. Share this book with young Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious fans.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Another book in Rim's series about the elfin fashionista, who, having tackled shoes and clothes in earlier books, now tackles the issue of problem hair with her unique approach to little-girl fashion dilemmas. Birdie is having a really bad hair day. Mommy decides that a visit to the salon is in order, and in trying to choose a new hairdo Birdie scours a bewildering assortment of styles from fashion magazines. Nothing feels quite right. Her friends make helpful suggestions, but she can't decide what she wants until she gets home and discovers the perfect hair: Mommy's, in her high school yearbook! Armed with this choice, Birdie heads for the salon and is delighted with the result--until the energetic little girl ruins the new 'do on the playground. In a rather superficial nod to the importance of character over looks, Mommy reassures her "beautiful Birdie" that "now it's even better. It looks like YOU." Birdie's perky personality is beautifully expressed through retro-styled illustrations that combine watercolor and collage drawn from a variety of fabrics, textures, and magazine clippings. Although Rim's approach may disappoint feminist parents who dislike Birdie's devotion to the cult of female beauty, most little girls (and maybe some boys) will thoroughly enjoy this beautifully designed and whimsical tale. (Picture book. 3-6)

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