Childhood, that precious time of intense loves and hates and hopes and disappointments, has been marvellously captured by Divya Anand in her story for children I Hate my Curly Hair, a story, beautifully illustrated by Rujuta Thakurdesai, that is reminiscent of the illustrated stories by that wonderful writer for children, Dr Seuss.
The primary objective of any literature be it for children or adults is to entertain and give pleasure. I Hate my Curly Hair does this amply by using a rhyme pattern that would delight any young reader by the way it trips and slips off one’s tongue with its tizzy and frizzy and giggles and squiggles.
Then, of course, it fulfils the role that literature has, which is to act as a catharsis in allowing the readers to live out their own dilemmas but at second-hand, providing them a safe way of dealing with them.
Misfortune comes in all shapes and sizes and this little child is mortified by her hair.
I hate my hair
It coils and curls
It twists and twirls.
It’s so unfair
Why must I have curly hair?
So begins the tale of the little girl with hair that people laugh at, her family, friends and foes, especially the big bully! By the way, we are told in the information on the writer that Divya Anand too has curly hair too (and was often teased as being ‘baal ki dukaan’) and that she accepted that curly hair was ok only when she turned twenty!