Starred Review ALA Booklist (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 1999)

Starred Review Set in the Tarascan Indian village of Patzcuaro in the hills of Mexico in the 1950s, this is a touching story with the tenderness of O. Henry's Gift of the Magi. It is all the more moving because it is grounded in the harsh reality of the times, when poverty drove many of the Tarascan women to sell their long, beautiful hair to the city buyers. The third-person story is told from the viewpoint of Erandi, whose thick, waist-long braids are her mother's pride and joy. When they have no money for a new fishing net, Mam takes Erandi to the barber, where they stand in line with the other women. Erandi cannot bear the thought of losing her braid, and when it is finally their turn, she is enormously relieved because Mam is selling her own hair. Except Mam s hair is too short for the barber to sell. He wants to buy Erandi's braids, and the child insists that he cut them. DePaolo's paintings, with their clear outlines and bright shades of orange and turquoise, create a strong sense of the place and the people, their daily village work, their loving family bonds. When the braids are gone, the close focus on the child's face and on her mother's tears reveal the nakedness of their sorrow and the strength of their love. (Reviewed January 1 & 15, 1999)

Horn Book

When merchants come to Erandi's Mexican village to buy hair for wigs, they reject Mamá's because it is not long enough. With great trepidation, Erandi offers her thick, rich braids so Mamá can get a new fishing net. This tale of love and sacrifice is based on an actual Mexican practice in the 1940s and 50s. The facial expressions in dePaola's warm illustrations add to the poignancy of the story. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews

<p>DePaola's signature rounded characters and folk-influenced palette invigorate this slim Mexican folktale. The next day will be Erandi's birthday, and though she would love a new dress for the upcoming village fiesta, she isn't expecting much. But Erandi's hardworking Mama is determined to buy her something special. "We will pay the best prices for your hair. Come to Miguel's Barber Shop tomorrow," a loudspeaker on the street beckons, giving Mama an idea of what she must do to ensure her daughter a happy day. At first, Erandi is frighteneda"whose hair will Mama sell? Mama tries to sell her own hair, but the barber says it is not long enough; this selfless act gives Erandi the courage to sell her own hair, and in the end, she earns a dress and a doll. Although the storylinea"equating the cutting of hair with sacrifice, as it was for O. Henry's young couple and Alcott's Joa"is not entirely new, dePaola's work transports readers to the innocence and austerity of a timeless Mexican village. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)</p>

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3--Set in the Mexican village of Patzcuaro, this is the story of a young girl's selflessness and her mother's tenderness. Excited about her birthday, Erandi hopes for a present, but when her mother worries that their fishing net is worn out, the girl fears that they will not be able to afford a gift. The next day, however, the purchase of a yellow dress sets her heart at ease--until her mother takes her to the barber shop where the braids of the local women are cut off and sold to merchants from the city. There, Erandi fears that her mother will sell her braids, but in the end the child makes her own decision. According to an author's note, this story draws on the practice of the Tarascan women of the Michoacan province of selling their hair for use in making false eyelashes, wigs, and fine embroidery during the 1940s and `50s. While the idea of making sacrifices for the people one loves is universal, the context into which the tale is set makes the whole seem a bit labored. Bordering on the didactic, it is saved by dePaola's signature paintings, which use earth tones and blues to bring the village and the characters to life. Perhaps best used as support for social studies units on Latin America, this tale serves to point out the human ties that cross cultural lines.--Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA