Susan Goldhor

Franny B. Franny, There's a Bird in Your Hair would be a great fit for primary grade levels. This is a fun story about a little girl who, despite her family and classmates teasing her, loves her long, frizzy hair. When Franny's mother makes her get her hair styled into a more "manageable" hair-do for their family reunion, Franny is not pleased. That is until a bird decides her hair would make the perfect nest and lands onto of her new do. Franny then must try to be extra careful to keep her new friend comfortable.

Disclaimer: there is page where Franny is stepping into a tub and you can see her bare bottom. (maybe not ideal for a class read aloud)… (más)

This book was made to teach children to be happy with who they are. The book is about Franny who has all messy hair, but she loves her hair. One day her mother takes her to the stylist and Franny is upset. The stylist does not cut her hair, but puts it up so it so her hair isn't everywhere. Franny is walking home from the stylist and a bird lands in her hair. Franny loves the bird in her hair and tries her best to keep it there. Franny's family is embarrassed that the bird is in her hair and her sister disowns her. Soon the new station see's Franny and films her for TV and all of a sudden her sister loves her again and is proud Franny didn't cut her hair.… (más)

Overall, I liked this story. I thought the idea of the story was really sweet. And I think young students would be able to relate to the story. The independence that Franny feels is something that a lot of young readers will also feel. Franny wanted to be original, and did not necessarily wanted to be told what to do. This is how a lot of young people feel. Something that I really liked about the story was that Franny was never afraid to be herself. She did not care about anyone else’s opinion of her, she was still going to be who she wanted to be. Even when her sister bullied her and made fun of her hair, she did not let this bring her down. I think this is a good lesson for young students. They should not let other people bring them down, and they should never be afraid to be themselves. Another thing I liked about the story was that the story did have an element of suspense to it. When the bird flew into her hair I wondered how she would handle that situation. I continued to wonder this as she went to the family reunion, and after the reunion was over. The little bit of suspense that was added in the story helped to keep the reader engaged and interested in the story. Having the story be so engaging for readers creates a wonder about the story and helps to pull the reader in. The last thing I liked about the story was the illustrations. I thought they paired really well with the written text. The illustrations fit the style of the written text quite well. And the illustrations also added an extra bit of humor to the story. That added humor to the story helped further involve me in the story, and made me what to keep reading. Having a funny children’s story will also allow young students to see how books could be used for enjoyment, and not just educational information. I believe the big message of the story is to be yourself, and others will accept you. Franny was herself throughout the story and eventually others accepted her, as well. There was also a message about being generous. Because in the end Franny ended up donating her hair, something she loved, to the bird. This can show young readers the importance of being generous.… (más)