10-12 11-12 12 9-12 Fiction Graphic Novel Young Adult

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith

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Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Jamila Rowser
Illustrator: Robyn Smith, Colorists Bex Glendining & Kazimir Lee
Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Contemporary, LGBT, Queer, Romance, Young Adult
Audience: Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Link: Wash Day Diaries
Triggers / Content Warnings: Relationship dynamics, depression, and casual substance/drug references.
Review By: Heather Kent

Publisher’s Summary:

Goodreads Choice Award: Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2022)
From writer Jamila Rowser and artist Robyn Smith comes a captivating graphic novel love letter to the beauty and endurance of Black women, their friendships, and their hair.

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters’ everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser’s own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx—as the book’s first chapter and expands into a graphic novel with short stories about these vibrant and relatable new characters.

In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.

At times touching, quiet, triumphant, and laugh out loud funny, the stories of Wash Day Diaries pay a loving tribute to Black joy and the resilience of Black women.

Review:

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser, with expressive art by illustrator Robyn Smith, is an exceptional graphic novel curated beautifully for high school readers in grades 9–12. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Bronx, the narrative tracks the daily lives of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—unfolding across five interconnected short story comics. The framing device centers around the ritual of “wash day,” a universal experience where Black women set aside external responsibilities to cleanse, condition, and nourish their hair. Through these routine spaces of care, the book offers an intimate window into how these young women protect, heal, and validate one another through life’s unexpected trials.

This was a great graphic novel that focused on the deep friendship of Kim and her friends. The stories revolve around the sisterhood of these women and the process of Black hair care. I found myself drawn into their lives and reflecting on the friendships of my own life. It was moving and funny, everything you would want it to be. This was absolutely everything! I am so happy that we have the opportunity to get a graphic novel that focuses specifically on slice of life themes with Black women at the forefront. I think that the story itself is rather short, but I think that the writer did an excellent job giving readers just enough to be invested in the characters and their friendships.

One of the most important aspects of this graphic novel is that the entire story is set against the backdrop of loving and appreciating Black hair. It’s nice to get this love and appreciation in such a positive way because quite often Black hair is discussed in how it’s been marginalized. I love that we were able to follow four women who loved and appreciated their Black hair even though there was a main character that struggled with it briefly. For the most part, we were getting so much love and joy and that was what was most important. I also like that we got a spectrum of body shapes, hair textures, and more. This story at its core is about friendship and love and support, and it was beautiful to see that amongst these women. It was a great graphic novel and I’m hoping to see more from this creator.

For school librarians and educators, the text offers substantial value for high school libraries. Rowser’s writing style is crisp, deeply authentic, and masterfully paced, allowing the casual rhythm of everyday conversations to hold profound emotional weight. The modern, inviting cover art features the main characters in warm, proud poses that will instantly catch the eyes of teenagers browsing library shelves. It serves as a brilliant option for independent reading programs, contemporary literature circles, or high school comic book clubs looking for meaningful graphic formats.

Classroom & Curricular Connections:

  • ELA (English Language Arts): Flawless mentor text for analyzing non-traditional plot structures and vignettes. Students can study how dialogue and subtext are used to build character depth in short-form graphic prose.
  • Art & Media Literacy: Perfect for exploring visual literacy. Students can evaluate how the illustrators and colorists utilize shifting palettes (warm tones versus cooler hues) to directly mirror the emotional environments and internal moods of each short story.
  • SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Connects deeply to relationship boundaries, peer support structures, mental health awareness (navigating depression), and building a healthy, resilient self-image.
  • Extension Activity / Library Application: Ideal for high school independent study or library workshops. Librarians can coordinate a “Slice of Life Comic Project.” Following a group reading, have students brainstorm a personal self-care ritual from their own lives (cooking a meal, listening to music, sketching) and script a brief 3-to-4 panel comic strip that showcases how that ritual helps them process emotions.
  • Diversity & Representation: The graphic novel excels at validating diversity, equity, and inclusion by placing queer identity and Black sisterhood unapologetically at the center of the frame. By showcasing an authentic spectrum of hair textures, physical body shapes, and intersectional identities in a joyous, everyday context, it allows marginalized students to see their genuine, non-traumatized lived experiences reflected as sacred and beautiful.

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