Stella's Stellar Hair: 01/23/20

Stella's Stellar Hair by Yesenia Moises blends astronomy, family, the environment, and hair care to tell the story of a girl trying to find the right look for the upcoming Big Star Little Gala. As the publisher's blurb describes it, "Black girl magic takes on the solar system."

Stella's hair just isn't behaving for her. At her mother's suggestion she hops on her hoverboard to visit her aunties. One by one she's given a new do and while she likes the look and loves spending time with her aunties, none of the styles feels like her. In this regard, Stella reminds me of a younger, but more magical kindred spirit to Tessa Johnson in Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant (2021). The big difference, though, is she has aunties to help.

Ultimately Stella does find something that works for her and is true to her own inner spirit and sense of style. She's able to incorporate something from everyone while being uniquely herself.

The back of book includes a discussion of the different heavenly bodies in the solar system as well as how their environments influenced the hair styling each auntie chose. Those choices are then further drawn back to real places on Earth where those styles developed and are worn.

Five stars

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