Hair Oil Magic

A shared Sunday ritual proves a key ingredient in this intergenerational family story. Young Meenu Kaur knows Sunday as “Magic Hair Day,” when Mommy mixes up her “magic potion” of oils in a bowl: “Then, Meenu would nestle into Mommy’s lap as she gently massaged her potion onto Meenu’s scalp.” And after her hair absorbs the oils throughout the day, a special shampoo at bath time leaves her wavy locks “bouncy and sparkly.” Best of all, though, she loved “the fuzzy, magical feeling she got when the oil was massaged into her hair. It was like little floating stars twinkling around her heart!” Determined to prove that she is old enough to do it herself, the child tries to mix the oils—fenugreek, rosemary, castor, and coconut—with disastrous results, and learns from Biji and Mommy both that the magic “is in the ritual that has been passed down for generations.” Chouhan’s warm-hued digital art adds richness to this tale of one South Asian family’s weekly custom—and the way a centuries-old cultural practice is handed down through the generations. An author’s note and Meenu’s Magic Hair Day tips conclude. Ages 3–6. (Feb.)