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readandfindout's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Style/writing: 5 stars
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Themes: 5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Art: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent
inkdrinkers's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was wiping tears away by the end of this little graphic novel.
Frizzy is all about Marlene, who is forced to go to the salon with her mother every Sunday to get her hair straightened and set in curlers instead of using her natural curl pattern. Through the whole book, Marlene goes through a lot of bullying and self-image issues that cumulates with her finally being able to wear her hair naturally at the urge of her aunt.
I really, really adored this book. I have a lot of distinct memories as a child of having my hair forcibly brushed because my family didn't understand how to manage the curls. It's taken me years to embrace them and to restore the nature pattern, and I feel like I'm still learning daily. This graphic novel just hit close to home for me - and I think it will for anyone who has wavy to coiled hair. There's always an allure to having glossy, straight hair, but there's also something freeing about being able to wear it naturally, even if it's a frizzy mess.
Frizzy is all about Marlene, who is forced to go to the salon with her mother every Sunday to get her hair straightened and set in curlers instead of using her natural curl pattern. Through the whole book, Marlene goes through a lot of bullying and self-image issues that cumulates with her finally being able to wear her hair naturally at the urge of her aunt.
I really, really adored this book. I have a lot of distinct memories as a child of having my hair forcibly brushed because my family didn't understand how to manage the curls. It's taken me years to embrace them and to restore the nature pattern, and I feel like I'm still learning daily. This graphic novel just hit close to home for me - and I think it will for anyone who has wavy to coiled hair. There's always an allure to having glossy, straight hair, but there's also something freeing about being able to wear it naturally, even if it's a frizzy mess.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
readingwithcats's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Bullying
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
lettuce_read's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Body shaming, and Bullying
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Grief
clarabooksit's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Body shaming
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
seawarrior's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a wonderful and rewarding graphic novel to read. The book was created with the intention of empowering Black girls with curly heads of hair, but will be enlightening to every young person who reads it.
Ortega skillfully writes Marlene with a voice that notices and resists the inconsistencies and unfairness that adults perpetuate around her. She feels confused, angry and unhappy each time she's made to feel ugly because of her curls, and eventually learns that these emotions should matter to herself and her loved ones, and that she has the right to present herself how she wishes. Marlene's confusion as to why her hair matters so deeply to her family is demystified away with a fuller understanding of her mother's past experiences with Anti-Blackness and her attempts to find respect in the midst of it. It's important for young people to understand how racism is held up by seemingly small ideas that multiply into larger hurts. This book provides a guide for young readers to not only understand that idea, but to realize that coming to terms with discomfort, and asserting your emotions surrounding it, is transformative.
The illustrations for the book complement the writing perfectly. Each page contains detailed, expressive, and dynamic artwork that draws readers into Marlene's world. Marlene's hair is highlighted as a source of power and beauty in both her imaginative scenarios and her actual life. I highly recommend this book to readers of any age or race. It is written for its message to be accessible for children to absorb, yet adults have an equal need to understand how children think and why making them feel ashamed of their natural self "for their own good" creates a system of confusion and lost self-esteem. Hopefully in the years ahead of us more Black girls will grow up believing that their hair is beautiful, instead of a burden.
Ortega skillfully writes Marlene with a voice that notices and resists the inconsistencies and unfairness that adults perpetuate around her. She feels confused, angry and unhappy each time she's made to feel ugly because of her curls, and eventually learns that these emotions should matter to herself and her loved ones, and that she has the right to present herself how she wishes. Marlene's confusion as to why her hair matters so deeply to her family is demystified away with a fuller understanding of her mother's past experiences with Anti-Blackness and her attempts to find respect in the midst of it. It's important for young people to understand how racism is held up by seemingly small ideas that multiply into larger hurts. This book provides a guide for young readers to not only understand that idea, but to realize that coming to terms with discomfort, and asserting your emotions surrounding it, is transformative.
The illustrations for the book complement the writing perfectly. Each page contains detailed, expressive, and dynamic artwork that draws readers into Marlene's world. Marlene's hair is highlighted as a source of power and beauty in both her imaginative scenarios and her actual life. I highly recommend this book to readers of any age or race. It is written for its message to be accessible for children to absorb, yet adults have an equal need to understand how children think and why making them feel ashamed of their natural self "for their own good" creates a system of confusion and lost self-esteem. Hopefully in the years ahead of us more Black girls will grow up believing that their hair is beautiful, instead of a burden.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Bullying
kmbezner's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
In a coming of age graphic novel reminiscent of The Prince and the Dressmaker, Supper Club, and As the Crow Flies, Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra deftly and beautifully tackle the injustice surrounding politicized appearances through the story of Marlene and her family.
Marlene has spent her whole life hearing about good hair and bad hair…and her hair is, of course, bad. Meanwhile, everyone else around her, from her best friend Camila to her mom, her beloved aunt Ruby, Glenny at the salon, the bullies at school, and, worst of all, her perfect cousin Diana, all seem to have good hair. And after years of weekly painful salon trips, she can’t figure out how to make her hair behave the way everyone wishes it would, or why she can’t just wear her hair naturally in the first place. Naturally, she takes matters into her own hands with mixed results, eventually learning how to care for and style her hair the way she wants to. This message of choice is doubly punctuated by the background illustrations, which feature characters with a huge variety of hairstyles.
