Can I Touch Your Hair?
Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship
Illustrator: Sean Qualls, Selina Alko
Binding: Hardcover
Age 8+
Poetry
Creators
Irene Latham's passion for poetry started as soon as she could read and write, with Shel Silverstein and love poems crafted for her mother. Named Alabama State Poetry Society 2006 Poet of the Year, Irene has published poems for adults and children in anthologies, journals, and literary magazines. She is also the author of two award-winning novels for children: Leaving Gee's Bend and Don't Feed the Boy. Her collections of children's poetry include Dear Wandering Wildebeest, When the Sun Shines on Antarctica and Fresh Delicious. She lives with her husband and three sons in Birmingham, Alabama. Charles Waters grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, and currently works as a poet and actor. His poems for children have appeared in anthologies including One Minute Till Bedtime, and The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry. Charles conducts poetry performance workshops for elementary and middle school audiences across the nation, and he has performed in more than thirty states. He makes his home in New York City.
Reviews
Can I Touch Your Hair? provides a springboard for class discussions about race and friendship and stimulus for similar collaborative writing projects for students.
Magpies Magazine
Can I Touch Your Hair? is a compelling portrait of two youngsters dancing delicately through a racial minefield.
These poems explore diversity with refreshing honesty and complexity—and truly capture the personalities and voices of these two rising stars of poetry.
