Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Lisa Dunn-Dern
Llumina Press (2005)
ISBN 1932560718
Reviewed by Stephanie, Parish (age 3) and Isaac (age 1) Rollins for Reader Views (6/07)

The little girl in “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” loves Saturdays because of the family tradition that is unique to her family.  Her mother has a standing appointment at the beauty salon on Saturday mornings.  Her mother is treated like a queen for two hours at the salon while she eats pancakes with her dad.

She also fixes her father’s hair.  This is quite a feat, since he is almost completely bald.  She uses playdough to make his hair.  She gives him a variety of hairdos while her mother is experimenting with her hair at the salon.

“Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” is a sweet story that features a bi-racial family.  The illustrations are simple and eye-catching.  The words are easy to sound out, and the font is large.

“Do you like these pictures?”
Parish points to the pancakes.  They used the word “flap jack.”   We think that is a funny word, so we laugh about it.

“Daddy has hair, but do you think it would be fun to make hair out of playdough?”
“She made a mess.”  She points to the empty playdough containers on the floor below the little girl.

“She needs to put the lids on before they dry out.”  She is really concerned about the mess.  “Daddy does not make pancakes for you.  Mommy does.  Do you want raisins and bananas on your pancakes like the little girl?”
“No.  I like bananas and raisins on peanut butter sandwiches.”

“Do you want to keep this book or give it away?”
“Give it away.”

“Why?”
“I don’t like it.”

Parish did not like “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.”  Isaac did not show interest in the pictures.  I think it is purely a matter of personal preference.  It is a cute story with cute pictures.  I do wish the little girl’s name was mentioned, but I realize it was written from her point of view.  Parish and Isaac do not recommend it, but I do think it is a story many children will like, and many children will want to adopt the playdough hair idea.

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (4/06)

Saturday rituals provide a change from the rush to go to work or to get to school. The young narrator of “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” loves Saturdays. Her daddy makes pancakes in the morning and their family eats together. Then her mommy leaves for her weekend hair appointment. Every week while mommy is gone, exciting things happen at home as the little girl sets up her own salon to do Daddy’s hair. Since he is partially bald, they have to stretch their creativity. When the play dough comes out, the hairstyles vary in color and outrageous styles. Daddy is a good sport! Just as they wonder how Mommy’s hair will look each week when she comes home, Mommy wonders how Daddy will look, too.

Dunn-Dern’s picture book provides a wonderful glimpse into the simple pleasures of nurturing a child’s creativity. The book shows a strong father-daughter bond, love and the power and stability of family rituals. Virgo Evans’s illustrations capture the whimsy and the playfulness of Saturday with this family.

I found Dunn-Dern’s natural treatment of an interracial family most appealing. While the topic is trendy she made it a basic part of the book. The narrator doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary about her family and doesn’t call unnecessary attention to skin color. Yet, the book and the illustrations lend itself to discussion about the differences that make us all unique and the similarities that makes us so alike.

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