Pirouette blog — World Book Day with Curls: The Mega Magic Hair Swap

Reading time: 3 min

The Mega Magic Hair Swap

by Rochelle Humes
Illustrated by Rachel Suzanne

I’ve wanted to swap my hair from the age of three, at least that’s my first memory of wanting to shed my coiled locks. You see, I have extremely fizzy curly hair but I’ve always wanted long blonde tussled hair. I’m the only one in the family who has such a fuzzy fringe. My elder sister has curly hair but it’s always grown down unlike mine, and she now choses to wear her hair straight. My younger bother arrived with a slight curl of blonde, but with one cut they were no more. I get my frizz from my father although we have to rely on some vintage pics for proof as his now stylish bald bonce (head) reveals little evidence of his previous curly top.

As an 80’s child tangle teasers sadly didn’t exist. My mum would insist that I brush my hair out every day and finished it off with a middle parting and two gold slides to hold the whole bundle down. My nickname at primary school was Kate Bush and it wasn’t for my singing…

So when Rochelle Humes sent me her first children’s book The Mega Magic Hair Swap it struck a chord. Now in my late 30’s I embrace my fizz wearing my hair mostly natural. It’s how people identify me, the tall one with the big frizzy hair, Scottish, laughs a lot… Actually that’s another thing, there have been studies that conclude we find people with curly hair friendlier… Until someone touches our hair that is!

So, little Mai has curly hair like candy floss – which she loves, but she doesn’t like her hair. Swimming makes her hair go wild (me also). Mai loves her best friend Rose’s swishy long hair. But Rose wants Mai’s soft big hug hair. They both have an idea ‘let’s swap!’ Mai just so happens to have won a very cute magic coconut that grants wishes. So with all the wishes in the world at their disposal the girls ask to swap hair & the cute little coconut grants their wish. Rose’s hair goes springy and Mai’s is smooth to brush.

It’s fun for a while, however Mai’s little brother Raine lets out a big shriek when he sees them. And Rose’s dog runs away because he doesn’t recognise the pair. Both girls decide that though they love each other’s hair they prefer their own hair on themselves… They prefer being themselves, because being one’s self is what makes you special!

It’s an important message for Rochelle Humes and she has done a lovely job of conveying this to children in the book. The illustrations by Rachel Suzanne are sweet, with friendly faces.

Sometimes I try to wear my hair with a smooth loose curl, but never straight as it just doesn’t work. As the day goes on the frizz works its way back… Maybe it’s trying to tell me something

Editors Note: Where do you win a cute magic coconut? I need one…

The Mega Magic Hair Swap by Rochelle Humes - curly hair