Bintou's Braids

by Sylviane A. Diouf, Shane Evans (Illustrator)

Bintou wants braids. Long, pretty braids, woven with gold coins and seashells, just like her older sister and the other women in her family. But she is too young for braids. Instead, all she has are four little tufts of hair; all she ever gets are cornrows. However, when Bintou saves the lives of her two young cousins and is offered a reward of her choosing, Bintou discovers that true beauty comes in many different forms. Rich, earthy illustrations and a heartwarming story capture the spirit of a West African village in this wise tale about a girl who learns she's perfect just the way she is.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Childrens, Cultural, Realistic Fiction, Multicultural Literature, Western Africa

40 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

Reviews

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story about an African-American girl who lives in a village. All of the older women in the village have beautiful hair with braids, and gold coins, and shells in their hair, and Bintou wants pretty hair just like them! She thinks that her hair is plain and boring, but her family tells her that she will be able to have braids when she is older and ready. After a life-changing experience at her brother's baptism, when she saves her cousins' lives by using her quick wit, her family rewards her with putting pretty birds in her hair and she is so happy! In her village, hair is a metaphor for how much someone has grown as a person, and is a symbol of status. A great realistic-fiction read!
This text could be used in the classroom as a great multi-cultural resource. Hair is a very cultural thing especially in African villages, and the African-american culture. This text can help students be more aware of different cultural backgrounds and what things like hair, jewelry, mean to other cultures. This is a very cute story, and can also address issues of self-esteem and bullying! In the beginning of the story Bintou is very sad because she thinks that her hair is ugly, and everyone tells her she is too young for braids! She yearns to have pretty hair like all her older sisters, and cousins, so that she can feel accepted in her community. Bintou never does get her braids, but she does get to have birds in her hair, and she learns to be happy with herself regardless, this is applicable to students self-esteem issues to help them learn to be happy with what they look like, and not to bully others if they don't have "cool hair." I think that this book would be a great read-aloud for grades 2-4, some of the concepts in it could be a little advanced for the younger grades, and the difficulty of the text would be hard for independent readers in grades 2-4, therefore it would be a great read-aloud to use as a teacher!

[Mildred Stewart (EDUC378) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Text-to-Text Connection: Bintou's Braids carries the same message as "Last Stop on Market Street". Bintou is eager to resemble being older and not wanting to be a child anymore. The family and members of the village assist in teaching Bintou her rights of passage to be an adult will come at the time when it's that time. She does a big person deed which warrants her in getting rewarded. Hoping what she ask for will be granted it turns out not to be what she expects. The message between these two books is what you see others have its ok to wish and want, but what you already have in front of you is just as awesome.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non-Print Review of TumbleBooks Bintou’s Braids
Original Publishing Info- Bintou’s Braids by Sylvianne Diouf (Author), Shane Evans (Illustrator) Chronicle Books (October 7, 2004) Ages 3-7.

"Growing up in a West African village, a small girl hates her short, fuzzy hair and dreams of when she'll be old enough to have long braids with gold coins and seashells like her big sister. Many children will recognize Bintou's wish to be sophisticated and beautiful, even as they enjoy seeing the particulars of where she lives. Evans' bright, stylized oil paintings, in strong shades of brown with lots of red and blue, show the child with the people in the village and encircled by her loving family. At the Muslim prayer ceremony and the feast celebrating the baptism of her baby brother, Abou, she meets a visitor from America, who talks with an accent and tells her about many girls in her country who have braids. The story (Bintou runs for help to save her two young cousins from drowning, and then she gets to choose her reward) seems added on; the heart of the book is the realistic, contemporary setting in all its rich detail." Hazel Rochman -Booklist Review

I really enjoy this story, but the voice of the reader makes it difficult for me to enjoy this version. At times it sounds condescending or too “happy go-lucky”. That is probably not the best way to describe this, but the voice doesn’t seem to match the tone of the story. This is a website that my students listen to very regularly. So, I was especially disappointed at the amount of multicultural literature on this site, and even more disappointed when I heard the voice of the reader. This is a story that I think my students would probably turn off, and it is a shame because it is a story that they may enjoy otherwise. I am giving this Tumblebooks story only 2 stars because of the voice, otherwise, based on the book, I would probably give it more like 4 stars.

