  | Braided roots Author: Westbrook, Pasha | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
As a young girl's father lovingly yet painstakingly braids her hair, he weaves a story about the strength and resilience of their ancestors, Freedmen who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma.
| Illustrator: | Goodnight, Madelyn |
Reviews:
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/10/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 10/06/2025 In rhythmic text that’s rooted in family history and nature, Chickasaw and Choctaw Freedmen descendant Westbrook begins with an everyday ritual: "Father braids my hair, just like his./ He says more strands are stronger than one/ when pulled together tight." Proceeding pages detail the duo’s family story, referencing photos of ancestors wearing braids ("a DNA chain/ linking me/ back, back, back... to the ones who walked" from Mississippi to Oklahoma). Goodnight’s digitally finished oil and pencil illustrations effectively juxtapose scenes of the past and the present in a work that conveys how "our hair is our history" and how the father’s braid conveys "love in every twist," conferring a deep strength that "might just change the world." Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 4-8. (Nov.) - Copyright 2025
