Published: 2022
Author: Claribel Ortega
Illustrator: Rose Bousamra
Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Comics, Childrens, Young Adult, Latinx
Audience (Grade Levels): Middle Grade; Grades 4-8
Number of Stars: 4-Stars
Goodreads Link: Frizzy
Triggers: Bullying, loss of a parent
Review By: Allison Earl
Publisher’s Summary:
Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and “growing up.” That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have “presentable”, “good hair”. But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn’t understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.
Review:
This is a beautiful graphic novel for all students who need inspiration to love themselves as they are. As a character, Marlene is very relatable and has good character growth in this short graphic novel. She is full of flaws, makes mistakes, and learns from them. This book helped me learn more about how other cultures view beauty and the pressure of young people to uphold that expectation: straight hair means beautiful hair, and anything else is not presentable. The author mentions how it takes time for previous generations to unlearn what they have been taught, and to embrace each individual as the unique, wonderful person that they are. I loved the illustrations, and I am so happy this story was told in graphic novel format. When I saw the front cover, this was an instant buy for me as the tones of pink and the beautiful hair of our main character drew me in.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Excellent for exploring self-acceptance, building self-esteem, managing family expectations, and developing the emotional language needed to advocate for oneself.
- Social Studies / Culture: Ideal for examining cultural standards of beauty, intergenerational expectations, and how communities define what is considered “presentable” or acceptable.
- ELA (English Language Arts): A strong text for introducing middle grade students to visual literacy, analyzing character growth, and exploring how graphic novels use color palettes and artistic choices to reflect a protagonist’s emotional journey.
Diversity & Representation:
Frizzy offers outstanding diversity and representation by highlighting the specific experiences of the Latinx community. It addresses the internal cultural bias and systemic pressures surrounding natural hair texture (“good hair” vs. “bad hair”). By illustrating how Marlene learns to love her natural curls with the help of supportive Afro-Latinx and family influences, the book provides vital representation for young readers of color navigating their own identities and hair journeys.
Readalikes:
- Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan
- Smile by Raina Telgemeier
- Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, illustrated by Gabriela Epstein