[Phylicia Bohannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bintou’s Braids is a fictional story about a little girl in Africa who so badly wants to have braids like her older sister and the rest of the older girls in her tribe, but she only has little tufts in her hair. She cries to her sister when she can’t have braids and upon the arrival of her grandmother to their tribe for a celebration, Bintou learns of why young girls in their tribe are not allowed to have braids until they are older. Bintou dreams of having braids, but after a life changing encounter of her becoming a hero, Bintou learns to accept her hair as it is for now. She learns that maybe she shouldn’t have braids just yet.
I would definitely use this text in my classroom to show students that in some cultures certain hair styles are a definition of how much you have grown as a person. The students could use the text to engage in a conversation about what kind of rituals and beliefs exist within their cultures concerning hair.
Sylviane A. Diouf , the author, is also a historian of the Senegalese people, hence she wrote Bintou’s Braids based on their culture’s beliefs. Diouf does a wonderful job of portraying the ancient tale of how this ritual of young girls not having braids came about. This relates well to my topic because it is a great example of why certain hair is NOT okay and why you should research where a ritual comes from before determining why it is accepted or not.

[NS-Christine Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bintou is a little girl growing up in a West African Village. More than anything, Bintou dreams of having long braids like her sister Fatou. She thinks her little tufts of hair are silly, and admires the long braids with gold coins of the women in her village. Her grandmother tells her that little girls should not worry about their hair. They should spend time making friends, playing, and learning. But Bintou can't stop thinking about her hair. One night Bintou dreams that she has long braids. The sun follows her, and she "shines like a queen." In the morning she is disappointed when she looks in the mirror and sees that she is still the same Bintou, with no braids. When Bintou makes a brave decision, her mother wants to give her a reward. Will she finally get the braids she has been longing for?

The colorful images depicting West African life seem to leap off the computer screen in this eBook. The author, Sylvianne Diouf, does a wonderful job of sharing authentic pieces of the West African culture while creating a story all children can relate to. The one aspect of this eBook that did not feel authentic was the voice of the narrator.

[Juliedrake05 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diouf, S.& Evans, S. (2009). Bintou's Braids. Chronicle Books.
Tumble Books

In the story Bintou's Braids, the reader is introduced to a little girl named Bintou. She wants braids because she thinks that will make her beautiful like her older sisters. Bintou is reminded by her grandmother that (in their culture) little girls are not allowed to have braids. The entire story Bintou longs for her braids and after becoming a local hero, she is promised any reward she wants. Of course she wants braids. Bintou's Grandmother , instead of braids, gives Bintou her own special hair style. This story is a great lesson for all children about the different cultures both in the United States and around the world. Shane Evans illustrates this book with earthy brown, yellows and blues which help the reader get a feel for the West African setting. If this were a print book I think that I would really have enjoyed it. I did not care for the audio version of this book. The story is suppose to take place in West Africa but this can not be heard in the narrators voice. I found this very distracting and pulled me out of the story.

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the beautiful illustrations depicting the West African village where the story is set. Most of the pictures are done in earthy brown, yellow, and blue colors. The story, however, I did not find as strong. A bit simplistic in how the central conflict is resolved. Granted it’s a book for young children so a complex plot is not expected but still, there could have been a little more substance to the story. 3.5 stars overall.

[Suzette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a self-esteem book for little girls. Hair is a challenging topic for females, specifically those that don't know how to maintain their hair. Historically, cultural influences are confining; culture tends to tell people what they can't do vs supporting what can be done. But this book helps flesh-out the importance of cultural (from a hair perspective) but does not limit hair to culture. This is a must read for little girls.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely! A West African girl wants braids -- but is not old enough to have earned them yet. When she saves the lives of her cousins and is offered a reward, the result seems inevitable, and yet ... turns out there are alternative types of beauty and she is more than happy to wait for braids.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story set in Senegal about a little girl who wants to wear braids like the older girls.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful upon beautiful, and little Bintou made me want to tear up just a bit. The story follows a little girl, Bintou, who dreams of one day having braids in her hair, woven with gold coins and beads. She gets told that little girls don't have braids and that they must wait until they are older. She repeats how all she wants is to be pretty like her older sister and the other women in her life. One day, she spots her cousins in their canoe who risk crashing and drowning, so she runs back to her village for help and saves their lives. As a gift of gratitude, she gets asked what she wants most and she answers with--of course--braids in her hair, interwoven with gold coins and beads. Instead, she gets surprised with feathers in her hair that resemble little birds, and she finally feels beautiful.

Some of my favorite lines includes the end page: "I am the girl with birds in her hair. The sun follows me and I am happy." Every paragraph and bit of dialogue is paired beautifully with colorful, soft illustrations and is all around gorgeous. Poetry is what it is: both in the form of words and illustrations. I highly recommend everyone read this story at least once so they can enjoy it as much as I did.

