Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Every spring in Michoacan, Mexico, merchants from cosmetic and textile factories travelled to the country villages in search of the unusually long, beautiful hair of the Tarascan women to make into fine wigs, eyelashes and fancy embroidery. A set of long, thick braids was every woman's pride and joy, and they believed that if they cut and sold their hair, they would become cursed and it would never grow back. Poverty, however, often forced them to sell their glorious braids to the merchants.
In this delightfully poignant tale illustrated by Tomie de Paola, Erandi makes a brave decision to help her poor mother.
