This was such a cute, wonderful comic. As a curly haired Afro-Latin@ it speaks to me on such a personal level. I was lucky enough to grow up with parents that gave me positive feedback on my hair and fomented a high level of self-esteem in me. However, Marlene's story reflects that this is not everyone's experience. I appreciate that it highlights the prevalence of anti-Blackness in the Latin@ community.

Marlene's mother was the most interesting character to me in this comic. She is a widow who does not understand how to take care of Marlene's hair. My mother similarly did not initially know how to care for my hair, but she put in the effort to learn how. To this day I am grateful for that because she never made me feel like my hair was the problem and she never let me go to school looking a mess. Marlene, unfortunately, has a different experience. Her mother consistently straightens her hair and in her pursuit of having Marlene conform, she creates insecurity in her. Marlene is always comparing her "frizzy" hair texture to that of her classmates and peers. Her hair is different, and her mother and family make comments that make her feel like there is something wrong with her hair. 

Marlene's aunt has curly hair, very similar to Marlene. However, her approach is very different from Marlene's mother. She embraces her curls and serves as an example of self-acceptance for Marlene. This eventually leads her to have a healthier relationship with her hair and improves Marlene's relationship with her mother once her mother accepts her for who she is, curls and all.

Overall, this was a very wholesome story that is great for teaching about self-acceptance. I'm thinking of maybe reading more works from this author. There isn't as much representation in children's books as I'd like for Latin@s and I think stories like this are important to tell. Besides that, it was enjoyable, so I'm sure I'd enjoy her other works.