Critical Lens Theory

When I finished reading the book Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. The artwork was beautiful and the writing was expressive, but, more importantly, the message was powerful. The book features a young black girl named Aria who is constantly hiding from people that want to touch her hair. They find it beautiful, but never ask for permission before feeling it.

When looking at this book through the new historicism and cultural studies lens, it is clear that this issue is relevant to the lives of many people. Touching someone’s hair may not be racist or derogatory, but it is an invasion of privacy that stems from race. This book takes a little girl who is constantly dodging hands and gives her the confidence to stand up for herself and ask for some respect. I can see how important this message is for little girls that see themselves in Aria, helping to give them the confidence they need.

Looking at this book through cultural race theory reveals how important the message is. Aria doesn’t hate her hair, in fact she mentions several times how much she loves it. She is a normal little girl who is sick of people touching her hair. She never wishes her hair was different, she just wants people to respect her personal space. Writing a narrative about race that doesn’t involve some form of self-depreciation is refreshing to read. Aria doesn’t wish she could change, she wants everyone else to change. I think introducing topics like this into children’s literature is a fantastic way to promote self-love and confidence in certain kids, while promoting personal space and boundaries to others.

-Sam Goodreau