Big Wig by Kathleen Krull
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: Did you know that Cleopatra believed a concoction of horse teeth, deer marrow and roasted mice would cure baldness? Or that Queen Elizabeth I had more than eighty wigs – all in shades of red? Or that Japanese skin doctors invented hair implants in 1939? I could go on and on but really you should just go check out Kathleen Krull’s fascinating book, Big Wig: A Little History of Hair (Scholastic 2011).
Krull has long been intrigued by hair, writing her first book at age 10 about it – Hair-Dos and People I Know. Happily she has authored another book on the subject, this time for a larger audience. Beginning with Prehistoric Africa, Krull fashions a quirky review of hairstyles and hair-related facts through time. Peter Malone’s comic illustrations add flair to the fun. A section called Hair Extensions expands further on the highlighted facts. I’ll be switched if this book doesn’t become a permanent favorite!
Cindy: Groan. I haven’t had enough sleep OR coffee to keep up with Lynn’s hair-brained puns this morning! I’m also relieved that I don’t need to do headstands to grow healthy hair like they did in India 4,000 years ago…or that I am not going bald so I needn’t try Aristotle’s cure of rubbing goat pee on my head. But, I think I am most relieved that if I need a surgeon it will not be my hairdresser or barber simply because they have the sharpest instruments in town! I love you Sheryl Netzler, but you don’t get to use a scalpel on me!!!
Comb through your local library or bookstore to find this book and brush up on your hair facts. You’ll be glad you did.
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September 13th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
What fabulous puns! Obviously this is an inspirational book.