An example of assignment that can be done with students could be having them brainstorm and write down about a time they did something good for others, like Bintou did for her cousins, and include how it made them feel afterward. A good little self-reflection piece.

[JK WSU · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars (Liked). Published in 2001, this Mommies' Committee Award-winning, realistic fiction picture book tells the tale of a tufted-haired girl who badly wanted braids like the women in her family and her chance to get her coveted braids as a reward for calling for help after seeing two men in distress in the water off the beach near her home. After her grandmother attaches decorative birds in her hair, the girl reimagines her beauty beyond braids.
I can see myself using this book in a future classroom either in a lower-elementary classroom as a social-emotional lesson on ways we can be happy despite not getting what we want, or in an upper-elementary/middle school classroom on the cultural importance of hair, traditional ceremonies such as the baptism described in the book, or why cultures have traditionally revered the knowledge of elders.
I liked the story and the illustrations, but the story ended without telling the reader whether Bintou got her braids after all.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't a story that I cared for. The little girl seemed shallow, really only caring about getting braids and looking pretty. And yes, although she saves some boys from drowning and is rewarded with getting her hair done, it contradicted her grandmother's previous admonishment that little girls shouldn't focus on being pretty - which is why the custom of hair braiding is reserved for the older, marrigeable girls.

Ages: 4 - 8

#geography #africa

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bintou longs for braids like the women and older girls of her tribe.

Bintou is a young girl who lives in a village in rural Senegal. Bintou admires the braids with their decorative ornaments worn by the older girls and women, and she dreams of having braids of her own. But in her culture, girls are not allowed to wear their hair in braids until they reach puberty ostensibly to prevent their becoming "vain and selfish."

When Bintou's good deed earns her a reward, she immediately asks for braids. Of course, Bintou couldn't possibly be allowed to break cultural norms even if she did save the lives of two boys. That simply isn't done. But a happy compromise is reached, and she is granted a decorative hairstyle that is both socially acceptable and makes her feel happy and special.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

When is the right age to let little ones get braids for their hair? Ask one family, you get one answer. As a second family, you get a second answer. In Bintou's Braids, this family decides that little ones should be shielded, for as long as possible, from vanity. But grandmas always have solutions. And while Bintou is still too young to get braids, she does get an adorable up do.

[Savannah Stapley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impactful way of teaching kids that comparison is the thief of joy. Also has some important cultural references that a handful of my kids identified with in regards to their own hair and culture. I loved seeing the connections they made. Representation is so important!! Illustrations are so beautiful. You are perfect just the way you were made!

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to hear about another little girl who had basically the same frustration I had at that age even though she was in another place foreign to me.
Maybe I needed to save a life to get a reward that would fix the problem for me too.

[KinkyCurlyNerdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful! Reminder to live your life without waiting for the future

[Karla Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Braids have a lot of different cultural meanings, and this book really highlights that.

[Bia · Rating 4 out of 5]

recebido da Editora Record!

[Renita · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Bintou's Braid's" is written by Sylviane A. Diouf and illustrated by Shane W. Evans. The genre is traditional fiction.

Bintou wants braids like her sister and the other women in her village but she only has four tufts of hair on her head. She feels her hair is "short and fuzzy...plain and silly." Bintou believes braids will make her beautiful because they will have shells and coins in them. Bintou learns she can be beautiful with her four poofs and birds in her hair.

The story is well written and easily comprehended by children. It is a lovely story to read to children pre-k through third grade. The story's setting is an African village, so there are no other races or ethnicities other than depicted by the main characters. The story takes a sudden unexpected change that thickens the plot but soon returns to the subject of Bintou's hair.

The story fits my text set because it is about a young African girl, her self-image, and her hair. The story reflects positively on African hair worn natural. The book is written and illustrated by people racially represented in the story. The author, Sylviane A. Diouf is Senegalese and French. She has lived in Africa. Diouf has authored books about the African and African-American experience. Shane W. Evans has illustrated many African-American non-fiction books. Neither the illustrations nor the text is stereotypical of its subjects.

[Charmaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bintou's Braids is an adorable story about a young girl wanting to be like the older girls in her community. As a tradition Bintou's little girls wear tufs in their hair until they are old enough to receive braids. As a teacher I would use this story to reinforce the importance of descriptive writing and also building upon characters. Using describing words that allow you to imagine the character in your head develops characters. I would remind students that without looking at the story they could form a vision of a character. After reading the story I will ask students to think how they think the character looks, their personality and the emotions they experience in the story. I would remind students they have to pay attention to the details in the story to help develop the character in their brain. I will reread specific pages in the story for students to see examples of words describing the character. Once we have talked about describing a character I will do a follow up activity to emphasize the strategy students learned in class. Students will practice writing descriptively to help improve their c by making it more interesting and engaging to read.

