“Grandma, will my hair have stories to tell?”
“It already does,” she says. It holds the whispers of your ancestors.”
Abuela, ¿mi cabello tendrá historias que contar?
Sí, ya lo hace, me dice. Retiene el susurro de tus antepasados.
In this poetic ode to grandmothers, a young girl likens her abuela’s long hair to strength, security and resilience. Grandma’s black strands speak of “finding courage in the unknown,” while the white strands represent wisdom and hope.
In this story grandmother’s hair reflects her stories of struggles, triumphs, courage, wisdom, and love. Curious about her own hair, the granddaughter asks, “Grandma, will my hair have stories to tell?”
“It already does,” Grandma says. “It holds the whispers of your ancestors. With each moon phase your hair grows thicker and stronger.” Grandmother ensures her granddaughter that she too will have her own stories of wisdom, courage, and love to tell. Granddaughter will then pass on this heritage to the next generation.
In this story Camacho-Church uses the natural world and the stories of ancestors as tools from which the granddaughter can gather and build upon her your own wisdom, strength, and courage.
En esta oda poética a las abuelas, una niña compara el largo cabello de su abuela con la fortaleza, la seguridad y la resiliencia. Las hebras negras de la abuela hablan de “encontrar valor en lo desconocido”, mientras que las hebras blancas representan sabiduría y esperanza.
En esta historia, el cabello de la abuela refleja sus historias de luchas, triunfos, valentía, sabiduría y amor. Curiosa por su propio cabello, la nieta pregunta: “Abuela, ¿mi cabello tendrá historias que contar?” “Ya las tiene”, dice la abuela. “Contiene los susurros de tus antepasados. Con cada fase lunar, tu cabello crece más grueso y fuerte.” La abuela asegura a su nieta que ella también tendrá sus propias historias de sabiduría, valentía y amor para contar. Luego, la nieta transmitirá este legado a la próxima generación.
En esta historia, Camacho-Church utiliza el mundo natural y las historias de los antepasados como herramientas de las que la nieta puede reunir y construir su propia sabiduría, fortaleza y valor.
In this bilingual story told in English and Spanish, a child sees magic, beauty, and wonder in a beloved grandmother’s hair.
The child loves Grandma’s flowing, ankle-length black-and-white tresses and imbues them with magical qualities, comparing them to “a towering waterfall tumbling down a mountain,” the moon, and the wings of a dragonfly. One image depicts Grandma’s hair spreading against the night sky, the strands wrapping around the moon; another depicts her hair as a field of wildflowers. In the eyes of her adoring grandchild, Abuela seems like an otherworldly goddess. Eager to inherit Grandma’s confidence and power, the child asks, “Will my hair have stories to tell?” “It already does,” Grandma responds. “It holds the whispers of your ancestors.” Beauty, the story suggests, is not just an external quality; rather, it’s the love and kindness that shine out from deep inside. This lyrical story makes clear that self-love can be passed down and taught through generations. With time and encouragement, young people can become as strong and powerful as those they admired when they were young. Vibrant and expressive illustrations filled with swirling, vivid linework emphasize the bonds between family members and make references to Mesoamerican ancestry and gods. Both characters are brown-skinned and cued Latine.
A gentle lullaby: poetic, sweet, and moving. (Picture book. 4-7)
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2024
Adriana Camacho-Church beautifully expresses the impressions which are
evoked by a child’s imagination when she looks at and feels her
grandmother’s hair and listens to her wise words. The story will give a child
who is reading or listening to it a new way of seeing even the simplest
things in their lives In a more imaginative way. Most of all, the story
expresses the great love between grandmother and grandchild. The
colorful illustrations give the story a dreamlike quality which adds to the
beauty of the book.
Pat Birchenall, Former Newark Free Library Library Manager
In Grandma’s Hair is Ankle Length, the latest bilingual picture book by author Adriana Camacho-Church, a little girl finds a world in her grandmother’s long, luxurious hair. As the girl admires her grandma’s hair, she compares it to the natural world: Grandma’s hair is a waterfall and the space between stars. It is as ancient as the moon, but also captures the radiance and delicacy of dragonfly wings. Grandma’s hair contains the knowledge and stories of the ancestors and, what’s more, this heritage will be passed on to the little girl, who wonders if her own hair also holds these mysteries.
The gorgeous illustrations by Mexican artist Carmen Lop incorporate not only the beauty of nature, but also indigenous Latinx imagery, such as figures of an ancient Jaguar warrior or a girl in native Colombian dress. Lop’s vivid, lush drawings bring Camacho-Church’s poetic language to life. As you read the book to little ones, make sure to look for the dragonflies throughout, as they are particularly meaningful to the author
Librarian Lisa Burris New Castle County Libraries
Adriana’s new book, Grandma’s Hair is Ankle Length, is a beautifully illustrated, deeply symbolic yet simple story addressing the importance of knowing who we are, where we come from, and what we are capable of becoming. In these times when our youth are bombarded with messages causing insecurity and doubt, we need more literature that celebrates our cultural uniqueness and strengths. As our children are exposed to their traditions in a loving and sincere way, their self esteem will be uplifted and they can be proud of who they are. Thank you, Adriana!
Angela Elsmore elementary school teacher at MVUSD
“Grandma’s Hair Is Ankle Length is a celebration of femininity, family, culture and love. This culturally rich story teaches that wisdom is earned through time and experience and aging is beautiful. Together, the poetic text and gorgeous illustrations of this book highlight the sacred relationship between a granddaughter and her grandmother. It is a must-read for young girls.”
Maria Spano, Managing Editor – Delaware Today
Adriana Camacho-Church 