A Single Dreadlock

Written by Xaiver Michael Campbell

Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-938-8

32 pp.

Ages 3–6

September 2025 

 

For many, our hair, or lack thereof, can define us. If hair is present, it can be one of the first attributes by which people identify others: colour, length, texture, appearance. And when you're new to a community and your hair is unusual, it can unfortunately become the difference that separates rather than connects. Ask Lovie.

From A Single Dreadlock, written by Xaiver Michael Campbell, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

As a young child in Jamaica with his dads and grandma, Lovie grew up feeling like he belonged. He looked like the other kids, and his grandmother would care for his hair every Sunday before bedtime. She would grease and comb and then style it whatever way he wanted. But then he and his dads move to Newfoundland, and no one, not even his fathers, know how to tame his curly hair. In the summer, his hair is free and full and playful, dreading in one spot only. Lovie likes that. But when he goes to school, a bully pulls at the one dreadlock and makes fun of Lovie's hair. Now, instead of appreciating all the loveliness of his hair, Lovie wants to hide the dreadlock and avoid the teasing. 

From A Single Dreadlock, written by Xaiver Michael Campbell, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

When his grandmother comes for a surprise visit for Chanukkah, she reassures him that dreading is what their hair type does naturally, and that his strands are full of love. Loving the idea of his hair hugging itself in dreads, he's pleased when his grandmother gets out her hair grease and works on Lovie's hair, making perfect dreads. Proudly he displays them at school. When he's taunted once again, he tells the kids, "They're called dreadlocks, and I love them. And please don't touch my hair."(pg. 28)

From A Single Dreadlock, written by Xaiver Michael Campbell, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Lovie's story is Xaiver Michael Campbell's story. It's one of immigration from Jamaica to Newfoundland. It's one of fitting in to a new community and self-acceptance. It's one of heritage and family, of traditions and self-love. It's a big story about hair. You just wish young Lovie didn't need to endure any intolerance of his differences, but we can be thankful that he has a grandmother with such wisdom and love to help him see the joy of his hair. A writer of both fiction and non-fiction, A Single Dreadlock is Xaiver Michael Campbell's first children's book. And it is a deeply personal one because it is one that was lived. Still, Xaiver Michael Campbell's focus is on the joy that is his hair and the help he gets from his grandmother–as well as some generous aids–rather than the bullying. By placing the emphasis on Lovie rather than his unnamed bully, Xaiver Michael Campbell lets young readers see that Lovie and how he feels about his own hair is the story.

 

The joy of Lovie's life in Jamaica and in Newfoundland is depicted in Eugenie Fernandes's paintings (acrylic on watercolour paper). She emphasizes Jamaica's tropical nature and Newfoundland's temperate climate with shades of yellow and blue, but she always makes Lovie this beacon of happiness. Eugenie Fernandes has always been able to bring the warmth of goodness into her art work (e.g., When Rabbit Was a Lion, 2023, and Finding Lucy, 2019), showing children, or animals, finding the strength to be themselves, regardless of those who cannot accept differences. Between her choice of colours and the lushness of the lines she uses to create shapes, whether mangoes, water, or hair, Eugenie Fernandes makes us feel the warmth of place and people.

 

We all have something that makes us unique. It might be a single dreadlock, or a physical attribute, or a skill. But a difference does not need to isolate us. It can be a difference that bears strength and individuality rather than inequality. I hope that Xaiver Michael Campbell always celebrates his hair in whatever style he wants now.

Meet the Latkes

Written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg

Viking Books for Young Readers

978-0-451479129

36 pp.

Ages 3-6

October 2018

If it's American Thanksgiving, then you know that the holiday season, creeping upon us ever earlier, is here.  So, just in time for this year's Hanukkah, which starts on December 2, is Alan Silberberg's picture book Meet the Latkes about a family of fried potato pancakes who are ready to celebrate, dreidel and menorah in hand.

There's Mama and Papa, daughter Lucy and her dog, Applesauce, older son Lex, and Grandpa. 

They're just like you and me. Except they're potato pancakes!

As Lucy and Applesauce start to get excited for the first night of Hanukkah, grumpy Grandpa corrects Lucy's pronunciation of the celebration. She says Hanukkah. He says Chanukah. The ever wise Applesauce informs them both that since the holiday's name is Hebrew, it is said and spelled different ways in English. Lesson #1.

As the family, minus the sullen teen Lex, cooks and sings and decorates the house, their celebrations begin and Grandpa takes Lucy, his little latke, onto his lap to tell her about the miracle of Chanukah. His story may be a little different from those typically told. Grandpa's story starts with Mega-Bees "who buzzed and stung and fought to keep our people safe" and the bravest bee was Judah Mega-Bee who helped fight the alien potatoes from Planet Chhhhh. Applesauce, drawing from his font of knowledge, attempts to correct Grandpa Latke with every outlandish detail of his Chanukah story. He tries to set Grandpa, and avid listener Lucy, straight but his endeavours to mention the Maccabees and Judah Maccabee and king Antiochus are totally disregarded.

"Feh!" says Grandpa. "Whose story is this?"

In Grandpa's story, Judah and the Mega-Bees are trapped by "those evil tater tyrants" from Planet Chhhhh with only enough honey for one day. They construct a gigantic wooden dreidel, hiding inside, until they burst forth and "sliced and whipped and mashed those tater tyrants into tatters." And with some egg, onion and flour, Judah creates potato latkes.

From Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg

But with Applesauce telling the true story of Hanukkah, which Grandpa eventually acknowledges as a far better miracle, yet another miracle happens. (Parents of teens will understand.)

From Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg

Meet the Latkes may be a silly story of a potato latke family sharing the story of Hanukkah but it's actually very informative. By having Grandpa tell his story, as an alternative to Applesauce's correct version, as well as including an appendix with glossary about the true story of Chanukah, Alan Silberberg gives us many a laugh while teaching about this holiday. But forget for a moment the educational value of Meet the Latkes and instead think about the achievement Alan Silberberg has made by writing and illustrating a story in which potato pancakes are the stars. His characters have clear voices of senior drollness, youthful naïveté, canine frustration, teen moodiness and more. And they're potato latkes! It all comes through their words, eyes and smiles (or lack thereof) and Alan Silberberg's cartoons, filled with action and exclamations, bubble comments and commentaries, and colour and wacky shapes.

Take your children or students to Meet the Latkes for a Hanukkah, or Chanukah, like no other.