Ladybug Nominee Profile

Laurie Halse Anderson, a favorite author of students writing Letters About Literature, got the idea for Zoe,"a child born with a quarter acre of crazy red hair that had a personality of its own," from a melding of her two daughters. There is lots of other interesting background info on the story in the Teacher's Section of the author's website. Ard Hoyt provided the illustrations that bring the idea to life. This book was published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

"Rapunzel has nothing on young Zoe, whose flowing red tresses are not only her crowning glory but can also "turn on the TV, pour a glass of juice, pet the cat,
and play on the computer-all at the same time." But while Zoe's kindergarten teacher embraced the fact that the hair had a life all its own ("at nap time, the hair was a comfort"), first grade brings the stern Ms. Trisk, who is decidedly unamused. Anderson (Independent Dames) and Hoyt (Utterly Otterly Day) are comically sympathetic to the ways in which an unfortunate class placement can turn a school-age child's world upside down. But not to worry-by story's end, everyone's having a good hair day. Ages 6-10." (from Publisher's Weekly)

This is one of the ten titles nominated for the 2010 Ladybug Picture Book Award.