Sharee Miller

Miller tells it like it is while giving children of color permission to set boundaries when people reach out to touch their curly, kinky, or nappy hair.

Aria, a brown-skinned protagonist, opens this picture book by introducing herself with a double-page, gutter-spanning image of her smiling face and her full head of hair that takes up three-quarters of the spread: “I’m Aria, and this is my hair.” Aria loves her hair, but others do too—so much so that they want to touch it even without show more permission. Aria decidedly does not like this. To demonstrate how she avoids touching hands, she appears eight times on one page—in full aerial split, karate-style airborne kick, curled into a fetal position, tentative headstand, and more—hemmed in almost all the way around by groping, outstretched hands. Even when she attempts to escape underwater, an octopus and a mermaid chase her, tentacles and arms extended. Wherever she travels, she can’t get away from this threat…until she learns a strategy that works. Miller’s variegated watercolor, pencil, and ink illustrations effectively portray Aria’s verve as well as her frustrations. The cover image and several others depict disembodied hands and arms in many skin tones reaching for Aria’s hair, suggesting that this intrusive behavior can come from anyone.

Miller’s lighthearted touch effectively delivers a serious, necessary message about respecting boundaries. (Picture book. 3-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

Sharee Miller, the talented author/illustrator behind the recent Princess Hair, returns to the topic of tresses in this new picture-book. Aria loves her soft and bouncy hair, which grows toward the sun like a flower. The problem is, everyone else loves it too, and is forever touching it. Attempting to escape the hordes of people (and creatures!) intent on touching what they shouldn't, she ends up on a desert island. Can she find a way to return to society, but maintain her personal show more boundaries...?

An engaging story is joined to cute, appealing artwork in Don't Touch My Hair!, which offers a creative, fairy-tale take on a common childhood problem: respecting personal, bodily boundaries. The importance of teaching young people about their right to reject unwanted touching (of any kind), and to respect other's similar right not to be touched, is something Miller addresses in her brief afterword, in which she hopes her book can be used to further this goal. I think it can do just that, and because it is entertaining and non-judgmental, it can do so in a way that is most helpful. Recommended to fans of Miller's artwork, and to anyone searching for children's stories about setting and respecting personal boundaries. show less

Oh, I absolutely loved this! Right away, the adorable art style and Charlie’s struggle to make friends drew me in. She goes through embarrassing mishaps and so much lying trying to be accepted. Charlie, like a lot of us, is in her head a lot. There’s also a cute crush in the background.

Something unique is the book addresses what happens when a parent who has been absent (as in work, deployment, etc) changes the dynamic of the home once they return full-time. I don’t think I have seen show more many children’s stories cover this.

OR, having a social butterfly for a parent as a child who has difficulty connecting to others. Sometimes, the parent doesn't realize social interactions don't come easy to the child.

Moral: You don’t have to pretend to be someone else to be liked. show less

I have to admit that I was scared as a little girl to get my hair done. Now, I know what would have helped! Jordan's mother took her to a barber shop! My mother took me to a beauty school! At the beauty school, my hair was whacked off unevenly. The supervisor came and screamed! She took over and evened it out, but it was too short! I should have gone to a barber shop!.

I love the colorful and expressive illustrations in the book and I am very happy with how her haircut made Jordan feel.