Aydil’s best friend Liz has messy hair, so why can’t she? It’s easy and doesn’t involve The Brush. But when two knots form in the back of Aydil’s head, they soon become three, then four, and Mom says if Aydil doesn’t let her Brush the Knots Out, Aydil will have to get ALL her hair cut off so it won’t become a nest for birds. Then Aydil’s personal bully, Scrawny Tawny, can’t leave her hair knots alone, even pulling them on the playground. But bad goes to worse when Aydil starts losing friends over her knotty hair and Child Services gets involved. Aydil’s parents could go to jail for “‘glect!” Is there any way to make it all right? What can a five-and- a-half-year-old do?
Aydil Vice is a clever, determined, middle-grade heroine living as real a life as any five or six year-old . Lovers of Clementine and Junie B. will fall in-love with Aydil and her “knotty” abilities of working through tough situations. But, in Aydil, readers will find a uniquely normal child living a tougher life.
Excerpt
I am five and a-half and I have blonde streaks in my hair that my mom says most people would die for. Dying hair is when you go to a hair salon and your normal hair dies then changes to a different color. And you have to pay many dollars to the hair-salon lady. Every day a lot of people kill their hair in salons.
I also have knotty hair.
Knotty hair is when nests form in it, in the back of your head. Mom says birds will make a home in them if I don’t let her Brush the Knots Out. And if I don’t let her do it A-S-A-P (this means now), I will have to get all my hair cut off so the birds can’t nest in it. But guess what? Then my hair will look like a boy’s and be nothing like beautiful Liz’s.
Beautiful Liz is my best friend. She has the messiest, beautifullest hair. My hair is finally long and messy like hers! And here’s a secret: Messy hair is easy ‘cause it needs no brush.
But when I growed my hair this long, I wasn’t thinking about the trouble grown-ups do.
Professional Reviews
Delightful Aydil Vice! By Author Sally Odgers on 21 Jun 2007
Aydil Vice and her Disgustin' Hair Knots is a delightful story. A lot of books claim to be suitable for all ages, but Aydil's tale has a rare appeal. It's a story of family, friendship, troubles and solutions and, of course, disgustin' hair knots. Aydil tells her own story in a thoroughly convincing manner. I could almost believe she was sitting in front of me, bright-eyed, jumping up now and again to twirl and dance, and telling me about her life. The syntax is very realistic. Some people put "cute" language in the mouths of child characters, but Aydil speaks, thinks and acts like a real child. Brava, Aydil!
By the way, don't let the 70 pp count bother you if you're a young reader. There are lots of lively pictures and plenty of white space so the story races along.