[Tine Martinsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bintou’s Braids" Is about a little girl that wants braids really much, but everyone tells her, that she is too young. One day she walks on the beach dreaming of getting braids, when she sees two boys that’s on the sea and needs help because their boat is sinking. She runs through a rough trail, and manages to get help, and all of the people is so grateful for her help, and wants to give her something great that she only could dream of, getting her hair braided. Her grandmother starts to comb her hair, but it doesn’t feel like she braids it. She gets sad, but when she sees her selves in the mirror, she sees something amazing.

This is about dreaming and to be happy with whom you are. This is a great opportunity to talk about putting other in front of them and to talk about feelings. This is about culture, helping and showing love. I would use this book with 3rd or 4th graders and have them to talk about dreams and what they wish for in the future that they might be too young to have, something to look forward to.

[Amy Stipp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bintou was a small girl who desperately wanted long braids in her hair. I assumed the story would end where Bintou discovers that it doesn't matter what she looks like on the outside, but it's what's on the inside that counts. There is a little bit of that message sprinkled into the answer of her question, "why can't I have braids?" But really,braided/beaded hair is a right of passage in the African tradition. Girls are allowed to be kids where they are free from worrying about their looks. Braids/beads are either earned by doing something heroic (as was Bintou's case) or achieving a certain age. This is a good discussion book about ornate African culture and traditions. There are discussion guide questions in the back that can guide questions as well.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bintou is a young girl in a small village who wants to have beautiful braids instead of four little tufts of hair. All of the ladies and the older girls have beautiful long braids with seashells and gold coins. Bintou's mother explains to her that she is too young to have these braids. Bintou wants beautiful braids so that birds can nest there. But one day Bintou sees fisherman in need of help. She runs through the bush calling for help. Because she was so brave and helped the fisherman her grandmother made her yellow and blue birds to put in her hair.

This is a wonderful story of culture and tradition. I recommend this book for all ages. Shane Evans has done a fantastic job of illustrating this book. The bright colors bring Bintou and her village to life.

[Lindsey Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line of Sylviane Diouf's book follows the classic 'you're too young for that' story. Bintou is a younger girl whose one desire is to have braids like the older women in her family. When Bintou becomes the town hero she is offered one wish. Of course she wishes for braids! When she doesn't get what she wants Bintou is sad, but only for a minute because she realizes her grandmother has added some colorful birds to her hair. I was slightly disappointed that Bintou didn't get her braids, however the story was very good. I also loved the bright illustrations that high lighted the African culture in this story. This story is full of culture and tradition, so I would use this to allow students to write about something they want that they might not be able to have until they are older.

[Saba N Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet tale of a young girl who wants more than anything than to wear braids decorated with beads and coins like the women in her family. It is a fun story that shares Bintou's culture, especially the hair culture. I did not know young girls could not wear braids. In African-American culture, young girls like Bintou often wear braids with barrettes or beads. So this was a very interesting fact to learn. When she finally earns the honor of wearing braids, she does not get them. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed in the ending because it shows her not being honored for her good deed even though she was promised braids. However, in the end, she does seems to be happy with what she eventually does get.

[Azriana Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a girl named Bintou who wants long braids like her older sister but cannot get them because she is too young. One day Bintou saves a little boy and as a reward, Bintou gets to choose her own reward. The story is written beautifully. As a teacher, this story could be used to teach about a country/ culture that may be unfamiliar to most students. Students could also tell about a time when they were brave and got rewarded for it. The illustrations bring the story to life with its great pictures of the West Africa setting.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written and illustrated story about Bintou, a girl in a Senegalese village, that longs for beautiful braids like her older sister's. However, she must be content with her tufts until she is older. Meanwhile she dreams of braids with gold coins. Upon completing an act of bravery, Bintou's grandmother rewards her with decorations for her hair.

This story portrays the innocence of a child, shares the respect of coming-of-age traditions, and the teaches the importance of choosing to do what is right (even if it is a little scary).

[Sonam_ranani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bintou’s Braids is about a little girl named Bintou who wants braids. Although she is too young for braids, her desire keeps on rising after seeing all the older girls in her family with braids. Her grandmother tries to explain to her that she should not worry about her hair but all Bintou can do is dream about her braids. This book is a great way for students to learn about self-acceptance and strong character roles. Character depiction can also be taught through this book such as how do you think Bintou looks like? What’s her personality? What are her emotions? Etc.