Hair Oil Magic
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2024
Agent: Thao Le
A beautiful picture book about the joyful magic in the tradition of hair oiling and a celebration of the bond between parent and child.
Meenu loves Magic Hair Days, when Mommy mixes sweet-smelling oils together and massages the potion into Meenu's scalp and hair. It always leaves Meenu with a fuzzy, magical feeling. And after bath time, when Mom washes the oils out, Meenu's hair is soft and shining.
When Meenu decides one day to mix the oils without any help, she discovers something's wrong: No matter how many oils she mixes, the magic just isn't there!
What is she missing? But when Mommy comes to help, massaging Meenu's head, the fuzzy, magical feeling returns! Was it really in the oils, or something else? Inspired by Anu Chouhan's own memories and family, this author-illustrator debut is a lovely depiction of a cultural tradition and a delightful story that emphasizes that magical bond between parents and children.
Reviews:
“This is a sweet, deeply relatable story centered on a common South Asian ritual. A tender celebration of the simple traditions that bind families.” — Kirkus Reviews