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.

ANU CHOUHAN is a Punjabi-Canadian illustrator and video game artist. Anu recently illustrated the graphic novel adaptation of the New York Times bestselling book Aru Shah and the End of Time, and is working on her picture book debut. Her art has been featured by the CBC, the BBC, Harper’s Bazaar, Bride India, The Times of India, and The Times of London. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. Learn more at anumation.ca.

Anu Chouhan's profile page

“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 generations.” —Publishers Weekly
“A nice title for the family shelves, and a sweet story about a wonderful day between mothers and daughters.” —School Library Journal
“This sweet, charmingly illustrated tale will resonate with readers and their caregivers who share the hair-oiling ritual and will create points of connection with readers from other cultures in which women care for each other's hair through similar intergenerational traditions.” —Booklist
“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