Beach Hair by Ashley Woodfolk, illustrated by Nina Mata

 This exuberant ode to summer at the beach and messy hair is sure to be a storytime favorite.

The narrator, a child with an exuberant head of soft brown curls and tan skin, wakes up along with their parents to wild hair. Mommy, a Black woman with a natural afro, "says we all have beach hair" and Daddy, an Asian man with straight black hair and a light scruff says "Guess we should go to the beach." They cram on hats and head to the beach, but once they arrive they see that everyone's hair is wild and free and they toss their hats and take off into the water.

Cheeky seagulls zip about the beach and they enjoy a wonderful day in the sun (tubes of sunscreen are featured clearly) and head home after getting ice cream. On the way home, they happily let their hats fly away in the breeze and the upbeat story ends with the cheeky seagulls on the endpages, donning their hats as they zip around the beach.

In addition to being a fun story, full of acceptance and joy, with a range of body types as well as hair styles and types shown, this story is a delightful read-aloud. There's a slew of descriptive phrases, fun vocabulary, and bouncy rhythms, making this not only fun to read-aloud but a great classroom choice for kids learning about descriptive language.

Verdict: Even if you're not near the beach, this is a must-have book for summer storytimes and classroom read-alouds. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781665920988; Published June 2024 by Simon & Schuster; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library