The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School - Laurie Halse Anderson

Illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009
$16.99
Rating: 5
For: ages 4-8
PERFECT for first grade
Endpapers: Bright purple

"Zoe Fleefenbacher had one blue eye and one green eye and bright red hair that went on...forever."

Zoe's hair had a life of its own, and everyone lived happily with that, right through kindergarten. But first grade was another matter. Ms. Trisk didn't fool around, and couldn't stand Zoe's hair doing what it wanted. "School ha rules!" she insisted. The hair must be tamed. They tried. They really did. But when all the scrunchies, barrettes, pins, and holders exploted from her hair during science, everyone discovered how helpful and handy Zoe's hair could be.

A happy ending (of course): "Zoe Fleefenbacher had one blue eye and one green eye and handy, helpful, amazing hair...that found a place in first grade.

Great font.
Illustrations are pen and ink with watercolors. Beautifully curling, twirling; bountifully floating, cuddling; orange-red hair!

Crazy Hair - Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean
Published May, 2009
40 pgs.
$18.99
Harper Collins
For: Older kids - I can't wait to share it with my class.
Rating: 4.5
Endpapers: Indigo

The illustrations were really different, and I was prepard to not like them, but....I did! The hair iteself is wonderful, and all the detailed crevices and splashes of beautiful color, are, well, whimsical in a sophisticated way.

And the writing. Great rhyme and rhythm. IIt would make a great rock song. Let's put it to music! We hear all about what resides in this crazy, long hair. And we find out what happens when a young girl tries to comb it all out - she gets sucked in and begins to live there. Fun, fun, fun.

"This hair, you know,
Is all my own
Since I was two
My hair has grown.
Birds fly down
From everywhere
Nesting in my
crazy hair."

and

"Huge balloons
Come down to land.
People wave.
It's very grand.
They take off
From everywhere,
Drift across my crazy hair."

Every page I turn I love to read. Wonderful language, wonderful words.

Let's add some more scenes - what a great extension/writing/art project. More, more!

Other, more comprehensive reviews than mine:
Book Aunt (Kate Coombs)
Letter Rip (Letters to the authors and illlustrators)