BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ortega, Claribel A. 2022. FRIZZY. Ill. Rose Bousamra. New York. First Second. ISBN 978-1-250-25962-2.
PLOT SUMMARY
Marlene, a young girl with curly hair, dreads going to the salon every Sunday to straighten her hair. She feels guilty for expressing the way she feels, so she complies with her mother’s Sunday ritual. Marlene’s mother believes she will look more polished and professional which will make it easier for her in life as she grows up. All Marlene wants is to embrace her curls, yet her bullies and society’s beauty standards don’t let her. When she takes a stand against her bullies she is punished for it resulting in a visit to her aunt Ruby’s house. Ruby, who shares in natural curly hair as Marlene, spends time showing her how to care for her hair as well as a conversation on anti-blackness and generational beauty standards that have discouraged young girls from embracing their natural beauty. Marlene shares her feelings with her mother and they both end up embracing their natural curly hair.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ortega’s character, Marlene, is very relatable to the upper elementary reader who comes face to face with social beauty pressures that heighten feelings and emotions to fit it in. Bousamra’s illustrations contain a steady and warm hues of pink, purple and teal colors throughout the graphic novel with vivid facial expressions and details that keep the reader engaged. The chapter title pages with illustrations prepare the reader for the upcoming chapter and the graphic novel has a consistent style, smooth dialogue and occasional text that speaks outside of a thought bubble for Marlene’s point of view. Each character has their own personality and draws on a different social and emotional area of the story.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Booklist, 09/15/22
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 11/01/22
Horn Book Magazine starred, 11/01/22
Kirkus Reviews starred, 08/01/22
Publishers Weekly Starred, 08/29/22
Pura Belpre Author Award, 2023
School Library Journal starred, 09/01/22
Booklist (September 15,2022 (Vol. 119, No.2)): “ Frizzy touches upon the impact that fulfill beauty standards can have on children and how they can be perpetuated across generations, and an educational conversation on the connection between these beauty standards and anti-Blackness is neatly woven into the story.”
Horn Book Magazine (November, December, 2022): “ Ortega’s narrative shows the complex arc of Marlene’s emotional growth– from exuberance to sadness, self-reflection to empowerment– captured with aplomb in Bousamra’s expressive illustrations.
Kirkus Reviews starred (August, 1, 2022): “ An especially tender scene in which Marlene finally experiences a pain-free wash day speaks volumes about the healing themes present throughout this graphic novel.”
Connections:
I knew of girls who would straighten their hair every day before school because they were ashamed of their “puffy” “frizzy” hair. This graphic novel is great for those students who try to hide their natural self, so they can see they’re not alone and could possibly have motivation to embrace their natural beauty.
This graphic novel would be a great one to showcase during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Showcasing books by Claribel Ortega and other hispanic authors or Pura Belpre Award winning books would be a great display to celebrate during the months of September and October.
Art extension activity: Providing students with templates of different hair types and allowing them to draw a portrait of themselves will help students show their natural hair and be proud of it. Allowing for others to see the different and unique hair types amongst us.
Other books by Claribel Ortega:
Ortega, Claribel. WITCHLINGS. ISBN 978-1-66887-636-7
Ortega, Claribel. THE GOLDEN FROG GAMES (WITCHLINGS 2). ISBN 978-1-33874-580-1
Ortega, Claribel. GHOST SQUAD. ISBN 978-1-71377-059-6
Ortega, Claribel. RIZOS. ISBN 979-83-987-0735-8 (SPANISH VERSION OF FRIZZY)
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