Big Wig: A Little History of Hair

Kathleen Krull, illus. by Peter Malone. Scholastic/Levine, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-439-67640-3

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Krull delivers a fascinating and quite funny "history" of humankind's relationship with hair, from furry prehistory to the advent of punk style. With dry wit, Krull examines the follicular fashions and follies of ancient Egyptian, Mexican, and Indian civilizations, continuing through the royal courts of Europe to the present day. Aristotle attempts to cure baldness using goat urine, while Cleopatra hints to "her boyfriend," Julius Caesar, that he might grow hair by using a blend of horse teeth, deer marrow, and toasted mice. Equally wonderful are Malone's gouache illustrations, rife with humor, such as his Marilyn Monroe–style depiction of the world's first blonde, 11,000 years ago. "Cavewomen have to compete for the few men left.... Beyond blond seems to help." Ages 8–12. (Aug.)

Reviewed on: 06/06/2011
Release date: 08/01/2011

Paperback - 1 pages - 978-0-439-67641-0

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