But this book isn’t just about hair because really, it’s never just about hair. Throughout Frizzy, Bousamra’s warm and welcoming illustrations hint at the beginnings of a conversation that isn’t spoken aloud until later in the book: that so many of the folks with good hair look different in other ways too. I was thrilled that, when the time for that conversation did come, the words anti-blackness made it onto the page because that brief but impactful moment between Marlene and her aunt is sure to ripple through anyone who reads it, along with the rest of Tia Ruby’s wise words on self-worth, body autonomy, generational trauma, internalized racism, and microaggressions. And of course, those are complicated issues that take more than a few pages of a book to truly address, but Ortega and Bousamra acknowledge that, and frame it as a beginning and a reminder that in order to battle these things we have to first be aware of them. Frizzy is much more than the heartwarming, neatly packaged resolution in its final pages, it’s the start of something beautiful for Marlene, her mother, and every kid who picks up this book and finds themselves repeating Ruby’s mantra there is no such thing as bad hair.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Racism and Death of parent
betweentheshelves's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What an important, beautiful, endearing middle grade graphic novel. There are so many middle grade readers who will relate to Marlene. All of her life, she is constantly told that she has "bad hair." That she needs to go weekly to get it straightened in order to fit in with society. But all she wants is to wear her curly hair, to be herself.
Everything about this book works so well together, from the art style to the writing to the characters. The emotion comes through so well, not just through the illustrations, but through the writing as well. My favorite scene was definitely when Marlene was at her aunt's house, learning about her hair and why so many people said her hair was "bad." The fact that she eventually gets to just be herself is so heartwarming; I loved it so much.
There are some lovely side characters as well. Marlene's best friend always has her back, even trying to help her figure out how to wear her hair naturally. Of course, her aunt is amazing, and we get to see Marlene's relationship with her mom evolve throughout the book as well. All of these relationships help Marlene on her journey in learning to be herself, and I can see so many kids being drawn to her story.
All in all, if you're looking for a good, heartwarming graphic novel to read this October, definitely pick this one up!
Everything about this book works so well together, from the art style to the writing to the characters. The emotion comes through so well, not just through the illustrations, but through the writing as well. My favorite scene was definitely when Marlene was at her aunt's house, learning about her hair and why so many people said her hair was "bad." The fact that she eventually gets to just be herself is so heartwarming; I loved it so much.
There are some lovely side characters as well. Marlene's best friend always has her back, even trying to help her figure out how to wear her hair naturally. Of course, her aunt is amazing, and we get to see Marlene's relationship with her mom evolve throughout the book as well. All of these relationships help Marlene on her journey in learning to be herself, and I can see so many kids being drawn to her story.
All in all, if you're looking for a good, heartwarming graphic novel to read this October, definitely pick this one up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
ashylibrarian's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
**Thank you to NetGalley, author Claribel A. Ortega, and First Second Books for the eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**
This is a must-read middle-grade graphic novel.
Frizzy follows Marlene's journey to loving her natural, curly hair. Marlene is looking to discover more independence and self-love, but there are a few obstacles in her way that she works toward overcoming. From family traditions and expectations to peer judgement, Marlene's story is emotional, impactful, and brave.
I love the support Marlene receives from her Tia and best friend, Camila. I love the bravery Marlene shows to her mother at the end of the story. And I love the power that Marlene's story will share with readers across the age-line.
Ortega's story writing partnered with Rose Bousamra's illustrations make this graphic novel so powerful and empowering. I felt Marlene's emotions as the story progressed and was cheering her on in her search for self-love and acceptance through her hair.
This is a must-read middle-grade graphic novel.
Frizzy follows Marlene's journey to loving her natural, curly hair. Marlene is looking to discover more independence and self-love, but there are a few obstacles in her way that she works toward overcoming. From family traditions and expectations to peer judgement, Marlene's story is emotional, impactful, and brave.
I love the support Marlene receives from her Tia and best friend, Camila. I love the bravery Marlene shows to her mother at the end of the story. And I love the power that Marlene's story will share with readers across the age-line.
Ortega's story writing partnered with Rose Bousamra's illustrations make this graphic novel so powerful and empowering. I felt Marlene's emotions as the story progressed and was cheering her on in her search for self-love and acceptance through her hair.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, and Body shaming
Minor: Death of parent
xangemthelibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
UGH my heart! This poor girl! There truly is something about looking in the mirror and 1. Seeing someone who doesn't look like you and 2. Seeing yourself in the reflection for the first time.
I'm not too familiar with the ideas presented in this story, but it's not the first time I've encountered them. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's female protagonists often speak of how it's more socially acceptable to have lighter skin, light colored eyes, and straight, fine hair. And her protagonists often are darker, with thicker, curlier hair, and dark eyes. However, unlike this story, those ideas are not usually the focus of the story.
This graphic novel is a fantastic introduction into how much certain beauty standards can hurt those who don't fit them. I'd definitely pair this story with Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying.
I'm loving this trend of body-positive stories! Let's keep them coming!
I'm not too familiar with the ideas presented in this story, but it's not the first time I've encountered them. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's female protagonists often speak of how it's more socially acceptable to have lighter skin, light colored eyes, and straight, fine hair. And her protagonists often are darker, with thicker, curlier hair, and dark eyes. However, unlike this story, those ideas are not usually the focus of the story.
This graphic novel is a fantastic introduction into how much certain beauty standards can hurt those who don't fit them. I'd definitely pair this story with Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying.
I'm loving this trend of body-positive stories! Let's keep them coming!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming
Moderate: Bullying